Birthday special: 5 movies that make Ganesh the ‘Golden Star’ of Kannada cinema

There’s no denying the fact that Ganesh is a fairly popular name in Kannada cinema. The self-made hero enjoys a strong fan following due to his impressive screen presence, intelligent selection of roles and passion for cinema. During his eventful career, ‘Golden Star’ has acted in quite a few well-received movies and proved that he means business. On Thursday, as the actor turns a year older, here is a look at five movies that prove he is a force to be reckoned with.

Mangaru Male (2006)

A smash hit, Mangaru Male is considered to be the film that established Ganesh as a bonafide star. Directed by Yograj Bhat, the romantic-drama revolved around what happens when a young man falls in love with a beautiful woman after a chance meeting. Mangaru Male featured Pooja Gandhi as the leading lady, who impressed fans with her sincere performance. Mangaru Male 2, a ‘spiritual sequel’ to the film, was released in 2016.

Cheluvina Chittara (2007)

Directed by S Narayan, Cheluvina Chittara featured a stellar performance from Ganesh and proved to be a memorable affair for his fans. A remake of the Tamil movie Kadhal, it emerged as a runaway hit at the box office, helping the actor consolidate his position in the industry. The cast included Amoolya and Komal Kumar.

Gaalipata (2008)

Featuring a sincere performance from Ganesh, Gaalipata revolved around what happens when three friends get romantically involved with the daughters of an Army officer. A sensational blockbuster, it played in theatres for 175 days.

Maleyali Jotheyali (2009)

A major commercial success, the film featured a stellar performance from Ganesh and helped him bag the Filmfare Award for ‘best actor’. Maleyali Jotheyali starred Yuvika Chaudhary and Anjana Sukhani as the leading ladies.

Geetha (2019)

The critically-acclaimed Geetha revolved around the Gokak agitation, which focused on securing first language status for Kannada in Karnataka, and hit the right notes with its effective presentation. Featuring good production values, the film proved to be feast for the target audience.