Upendra Rao, also known as Upendra, is a multitalented Indian personality who has made a significant impact in the Kannada and Telugu film industries as an actor, producer, filmmaker, screenwriter, and politician.
Rao began his career as a writer and assistant director to Kashinath, working on the 1992 film Tharle Nan Maga. He later co-directed Shhh! with Kashinath and Kumar Govind in 1993, marking his debut as an independent director.
Upendra's breakthrough as a director came with the 1995 film Om, followed by A: Film by Upendra in 1998, where he also made his acting debut. The film was a huge success and became a cult classic.
As an actor, Rao has worked in numerous films in Kannada and Telugu, including Upendra (1999),Preethse (2000),Super Star (2002),Kutumba (2002),Gokarna (2003),Hollywood (2002),Raktha Kanneeru (2003),Gowramma (2005),Auto Shankar (2005),Aishwarya (2006),Anatharu (2007),Budhivanta (2008),Super (2010),Kalpana (2012),Godfather (2012),S/O Satyamurthy (2015),Uppi 2 (2015),I Love You (2019),and more.
Rao's transition to acting began with A: Film by Upendra (1998),which was a massive success and became one of the highest-grossing films in the Kannada industry.
The self-titled film Upendra (1999) starred three heroines, including Raveena Tandon, and surpassed the success of A: Film by Upendra (1998). Rao experimented in Telugu cinema, participating in lesser-known films like Naanu Naane (2002),Hollywood (2002),and Nagarahavu (2016).
Rao made a comeback as a director with Super (2010),which broke records and had a long theatrical run. He directed and acted in the sequel Uppi 2 (2015),which set the record for the highest-grossing opening day for a Kannada film.
Rao has won numerous awards, including Best Male Actor for A: Film by Upendra (1998) at the Udaya Film Awards and Best Director for Upendra (1999) at the 47th Film Awards South. He has also won awards for his roles in Nagarahavu (2016) and Raktha Kanneeru (2003).
In 2018, Rao founded the political party Uttama Prajakeeya Party, representing the workers. Although he never contested any elections, he remained an active figure in politics.
Rao has been a brand ambassador for several prominent brands, including United Breweries, SK Super TMT, Lunars Footwear, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Emani Navaratna Brand, among others.
