Gurunandan biography channel
Gurunandan
Gurunandan | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gurumurthy (1989-12-30) 30 December 1989 (age 35) Mudigere, Karnataka, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Other names | Raju, Rank Star |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, Model |
| Years active | 2011–present |
Gurumurthy (Kannada: ಗುರುನಂದನ್), credited as Gurunandan, is an Indian film and television actor working in Kannada cinema. After having worked in small roles in television series, he rose to fame with the popular series Lakumi aired on the Asianet Suvarna.[1] Following this, he made his big screen lead debut with Cyber Yugadol Nava Yuva Madhura Prema Kavyam (2014). His breakthrough came with his second film in a lead role, First Rank Raju (2015) for which he received both critical acclaim and commercial success.[2]
Early life
Gurunandan was born as Gurumurthy in Mudigere, Chikkamagaluru District, Karnataka. After completing his 8th grade in school, he ran away from his home to Bangalore to try his luck in cinema.[3]
He graduated from Mangalore University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2010. Gurunandan hails from a coffee planters' family.
Career
Gurunandan made his debut in mainstream cinema with the experimental romantic film Cyber Yugadol Nava Yuva Madhura Prema Kavyam, where he starred opposite Shwetha Srivatsav.[4] His performance was well-received, earning him a nomination for the SIIMA Best Male Debut Award. However, the film underperformed at the box office.
Gurunandan gained widespread recognition with the 2015 comedy-drama First Rank Raju, where he played the titular role of Raju. The film was both a critical and commercial success, establishing him as a promising actor in Kannada cinema.[5]
Over the years, Gurunandan has showcased his versatility by taking on diverse roles in films such as Chiravada Nenapu (2016), Smile Please (2017), and Raju Kannada Medium (2018). His 2019 film Missing Boy saw him portray the emotionally layered character of Nishchay Jagdish.
In 2025, Gurunandan is set to appear in three highly anticipated films: Forest as Sunil, Raju James Bond as Raju, and Mr. Jack as Janakirama. He is also part of the upcoming romantic drama Happy Ending, where he plays the character Vasu, with the release date yet to be announced.