Avinash Yelandur


Yelandur Narayan Ravindra, known mononymously by his stage name Avinash, is an Indian actor who appears predominantly in Kannada and Tamil films. He has been working in films for more than three decades. Known for his authentic portrayal of complex characters and versatility, Avinash is one of the most sought after actors for supporting roles.

Early life

Avinash was born in the town of Yelandur in Mysore district, in the Mysore State, to Indira and B. K. Narayana Rao, a lawyer. After completing his education at Mysore's Hardwick High School and College, Avinash went on to attend University of Mysore, where he obtained his master's degree in English literature. Drawn to theatre and cinema from a young age, he had an active theater life in Mysore and later in Bangalore. During the time, he taught English at the National Institute of Engineering, Mysore, and later at the MES college in Bangalore.

Career

Theatre

His first job after his M.Phil. was that of an English lecturer in National Institute of Engineering, Mysore. He continued to teach at MES College Bangalore as one of the most popular lecturers of the college. However, soon his passion for theatre took him abroad to train in acting at Mermaid Theatre, London. On returning home, he worked in Kannada theatre as part of the renowned B Jayashree's troupe "Spandana" and with the Shankar Nag as part of his "Sanketh" for many years.

Films

Films were a natural choice for Avinash after his debut in G. V. Iyer's Madhvacharya based on the life and times of the twelfth-century enlightened master as the protagonist Madhvacharya, a film that won several National and State Awards. His debut in mainstream cinema however, was with Shivarajkumar's Samyuktha, which went in to become a hit with audiences, ushering him into the world of South Indian Cinema. He has worked with more than 200 directors such as K. Balachander, Girish Kasaravalli, T. N. Seetharam, A. R. Murugadoss, Puri Jagannadh, P. Vasu, Vetrimaaran, Siva, Suseenthiran, Duniya Suri, Prashanth Neel, Gautham Vasudev Menon and T. S. Nagabharana.
His other notable performances were in Girish Kasaravalli's Dweepa, in which he played the lead opposite Soundarya, T. S. Nagabharana's Chinnari Mutha and T. N. Seetharam's Mathadana, all three of which won National Award. He also lists Singaaravva and Chigurida Kanasu among his most memorable films.
P. Vasu's hit horror series Apthamitra, Chandramukhi and Aptharakshaka were high points in his career. 5Ters, an experimental children's film in Hindi gave him the opportunity of playing good and evil characters and he considers the film to be a high point of his career.
Apart from his diverse repertoire, he has had the privilege of playing major roles alongside doyens such as Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan, Rajinikanth, Mammootty, stars such as Nagarjuna, Nandamuri Balakrishna, Venkatesh, Shiva Rajkumar, Vijay, Ajith Kumar, Vikram, Suriya, Puneeth Rajkumar, Kiccha Sudeep, Yash, Arya, Karthi, Mahesh Babu, Prithviraj Sukumaran and several of the younger stars of South Indian Cinema.

Personal life

Avinash married Malavika, who was his co-star in the soap opera Mayamruga, in 2001. They have a son, Gaalav.

Awards and recognition

  1. Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for Mathadana
  2. South Indian cinematographers association award for Best Supporting actor for Mathadana
  3. Film Fans Association award for Best Supporting Actor for Dweepa, Mathadana
  4. Jury's special mention for Dweepa, Singaaravva
  5. SIFA award for Best Supporting Actor for Aptharakshaka
  6. Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Kannada for Aptharakshaka
  7. Udaya TV award for excellence in cinema
  8. Suvarna TV award for Prithvi
  9. Aryabhata Award for Best Actor for TV series Shikari
  10. Rajyotsava Award of the Karnataka State Govt
  11. Kempegowda Award of the BBMP

Partial filmography

Kannada films

YearFilmRoleNotes
1985TrishulaDamodar Rao
198627 Mavalli CircleP. R. Arunkumar
1986MadhvacharyaYoung Madhvacharya
1987Aapadbandhava
1987Athiratha Maharatha
1987Ravana Rajya
1987BandhamukthaPrabhakar's friend
1987Sangrama
1987Agni Parva
1988SamyukthaGopal Rao
1988Krishna Mecchida Radhe
1988DaadaVishnu's friend
1988Mathru VathsalyaShekhar
1989Ondagi BaluThyagaraj
1989TarkaCowry
1989Yuddha KaandaDr. Hegde
1989Onti SalagaRamesh
1989Deva
1989Inspector VikramRao
1989C.B.I. ShankarVikram
1990AshwamedhaMuthanna
1990Kiladi Thatha
1990MathsaraSomashekhar
1990Poli Kitty
1990Rudra Thandava
1990S. P. Sangliyana Part 2Imposter of CBI officer
1990Swarna Samsara
1990UtkarshaMahendra
1991Hathya KandaPrasad
1991CBI VijayS.I. Harischandra
1992Mannina DoniPradeep
1992Sangya BalyaVeeranna Setty
1993Chinnari MuthaSaawanth
1993AakasmikaRijji
1994NishkarshaRamakrishna
1994Lockup DeathPolice Inspector
1994KiladigaluChikkaraja
1996HuliyaMadagi
1997CBI Durga
1998Karnataka PoliceCaptain
1999Aryabhata
1999DronaJD
1999Idu Entha PremavayyaArun's brother
1999Hrudaya Hrudaya
1999Nannaseya Hoove
1999Om Namah Shivaya
2000YajamanaDevaraj
2001Lankesha
2001ShaapaPsychiatrist
2001Prema Rajya
2001HuchchaKiccha's brother
2001Vishalakshammana Ganda
2001MathadanaPuttathammayyaKarnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor
2001KotigobbaKeshava
2002AppuRajashekhar
2002NinagagiDr. Subramanya
2002KarmugiluShankar
2002BalaramaLandlord
2002DweepaGanapa
2003DonRamaswamy Iyengar
2003SingaaravvaSaragam Desai
2003Sri RamLokayuktha DCP Kshetrapal
2003Raja Narasimha
2003Thayi Illada ThabbaliNanjappa
2003Chigurida KanasuShanubhog
2003KhushiDurga Prasad
2003Daasa
2003Mani
2004ApthamitraAcharya Ramachandra Shastri
2004Durgi
2004KalasipalyaSeetharam
2004Veera KannadigaVishwa
2005ValmikiDeshpande
2005Sirichandana
2005AakashDayanand
2005Deadly Soma
2005Siddu
2005SyeSivaji
2005AadiUdayachandar
2005AmrithadharePuru's Father
2005NewsUmesh
2005SwamyDesai
2005Green Signal
2006MandyaBhoopayya
2006ChellataChandrasekhar
2006CyanideKempaiah IPS
2006Gandugali Kumararama
2006SirivanthaMastan Bhai
2006Tananam TananamGowda
2006Kallarali HoovagiParashuramappa
2006Shree
2007HudugaataS. K. Ananth Rao
2007Gunavantha
2008Manasugula Mathu Madhura
2008BombaatAnanthakrishnan
2008Baa Bega ChandamamaPoonacha
2008Chikkamagaloora Chikka Mallige
2009Kabaddi
2009Bellary NagaVishwanath Gowda
2010Police QuartersVishwanna
2010School Master
2010PorkiSatya Narayan Murthy
2010AptharakshakaAcharya Ramachandra ShastriFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Kannada
2010PrithviNarasimha Nayak
2010JayaheSushilkumar
2010Preethi HangamaGeetha's boss
2011Karthik
2011HudugaruParamashiva Murthy
2011ParamathmaSrinivas
2011PutraNarasimha
2012Shakti
2012Anna BondMajor Chandrakanth
2012Romeo
2013Sandalwood Sa Re Ga Ma
2013CID Eesha
2013Jataayu
2013VictoryDCP Rajendra
2013KaddipudiACP Vijaya Prasad
2013MadarangiDeepu's father
2014Angaaraka
2014NinnindaleLakshmi Venkatesh
2014UgrammShivarudra Lingaiah
2014ShivajinagaraDayanand
2014Kalyanamasthu
2014Ragini IPSHiremath
2014Huchudugaru
2014Maryade
2014Veera Pulikeshi
2014Maanikya
2014Hara
2014Jasmine.5
2014Aakramana
2014Power
2015Mrugashira
2015VajrakayaViraj's adoptive father
2015PreethiyindaAmar Kumar Pandey
2015Lodde
2015Mr. AiravataPolice Commissioner
2015Goolihatti
2015Dove
20157
2015Ring Road Suma
2015Bettanagere
2015Alone
2016Khanana
2016JaguarCollege Principal
2016Kotigobba 2Landlord
2017HebbuliACP Prathap
2017RaajakumaraJagadeesh
2017Rogue
2017Dandupalya 2Police Officer
2018Prema BarahaRam
2018Idam Premam Jeevanam
2018Ambi Ning VayassaythoNandini's father
2018GultooInspector Avinash
2018Vaasu Naan Pakka Commercial
2018Victory 2DCP Rajendra
2018OrangeHuli Veeraiah
2019NatasaarvabhowmaAvinash
2019Dasharatha
2019AkhaadaOnly dubbed versions released
2019PailwaanRukumini's father
2019Katha Sangama
2020Mounam
2020ArishadvargaManjunath Bhat
2020ShivarjunaRayappa
2020LawNandini's father
2020Act 1978Chief Minister of Karnataka
2021RoberrtOmkar Shukla
2021YuvarathnaaJayapal
2021Mugilpete
2022JamesArmy officer
2022Home MinisterRenuka's father
2022Shiva 143Narasimha
2023Love Birds
2023Vidhi 370
202319.20.21
2023Mariguddada Gaddadharigalu
2023Suraari
2023SirenPolice Commissioner Ashok Kumar
2023Yadha Yadha HiAvinash Bhat
2023IravanDr Satya Murthy
2023Aparoopa
2023David
2023Sheela
2023Sapta Saagaradaache Ello – Side AShankare Gowda
2023Mayanagari
2023KaateraShanubogha
2024JuniPartha's father
2024AbbabbaGopal Reddy
2024BagheeraRamakanth Appayya
2024Bhairathi RanagalKhandre
2025Guns and Roses
2025Choo MantarAcharya RamachandraCameo appearance
2025ForestMani
2025Rudra Garuda Purana
2025Unlock Raghava
2025Vaamana
2025KothalavadiCommissioner Ananta Padmanabha
2025Jambu Circus
2025I Am God
2025Jai Gadakesari

Other activities

Avinash is the founder member of Sneha Loka, a club to promote sporting activity among the film fraternity.