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Upendra

Upendra

Actor, writer and director · Born September 18, 1968 (58) · Kundapura, Karnataka

Upendra Rao known mononymously as Upendra, is an Indian film actor, director, producer, screenwriter, lyricist and playback singer who works primarily in Kannada cinema. He started his film career as a writer and an assistant director with actor and film director Kashinath. His first directorial venture was Tharle Nan Maga (1992). He is currently one of the highest paid directors and actors in the Kannada cinema industry.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 18, 1968 (58)
From
Kundapura, Karnataka
Works as
Actor, writer and director
Titles
8 on Motif · 72 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 39 days to Oct 28Up 3% in 30 days

What are Upendra's films like?

Across their 7 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
32%
Self
26%
Morality
17%
Ideas
14%
Power
9%
Society
3%
Identity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 6 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 1 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 3 · Intense 3

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 0 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 1 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 3 of 6 analyzed roles.

Hero
3 of 6
Shadow
2 of 6
Trickster
1 of 6
  • Heroas Surendra in Hollywood (2002)
  • Tricksteras Upendra in Hollywood (2002)
  • Shadowas The Robot (Sudeendra) in Hollywood (2002)
  • Heroas Udayashankar in H20 (2002)
  • Heroas Arkeshwara in Kabzaa (2023)
  • Shadowas Upendra's character in 45 (2025)

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Melancholic
3
Thrilling
3
Romantic
2
Joyful
2
Other
3

How their films linger

Fun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet2
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Upendra's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 8 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (2).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Upendra's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

72 credits, 8 with a Motif page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • 45(2025)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Raktha Kashmira (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2025)

    Actor

  • Andhra King Taluka(2025)

    as Surya Kumar

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Coolie(2025)

    as Kaleesha

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • UI (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2024)

    Director · Screenplay · Writer · Actor

  • Kabzaa(2023)

    as Arkeshwara

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Ghani (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2022)

    as Vijender Sinha

  • Home Minister (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2022)

    Actor

  • Nanne Preethse: I Love You (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2019)

    Actor

  • Upendra Matte Baa (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2017)

    as Upendra Raju / Ramu

  • Mukunda Murari (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • Kalpana 2 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    as Raghava

  • Uppi 2 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Story · as Neenu / Naanu

  • Son of Satyamurthy (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2015)

    as Devaraj Naidu

  • Shivam (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2015)

    as Basavanna / Alexander

  • Super Ranga (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2014)

    as Sriranga

  • Ragini IPS (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2014)

    as Narrator

  • Brahma (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2014)

    Actor

  • Topiwaala (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)

    as Basak

  • Kalpana (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2012)

    as Raghava

  • Godfather (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • Katari Veera Surasundarangi (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2012)

    Screenplay · as Mass Manava / Mohan

  • Arakshaka (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • Maryade Ramanna (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2011)

    as Bicycle (voice)

  • Shrimathi (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2011)

    Actor

  • Rajani (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2011)

    Actor

  • Super (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)

    Director · Writer · as Subash Chandra Gandhi

  • Dubai Babu (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2009)

    Actor

  • Mast Maja Maadi (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2008)

    Actor

  • Buddhivantha (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2008)

    Actor

  • Satyam (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2008)

    as Manickvel

  • Lava Kusha (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

    Actor

  • Anatharu (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

    as Rudhra

  • Toss (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

    Actor

  • Masti (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

    as Siddappaji / Masti

  • Adavadi (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

    Original Story

  • Parodi (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

    Actor

  • Aishwarya (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2006)

    Playback Singer · as Abhishek Hegde

  • Thandege Thakka Maga (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2006)

    Actor

  • Auto Shankar (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2005)

    as Auto Shankar

  • Gowramma (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2005)

    Actor

  • Omkara (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2004)

    Actor

  • Gokarna (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Raktha Kanneeru (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Kutumba (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Hollywood(2002)

    Screenplay · as US-47 / Surendra / Upendra

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Nagarahavu (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)

    as Ajay Sharma

  • Super Star (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)

    Actor

  • H20(2002)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Neethone Vuntanu (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)

    as Ravi/subba rao

  • Naanu Naane (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)

    Actor

  • Raa (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2001)

    Screenplay · as Sridhar

  • Oke Maata (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2000)

    Actor

  • Preethse (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2000)

    as Chandru

  • Upendra (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1999)

    Director · Screenplay · Story · as Naanu

  • Arjun Pandit(1999)

    Original Story · Story

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Swasthik (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

  • Kanyadanam (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

    Actor

  • A (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

    Director · Writer · as Surya

  • Omkaram (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1997)

    Director · Writer

  • Operation Antha (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1995)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Om (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1995)

    Director · Story · Writer

  • Shhh!(1993)

    Director · Writer · as Mahadevu

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Tarle Nan Maga (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1992)

    Director

  • Nanagu Hendthi Beku (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

    Dialogue · Lyricist

  • Ajagajantara (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

    as cameo

  • Anantana Avantara (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1989)

    Assistant Director · Lyricist · as Lord Kamadeva

  • Buddhivantha 2 (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Kabzaa 2 (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    as Arkeshwara

  • Next Level (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Untitled Karthik Subbaraj Film (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Zombie Reddy 2 Nxt Lvl (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

A full career of 72 titles, 67 of them dated from 1989 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Coolie (2025)

$7.5M worldwide

Highest rated

Shhh! (1993)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Coolie (2025)

Film career

  • 1998Screen debut· A
  • 1998First top-billed film· A

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting64 of 72: 53 only acting, 11 with another role · typical Midcredits score67thDirecting11 of 72: 1 only directing, 10 with another roleWriting17 of 72: 3 only writing, 14 with another roleOther crew2 of 72: 0 only other crew, 2 with another role

72 titles, 15 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 10 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · 1 acting · 1 crew1990s12 · 5 acting · 10 crew2000s27 · 26 acting · 4 crew2010s19 · 19 acting · 3 crew2020s8 · 8 acting · 1 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored.

How do Upendra's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 62nd percentile, the median of all 8; across their 6 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 53rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Approval · how many liked their films

90thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Reach · how many have seen their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 6

Midcredits score across 8 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th2

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 8 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser1
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

Coolie (2025)

84th percentile spread · 20% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, director, writer

Shhh! (1993)

Midcredits 97th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 66/100 in their films, across 5 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Upendra work with?

People who share at least 2 of Upendra's Motif titles; Shivarajkumar shares the most, 2.