Hyderabad: Sudeep Sanjeev, who is making headlines with regards to his recent comments about 'supporting' Karnataka CM Bommai, is a Kannada actor, director, and producer. Also popularly known as Sudeepa or Kichcha Sudeep, he is renowned as one of the highest-paid actors in the Kannada film industry and has been listed in the Forbes list of top 100 celebrities of India since 2013.
Born on September 2, 1973, in Shimoga district of present-day Karnataka, Sudeepa completed his bachelor's degree in Industrial and Production Engineering from Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering in Bangalore. He then attended the Roshan Taneja School of Acting in Mumbai, where he reportedly overcame his shyness and pursued his passion for acting.
Sudeep's journey in the film industry began with his debut in Thayavva, released in 1997. It was his role in the film Huchcha (2001) that earned him the nickname Kichcha Sudeepa by his fans. In 2008, he made his Bollywood debut in the film Phoonk and has since starred in other Bollywood films like Rann, Phoonk 2, and Rakta Charitra, directed by Ram Gopal Varma.
Sudeepa's noteworthy performances in the Kannada film industry include Sparsha (2000), Huchcha (2001), Nandhi (2002), Kiccha (2003), Swathi Muthu (2003), My Autograph (2006), Ranna (2015), Kotigobba 2 (2016), and Hebbuli (2017), among others. He has also appeared in the Bollywood film Dabangg 3 (2019), starring Salman Khan. In addition to his acting career, Sudeepa has been hosting the popular television reality show Bigg Boss Kannada since 2013.
Also read: My support is for 'Mama' Bommai, says actor Kichcha Sudeep
The actor has completed around 26 years in the film industry and is currently working on his next film Vikrant Rona, directed by Anup Bhandari. He is also the captain of the cricket team, Karnataka Bulldozers, that participates in the Celebrity Cricket League.
Sudeepa got married to Priya Radhakrishna in 2001, with whom he has a daughter named Saanvi, born in 2004. Although the couple separated in September 2015, they later reconciled.
Sudeepa is also actively involved in humanitarian works through his organization, Kiccha Sudeepa Charitable Society. The trust helps underprivileged school children by providing them with uniforms and scholarships. During the Covid pandemic, his organisation provided necessary help to senior Kannada film artists, technicians, and others who were unable to get work.
