TUMKUR: Karnataka politics has got one more player from the tinsel world- the playboy of ‘ Ranganayaki, ’ veteran actor Ashok, who joined the BSP to contest the Tumkur LS seat.
With this, he will join the league of cine stars-turned politicians like Mandya MP Ambarish, former MLAs Kumar Bangarappa and Jaggesh, former MP from Chitradurga Shashikumar, Saikumar, MLCs Mukyamantri and Umashri, Shruthi and Mahendar.
Ashok, a star activist-turned politician was closely associated with late Nanjunda Swami of Raitha Sangha. He is also the president of Bangalore-based Karnataka Film Artists, Workers and Technicians Union.
The 57-year-old actor graduated from the Madras Film Institute and made his debut opposite Sridevi in the Kannada movie ‘ Hennu samsarada kannu ’. He shot to fame with ‘ Ranganayaki ,’ directed by late director Puttanna Kanagal and was known as a playboy in real life for his alleged love affair with Arathi, who acted opposite him in the movie.
Another significant movie was ‘Sanaadi appanna’ in which he co-starred with Kannada matinee idol late Rajkumar.
Ashok, who feels haunted by the social engineering of 12th century revolutionary Basavanna, donned the role in the movie titled ‘Krantiyogi Basavanna’ which was a box office disaster.
In 2006 April, he made the news as he claimed to have fallen down while riding a horse shooting for Shivarajkumar’s ‘Gandugali kumararama ’ which was however dubbed false by the producers.
Since then, he opted out of acting to fight for the rights of artists, workers and technicians. He had also identified with a low-profile movement against the grabbing of farmers’ lands by the realtors.
Though he hails from Anekal of Bangalore rural district, he has memories of spending a part of his childhood in Hebbur of Tumkur taluk as his father was a police sub-inspector. He has his farm house in Hebbur where he resides these days.
A ‘Balija’ by caste, he was impressed by the social engineering of BSP supremo Mayawati.
devaraj@epmltd.com