Dorai–Bhagavan were an Indian filmmaking duo consisting of directors B. Dorai Raj (died 2000) and S. K. Bhagavan (5 July 1933 – 20 February 2023), active mainly in Kannada cinema. The duo directed twenty seven films together, most of which starred Rajkumar and were highly successful at box-office. Fourteen of them were based on Kannada novels. Bhagavan was the principal of Adarsha Film Institute, Bangalore.
Film career Srinivasa Krishna Iyengar Bhagavan was born on 5 July 1933. He completed his schooling in Bangalore High school. At a young age, he was acting on stage dramas with Hirannaiah Mithra Mandali. He started his film career as an assistant to Kanagal Prabhakar Shastri in 1956 through the film Bhagyodaya. He then went on to direct his debut movie Sandhya Raga in 1966 though officially its direction was credited to A.C. Narasimha Murthy. However, next year, he was credited as the co-director of Rajadurgada Rahasya (1967) alongside A.C. Narasimha Murthy. His official directorial debut happened when he co-directed Jedara Bale (1968) with Dorai Raj under the name Dorai–Bhagavan thus becoming the first directors to make James Bond-style movies in Kannada.
The duo then directed films like Kasturi Nivasa, Eradu Kanasu, Bayalu Daari, Gaali Maathu, Chandanada Gombe, Hosa Belaku, Benkiya Bale, Jeevana Chaitra and more Bond-style movies such as Goa dalli C.I.D 999, Operation Jackpot Nalli C.I.D 999 and Operation Diamond Racket. Apart from Rajkumar, the duo directed many movies with Anant Nag and Lakshmi, most of which were based on novels. After the death of Dorai Raj, Bhagavan ceased directing for many years – their last film was Baalondu Chaduranga in 1996. In 2019, he made his comeback at the age of 85 with Aduva Gombe, which marks 50th film of his direction.
Awards Bhagavan was the principal of Adarsha Film Institute.About us Adarsha Film Institute
Filmography Dorai–Bhagavan directed a number of films. Apart from directing movies, Bhagavan also acted in films including Bhagyodaya, Rowdy Ranganna, Vasantha Geetha, Shravana Bantu, Sootradhaara, Haalu Jenu, Jeevana Chaithra and Bangalore Mail. He mostly worked with music director duo Rajan–Nagendra and G. K. Venkatesh for most of his films.
Note*: This is a partial filmography. You can expand it. +Key . Denotes films that have not yet been released Year Film Actors Notes1956BhagyodayaUdaykumarAssistant to Kanagal Prabhakar Shastri1966Sandhya RagaDr.Rajkumar, BharatiUncredited 1966Mantralaya MahatmeDr.Rajkumar, Kalpana, Jayanthi Production and direction department1967Rajadurgada Rahasya Dr.Rajkumar, Bharati Bhagavan only (co-director with A.C. Narasimha Murthy)1968Jedara BaleDr Rajkumar, UdaykumarJames Bond-style movie 11968Goa Dalli CID 999Dr Rajkumar, LakshmiJames Bond-style movie 2 (debut of Lakshmi)1969Operation Jackpot Nalli C.I.D 999Dr. Rajkumar, Rekha, SurekhaJames Bond-style movie 31971Kasturi NivasaDr Rajkumar, Aarati, Jayanthi, Raja Shankar1971PratidwaniDr Rajkumar, Rajesh, Aarati1974Eradu KanasuDr Rajkumar, Kalpana, ManjulaNovel by Vani1976Bayalu DaariAnant Nag, Kalpana, Ashok, Jayalaxmi, Padma KumtaNovel by Bharatisuta1977Giri KanyeDr Rajkumar, JayamalaNovel by Bharatisuta1978Operation Diamond RacketDr Rajkumar, PadmapriyaJames Bond-style movie 41979Chandanada GombeAnant Nag, Lakshmi, LokeshNovel by Ta Ra Su1979Nanobba KallaDr Rajkumar, Lakshmi, Kanchana1980Vasantha GeethaDr Rajkumar, Gayatri, Puneet1981Gaali MaathuLakshmi, Jai Jagadish, Kokila Mohan, Hema ChaudhryNovel by Ta Ra Su1981Muniyana MadariShankar Nag, Jai Jagadish, Kokila Mohan, JayamalaNovel by Ashwatha1982Hosa BelakuDr Rajkumar, Sarita, Mamata Rao, Srinivas MurthyNovel by Vani1983Benkiya BaleAnant Nag, LakshmiNovel by Ta Ra Su1984Samayada GombeDr Rajkumar, Srinath, Roopadevi, Menaka, KanchanaNovel by Chitralekha1984YarivanuDr. Rajkumar, Srinath, Roopadevi, B. Saroja devi, Puneet, Hema Chaudhry1985Bidugadeya BediAnant Nag, LakshmiNovel by Ta Ra Su1985Sedina HakkiAnant Nag, Lakshmi, Prabhakar, Rajeev, JayamaliniNovel by T.K Rama Rao1986Hennina KooguSarita, SridharNovel by Geetha Nagabhushana (Hasi maamsa mattu haddugalu)1987 VijayothsavaKumar Bangarappa, Sudharani, Kanchana1989GaganaAnant Nag, Srinath, Khushboo, Mahalakshmi, Vanita VasuNovel by N.Pankaja1991Neenu Nakkare Haalu SakkareVishnuvardhan, Srinath, Rupini, Vinaya Prasad, Rajani, Chandrika, AnjaliOnly movie with Vishnuvardhan1992Jeevana ChaitraDr Rajkumar, Madhavi, SudharaniNovel by Vishalakshi Dakshinamurthy (Vyapti-Praapti)1993Mangalya BandhanaAnanth Nag, Malashri, Moon Moon Sen Bhagavan only1994OdahuttidavaruDr Rajkumar, Madhavi, Ambareesh, Srishanti, Umashree, VajramuniLast movie with Raj Kumar1995Baalondu Chaduranga Lakshmi, Ramesh, Sai Kumar, Sudharani, S.P. Balasubramanyam, Srishanti2019Aduva Gombe Anant Nag, Sanchari Vijay Bhagavan only
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