H. R. Shastry
# H. R. Shastry

Halebeedu Ramachandra Shastry (2 November 1905 – 12 December 1976), was an Indian actor and dubbing artist known for his work in Kannada cinema. In his career spanning more than 40 years, Shastry played a variety of supporting roles. He is noted for his performances in Bedara Kannappa (1954), Rayara Sose (1957), Bhoodana (1962), Sri Srinivasa Kalyana (1974) and Upasane (1974). Shastry's last movie was Pavana Ganga.

## Early life

Shastry was born on 2 November 1905 in Halebeedu village near Melukote, in the present-day Mandya district of Karnataka. His father was an astrologer. At five, Shastry was sent to study under the tutelage of Narasimha Somayaji, where he developed interest towards the Kannada-language and culture and art. He was drawn towards theatre and acting during his secondary schooling at Sarada Vilas High School, Mysore. At 15, he started working at a railway workshop, while pursuing his acting interest alongside.

## Career

Shastry went on to perform for A. V. Varadachar's Rathnavali theatre group and subsequently that of Mohammed Peer. He was noted for his performances as a shepherd in Peer's Gautama Buddha, as Siddha in Samsara Nauke and Dildar in Shah Jahan. He then joined H. L. N. Simha theatre group, Simha's Selected Artists, before starting his own troupe named Manjunatheshwara Nataka Mandali. He suffered financial losses with the troupe leading him to focus energies on his already-begun film acting career.

Shastry made his film debut in Varadacharya's Bhakta Amabareesha which was made in Tamil. In 1941, he appeared in his first Kannada film Subhadra produced by Gubbi Veeranna where he played the role of Dharmaraya. Shastry played the role of deity Shiva in Bedara Kannappa (1954), a film that won the Certificate of Merit for the Best Feature Film in Kannada at the 2nd National Film Awards. He played the major role of a father-in-law who demands dowry, in 1957 social drama Rayara Sose, which was a commercial success. The Rajkumar-starrer Immadi Pulikeshi was his 100th film.

## Selected filmography

* Subhadra (1941)..Dharmaraya
* Mahatma Kabir (1947)
* Bedara Kannappa (1954)...Shiva
* Ohileshwara (1956)
* Shree Krishna Gaarudi (1958)...Dharmaraya
* Bhakta Kanakadasa (1960)
* Jenu Goodu (1963)
* Mantralaya Mahatme (1966)
* Naagarahaavu (1972)...Shyam Iyengar
* Doorada Betta (1973)
* Gandhada Gudi (1973)...Hanumayya
* Upasane (1974)
* Bhakta Kumbara (1974)
* Pavana Ganga (1977)
