Vajramuni


Sadananda Sagar, better known by his stage name Vajramuni, was an Indian actor who appeared in Kannada films. He portrayed negative characters during most of his career and was considered one of Kannada cinema's finest actors. Over his career, he came to be known for his "thundering voice and sterling performance" that earned him the epithets, Nata Bhairava and Nata Bhayankara.
Vajramuni began his career as a stage actor and gained popularity with his portrayal of Ravana in Kanagal Prabhakar Shastri's play Prachanda Ravana. He made his film debut in 1969 with Puttanna Kanagal's Mallammana Pavada. His pairing with Rajkumar, with the latter as the lead, in the 1970s came to be widely appreciated, with films such as Sipayi Ramu, Sampathige Savaal, Premada Kanike, Bahaddur Gandu, Giri Kanye and Shankar Guru. Recognizing his contribution to Kannada cinema, he was awarded the Lifetime Contribution to Kannada Cinema Award in 2006.

Early life

Vajramuni was born as Sadananda Sagar on 10 May 1944 in the Kanakanapalya, a locality in the Jayanagar neighbourhood of Bangalore, into a Vokkaliga family. He was named after the Hindu deity Vajramuneshwara, that members of his family were devotees of. They belonged to the Hallikar community, known for cattle rearing and agriculture. Vajramuni's ancestors were given land grants and made custodians of the village of Anjanapura by the then Maharaja of Mysore, and the family had settled there since. Vajramuni was the eldest of seven children. His father R. Vajrappa was a politician and served as a corporator in Bangalore for four terms between 1958 and 1968. Politician and educationist Dayananda Sagar was his uncle.

Career

Vajramuni was a college dropout and held a degree in cinematography. A product of the Kannada amateur theatre, he performed regularly in the mid-1960s for Gubbi Veeranna's theatre company among others. He impressed Puttanna Kanagal with his performance as Ravana in Kanagal Prabhakar Shastri's play Prachanda Ravana who offered Vajramuni a role in the film Saavira Mettilu. The film however got shelved, but was completed by K. S. L. Swamy and released in 2006. Kanagal eventually cast him in Mallammana Pavada, which would become Vajramuni's first release. Producers insisted that Udaykumar would be a better choice to match to Shivaji Ganeshan who played the role in the Tamil version, but Puttanna insisted that it had to be Vajramuni. He went on to cast Vajramuni again in Gejje Pooje. Impressed by his performances in these two films, director S. Siddalingaiah cast him in his 1971 film, Thayi Devaru.
Vajramuni acted in a number of films such as Mayura, Sampathige Saval, Daari Tappida Maga, Premada Kanike, Giri Kanye, Shankar Guru and Aakasmika with Rajkumar.

Personal life

Vajramuni was married to Lakshmi, daughter of a family friend, on 28 May 1967. During the time, he worked as a caretaker of the family's sawmill while also performing on stage. They had three sons together.
Vajramuni's health condition worsened starting 1998 when he began suffering from kidney-related illness. Deteriorating health due multiple diseases including chronic diabetes led to his death at 5:30 a.m. on 5 January 2006, at a private hospital in Bangalore. His grandson is a child actor and has appeared in the television series, Uge Uge Maadeshwara.

Partial filmography

Mallammana Pavaada...SuryakanthGejje Pooje Aaliya Geliya Thayi Devaru...SomannaSipayi Ramu...SudhakarNyayave Devaru...VajramuniSakshatkara...NagannaBangaarada Manushya...KeshavaNaagarahaavu...LaxmuKulla Agent 000 Kranti Veera Bhale Huchcha...GiriBidugade...GopalMooroovare Vajragalu...DuryodhanaBangaarada Panjara Bhakta Kumbara...KrishnaUpasane...NeelakantaiahSampathige Saval...SiddappaSri Srinivasa Kalyana...BhriguMayura...VishnugopaDaari Tappida Maga Kalla Kulla Premada Kanike...ChandruBangarada Gudi Bahaddur Gandu...Crown PrinceBaduku Bangaaravayithu Badavara Bandhu...GopinathaAparadhi Babruvahana...VrishaketuSrimanthana Magalu Sose Tanda Soubhagya...KarigowdaGiri Kanye...KeshavaGalate Samsara Shankar Guru...PremakumarVasantha Lakshmi Sneha Sedu Siritanakke Savaal Operation Diamond Racket Muyyige Muyyi...GopalMadhura Sangama...VasuKiladi Kittu Kiladi Jodi Pakka Kalla Balina Guri Huliya Haalina Mevu...BhimaNanobba Kalla...BhaskarMaria My Darling...RajaKaalinga...'Lion' DayanandRavichandra...BanjoPoint Parimala Pattanakke Banda Pathniyaru...Mangesh BhaiBhoomige Banda Bhagavantha...GurujiJivakke Jiva Antha...Ajab SinghBhaari Bharjari Bete...DaanuGaruda Rekhe Oorige Upakari Karmika Kallanalla Jimmy Gallu Sahasa Simha...Shankarlal/DheerajlalNanna Devaru Khadeema Kallaru Thirugu Baana Onde Guri Chandi Chamundi...DiwakarChakravyuha...BhupathiBenkiya Bale Hasida Hebbuli Geluvu Nannade...Dharma DasNagabekamma Nagabeku Muthaide Bhagya Taaliya Bhaagya Premigala Saval...JagdishVigneshwarana Vahana...Inspector ShankarMadhuve Madu Tamashe Nodu...RahimHuliyada Kala...Jailer MariyappaGandu Bherunda...Mark AbrahamGajendra Chanakya Apoorva Sangama...Dhanraj / Rao Bahadur SahebPrema Sakshi Male Banthu Male Thaliya Bhagya...ParameshwaraiahKalinga Sarpa...SubramanyaVeeradhi Veera Vajra Mushti Thayi Mamathe Nanna Prathigne Kumkuma Thanda Saubhagya Maruthi Mahime Chaduranga...BheemarajuKatha Nayaka Bettada Thayi Brahmastra...JaisimhaBete Preethi...RajashekharSatkaara Sathyam Shivam Sundaram...Mahabala RaoAthiratha Maharatha ...VikramrajJayasimha Digvijaya Asha Thaliya Aane Lorry Driver...NagendraSangliyana...NagappaNee Nanna Daiva...Vasu RaoVijaya Khadga Thaayi Karulu Yuga Purusha...Anthony D'CostaRudra C.B.I. Shankar...Narayana GowdaOnti Salaga...RudraiahHongkongnalli Agent Amar Ranabheri...Chalapathi Rao "Kalinga"Raja Kempu Roja Khiladi Tata Prathap...MamgyaPolice Matthu Dada...Nageshwar RaoKaliyuga Bheema...Baladeva RajDurgashtami Gowri Kalyana Purushotthama Rajadhi Raja Mysore Jaana...Mohan RajHalli Krishna Delhi Radha Sahasi Hosa Kalla Hale Kulla Kanasina Rani Mannina Doni...Bernard / RamayyaAakasmika...VyasarayaSri Devi Mookambika Rayaru Bandaru Mavana Manege...police officerMahendra Varma...Major D'SouzaJana Mecchida Maga Kollura Sri Mookambika...MookasuraBhagavan Sri Saibaba...Nana ChandorkarJailor Jagannathas Mohanrja...Mohan RajLockup Death...VenkataramayyaOdahuttidavaru Bhairava Prem Path Musuku Mister Mahesh Kumar...Rao Bahadur Raja RaoKarnataka SuputraCircle Inspector Swathi Paalegara as Venkatappa NayakaSimhada Mari...Bhupathi
  • ''Daayaadi''

Awards

;Karnataka State Film Awards