From 'Minchina Ota' to 'Shanthi Kranthi', 'Plus' to 'Godhi Banna', Anant Nag boasts of myriad charms
Anant Nag's stellar body of work has not only stood the test of time but has also often served as a reminder to all of us about his vibrance and range as an actor. One can't gauge his work and career through a singular lens of commerce or the "hit vs flop" parameter because Nag has proven that his performances transcend all those boundaries along with that of region and language. Instead, he has stood tall as a most versatile performer in the industry and continues to explore newer territories as an actor despite the almost five-decade-long legacy that he has to his name.
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Krishna in 'Naa Ninna Bidalaare (1979)'
One of Anant Nag's most memorable performances to date, 'Naa Ninna Bidalaare' came about when the actor was at the cusp of stardom. Having established himself as an able performer in parallel cinema prior to this, his performance as the forlorn, stupified Krishna( whose ex-lover comes back into his life to haunt him) won him several accolades, including his very first Filmfare Award in the Best Actor category. The film also marked the beginning of Anant Nag and Laxmi's long and successful journey onscreen.
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Narada/Vijaya in 'Narada Vijaya (1980)'
Anant Nag's first dual role came about in the 1980 film 'Narada Vijaya' (directed by Siddalingaiah) wherein he essayed two vibrant and starkly contrasting characters. Having showcased his comedic/slapstick chops the previous year with 'Naa Ninna Bidalaare', Nag would further enunciate his performance range through 'Narada Vijaya' - the character of Saint Narada saw him bring out his funnyman once more whereas the role of Inspector Vijay displayed the more urbane and suave side to him. The film was a huge success and a milestone in Anant Nag's career as he would pick up several other projects in the comedy genre.
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Tony in 'Minchina Ota (1980)'
Having found success in cinema through the mid '70s, Anant Nag had shifted completely to cinema and confined himself to the reel life at one point. His theatre days seemed behind him but it was Shankar Nag, his younger brother, who pulled him back and kept the artist on him on toes for quite sometime. In the same vein, the films that came about as a result of their collaborations too stand out as some of the best the industry has ever produced. The first one, and perhaps the most memorable of all, came out in 1980 in the form of 'Minchina Ota' in which Anant played the handsome yet rugged, sly but honest crook Tony. The role, accompanied by Shankar Nag's technical finesse and mastery over the craft of direction, brought out a new side to Anant Nag and helped him carve a niche for himself as a wholesome actor thusforth.
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Daddy in 'Shanthi Kranthi (1991)'
V. Ravichandran's 'Shanthi Kranthi' is perhaps the second film (after 'Accident') to feature Anant Nag in a negative role but it was apparent that Nag himself made no distinction about such character shades. His role as Daddy, the very affable and well-regarded man on the surface who later turns out to be a major component of an organ transplant mafia, is one of the main contributors to the film's success. The performance also instilled further faith in the audience who saw him in this light of antagonism and in stark contrast to his other roles of the time, which were primarily in the comedy/drama zone. Anant Nag would reprise his role in the Telugu remake of 'Shanthi Kranthi', starring Akkineni Nagarjuna.
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Jai in 'Plus (2015)'
Despite having already achieved stardom, Anant Nag wasn't the one to sit back and revel in his past glory. Instead, the actor redefined himself time and again and worked with several interesting, young filmmakers to further thicken his great body of work. One such fascinating performance came in Gadda Viji's 2015 thriller 'Plus' wherein Nag essayed the role of Jai, a suave, spunky rich antagonist who carried the film on his shoulders. Right from his physical makeover to the alterations in his body language to fit the role, every aspect went on to be appreciated by critics and audiences alike.
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Venkob Rao in 'Godhi Banna, Sadharana Mykattu'
A film that Anant Nag was vocally excited about prior to its release, 'Godhi Banna' ushered in a new change, so to speak, into the industry. Ably supported by Rakshit Shetty, Sruthi Hariharan, and Vasishta Simha, Anant Nag delivered one of his finest performances of recent times and assured his many admirers that he was still on top of his game.
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