# Sharan (ಶರಣ್) (actor)
**Sharan** (ಶರಣ್) is an Indian actor, producer, and playback singer who works in [Kannada cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/kannada-cinema), known for comedy roles and for turning a lead actor with his 100th film, *Rambo* (2012)[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html). He was born in 1974 in [Bangalore](https://www.edgepedia.org/bangalore), Karnataka[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html), and has worked in the industry for roughly two decades as a comedian before establishing himself as a hero[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1974, Bangalore, Karnataka[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html) |
| Film debut | Comedy role in Siddalingaiah's *Prem Prema Prema* (1996)[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html) |
| Career scale | About 99 films as a comedy and supporting actor before becoming a lead; IMDb lists 124 acting credits and 5 award nominations[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3912271/) |
| 100th film | *Rambo* (2012), which he also produced; it ranked among 2012's top 5 hits[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html) |
| Lead-actor hits | *Victory* (2013), *Adhyaksha* (2014), *Raja Huli* era films such as *Rajarajendra*[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html) • [3](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/top-listing/sharan-s-top-5-hit-kannada-comedy-films-you-can-t-miss-3-5555.html) |
| Singing | Playback singer for *Rajarajendra*, *Vajrakaya*, *Bullet Basya*, and *Dana Kayonu*, among others[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html) |
| Producing | Producer of *Guru Shishyaru* (2022)[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html) |
## Early life and family
Sharan comes from a family of performers. His parents were members of the Gubbi theater company, then a well-known Kannada stage troupe, and his elder sister Shruthi became a leading actress in Kannada cinema[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html). The story behind his name comes from that touring life: while the troupe camped at Yadagiri after finishing a stint in Gulbarga, his mother was in the late stages of pregnancy and doctors advised that the child be aborted to protect her life. She made a vow to the saint Sharana Basaveshwara, the child was born safely, and he was named Sharan after the saint[4](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/news/kannada-actor-sharan-reveals-the-truth-behind-his-name-018912.html). Sharan has said he keeps deep devotion to Sharana Basaveshwara and has declined to attach any star suffix to his name, saying the name he was born with was enough[4](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/news/kannada-actor-sharan-reveals-the-truth-behind-his-name-018912.html).
Before acting, music came first. He sang in an orchestra, released an album of devotional songs, and sang title tracks for television serials before taking small acting roles on television[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html). He has said with pride that he was a singer before he was an actor[5](https://tv9kannada.com/latest-news/sharan-says-he-worked-in-an-orchestra-before-becoming-an-actor-266023.html).
## Comedy career
Sharan entered films in 1996 as a comedian in *Prem Prema Prema*, directed by Siddalingaiah[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html). Over the following years he appeared in roughly 99 films in comedy and supporting roles, becoming a familiar presence in star vehicles[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html). A 2012 profile noted that he had played the college-boy comic sidekick so often that a Kannada film with college scenes could be assumed to include him, and that he had entered the industry carrying the dream of playing a villain[6](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/news/6-comedy-actor-sharan-villain-dream-aid0172.html).
One of his noted supporting roles came as Pashupathi in *Kempe Gowda* (2011), a film for which IMDb shows a 7.2 rating[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3912271/).
## Lead actor from Rambo onward
**The turning point.** Sharan's 100th film, *Rambo* (2012), was also the first in which he played the lead, and he produced it himself. Directed by M. S., with Tabla Nani and Umashri in the cast, the film was a commercial success and was counted among the top 5 Kannada hits of 2012[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html) • [3](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/top-listing/sharan-s-top-5-hit-kannada-comedy-films-you-can-t-miss-3-5555.html).
A run of hits followed. *[Victory](https://www.edgepedia.org/victory-2013-film)* (2013), directed by Nandakishore, cast him in a double role; its satellite rights sold for 25 million (2.5 crore) before release, covering the film's entire production cost, and the mask-fight comedy between Sharan and Ravishankar was described as the film's core attraction[3](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/top-listing/sharan-s-top-5-hit-kannada-comedy-films-you-can-t-miss-3-5555.html). *[Adhyaksha](https://www.edgepedia.org/adyaksha)* (2014), in which he played Chandrashekhara "Chandru" Gowda, carries a 7.5 rating on IMDb[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3912271/). In *Jai Lalitha* (2014), a remake of the Malayalam hit *Mayamohini*, he appeared in a woman's getup, directed by P. Kumar[3](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/top-listing/sharan-s-top-5-hit-kannada-comedy-films-you-can-t-miss-3-5555.html). *Rambo 2* (2018) paired him with Ashika Ranganath, and its "Chutu Chutu" song set several records on YouTube[3](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/top-listing/sharan-s-top-5-hit-kannada-comedy-films-you-can-t-miss-3-5555.html).
He has continued to work selectively. In an interview he said he appears in at most two films a year and takes on no other work, choosing scripts with care; he has also played double roles, including characters requiring him to appear as a woman and as a villain[7](https://kannada.asianetnews.com/celebrity-interviews/special-interview-with-sandalwood-actor-sharan-qfq6za). He has said that although he is now a lead actor, he considers himself a comedy hero and does not claim the ability to carry a serious lead role[8](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/news/actor-sharan-revealed-the-truth-behind-his-name-034823.html).
## Singing and producing
Sharan has kept up playback singing alongside acting. He has sung songs for films including *Rajarajendra*, *Vajrakaya*, *Bullet Basya*, and *Dana Kayonu*[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html). In 2026 he sang "Jigi Jikka Jikka", the second track of *Nee Nange Allava*, written by director Manoj P Nadalumane and composed by Suraj Jois, released on Saregama's YouTube channel[9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/kannada/news/2026/Sep/13/sharan-lends-his-voice-to-jigi-jikka-jikka-from-nee-nange-allava). The same year he recorded "Chaddi Buddi", the first song of *Chandrahasa*, in his first collaboration with singer Naveen Sajju[10](https://vijaykarnataka.com/entertainment/news/chandrahasa-movie-sharan-naveen-sajju-chaddi-buddi-song/articleshow/132483542.cms).
As a producer his credit includes *Guru Shishyaru* (2022), in which he also acted[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html).
## Recent work
His recent releases include *[Avatara Purusha 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/avatara-purusha-2)* (2024), directed by Simple Suni, and the horror thriller *Choo Mantar* (2025), directed by Navaneeth[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html). IMDb lists *Choo Mantar* among his known works, with a 7.0 rating[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3912271/). Filmibeat's filmography page lists further upcoming titles through 2026 and beyond[1](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html).
## References
1. [ಶರಣ್ (Sharan): ಚಲನಚಿತ್ರಗಳು, ಜೀವನ ಚರಿತ್ರೆ, ಫಿಲ್ಮೋಗ್ರಾಫಿ – Filmibeat Kannada](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/celebs/sharan.html)
2. [Sharan (I) – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3912271/)
3. [Sharan's Top 5 Hit Kannada Comedy Films – Filmibeat Kannada](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/top-listing/sharan-s-top-5-hit-kannada-comedy-films-you-can-t-miss-3-5555.html)
4. [Kannada Actor Sharan reveals the truth behind his name – Filmibeat Kannada](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/news/kannada-actor-sharan-reveals-the-truth-behind-his-name-018912.html)
5. [Sharan says he worked in an orchestra before becoming an actor – TV9 Kannada](https://tv9kannada.com/latest-news/sharan-says-he-worked-in-an-orchestra-before-becoming-an-actor-266023.html)
6. [Comedy Actor Sharan: Villain Dream – Filmibeat Kannada](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/news/6-comedy-actor-sharan-villain-dream-aid0172.html)
7. [Special interview with Sandalwood actor Sharan – Asianet Suvarna News](https://kannada.asianetnews.com/celebrity-interviews/special-interview-with-sandalwood-actor-sharan-qfq6za)
8. [ಶರಣ್ ಹೆಸರು ಜೊತೆ ಸ್ಟಾರ್ ಬೇಡ.! ಹೆಸರಿನ ಹಿಂದೆ ರೋಚಕ ಕಥೆ | Actor Sharan revealed the truth behind his name - Kannada Filmibeat](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/news/actor-sharan-revealed-the-truth-behind-his-name-034823.html)
9. [Sharan lends his voice to 'Jigi Jikka Jikka' from Nee Nange Allava – Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/kannada/news/2026/Sep/13/sharan-lends-his-voice-to-jigi-jikka-jikka-from-nee-nange-allava)
10. [Sharan–Naveen Sajju 'Chaddi Buddi' song from Chandrahasa – Vijaya Karnataka](https://vijaykarnataka.com/entertainment/news/chandrahasa-movie-sharan-naveen-sajju-chaddi-buddi-song/articleshow/132483542.cms)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Kannada film actors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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