Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner Anant Nag recalls gurus, journalists who shaped his 50-year journey in Karnataka

Bengaluru, Sep 16 (IANS) Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag, who has been named the recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024 for his contribution to Indian cinema, recalled the role of his gurus and the support he received from journalists during his five-decade journey in Karnataka.

"I remember all my gurus on the stage. When I came into films, I remembered all of them. When I decided that new-wave films and different kinds of films were being made in greater numbers in Karnataka, I decided to shift to Karnataka," Nag said.

Recalling his early days after moving to Karnataka, the veteran Kannada actor said journalist friends played an important role in supporting and guiding him through his career.

"At that time, the people who stood by me and particularly helped me along were people from journalism and my journalist friends," he added.

He said that his circle of friends in Bengaluru largely consisted of people from the press as he had neither completed his schooling nor his college education in the city.

"My friend circle was only the press, and then there were TV channels and people from the TV world. I was never a member of any club, but I was a regular at the Press Club, thanks to the journalists of our region," he added.

Anant Nag said his journalist friends not only supported him but also gave him honest feedback and corrected him whenever they felt he was going beyond the right path.

"They would give me suggestions, and I had such good friends. They never hesitated to cross-examine me, tell me this is not the way, this is the way, and correct me whenever they felt that I was overstepping," he added.

Reflecting on his association with Karnataka and the people who influenced his career, Anant Nag said these experiences had been an integral part of his journey over the past 50 years.

"That was all the experience since 50 years here in Karnataka," he added.

Veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag's wife, popular actress Gayathri Anant Nag recalled with a smile how the actor initially thought the news of him receiving the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award was "fake news".

Gayathri said a journalist called her and informed her about the award. 

"I could not believe immediately that it was true. Anant was at home, so I told him about it. But he said, 'This must be some fake news', and went back to sleep," she recalled.

"Later, when the official information and press release began circulating on WhatsApp, Anant Nag woke up and read the announcement. Soon after, congratulatory phone calls started pouring in," she said.

Speaking about her husband's acting career, Gayathri said she was extremely proud of his achievements and the distinctive path he had created for himself.

"As an actor, I am extremely proud of Anant Nag's achievements. He has never followed somebody else's path. He has created his own unique path. Even though he chose a different path, the people of Karnataka have loved him immensely," she added.

Anant Nag has acted in more than 300 films during his career. Born in Shirali, Bhatkal, in 1948, his childhood name was Anant Nagarkatte. He moved to Mumbai before turning 16 and continued his education there.

He initially aspired to join the armed forces, particularly the Indian Air Force, but his dream could not be fulfilled. He later entered theatre during the modern theatre movement in Mumbai and Maharashtra and worked with several prominent artistes, including Amol Palekar.

Nag went on to work across Kannada, Hindi, Konkani, Marathi and Telugu cinema. He emerged as a prominent actor of the new-wave cinema movement and worked with filmmakers and artistes including Shyam Benegal, Amol Palekar and Shabana Azmi.

His first Hindi film, 'Ankur', received three National Film Awards. Even after decades in the industry, Anant Nag continues to remain active and listens to new film stories regularly.

He has also worked as a producer and entrepreneur and entered politics, serving as an MLC and Bengaluru Development Minister.

--IANS

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