The veteran actor, writer, and singer in theatre, cinema, and television, M. D. Umesh, alias Umeshanna, popularly breathed his last on Sunday morning – 30th November 2025 after battling cancer. He spent 70 out of his 80 years in theatre, cinema, and television.
The Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, other political personalities, and cinema and television colleagues of M. S. Umesh, besides fans, paid their last respects to the departed soul on Sunday afternoon. He leaves behind his wife and daughter. Umeshanna had lost his son sometime back, and this loss had deeply depressed him.
This is the unforgettable Umesh. The dialogue “Ayyo bejar maadkondiddira… nan hendthi anta tilidhe nim hendthina tagondu bitte…” from the Ananth Nag–starrer Golmal Radhakrishna, when Umesh hugs Sihi Kahi Chandru’s wife, packed with innocence and situational comedy, evoked laughter and became the talk of the town.
When Umeshanna completed 50 years of his journey in stage and cinema, he did not celebrate his success with any function because of lack of money. Instead, he wrote his experiences, holding a mirror to the present-day developments in cinema. It was titled Bannada Bulde.
“I am Annada (rice) Nata. I have never asked for money. On stage, when we used to act, we used to fill our stomachs and keep quiet. But for my first film Makkalarajya in 1959, when I was 14 years of age, I received Rs.1500. I worked for eight months for that film. Till today, I have not touched a lakh as payment. Sometimes I am parched for money even to buy tablets. I have a small house, and my monthly expenditure is Rs.15000. I am not able to meet it depending on cinema,” Umesh said, as he took out his Nashya Dabbi (snuff box) to get a kick, applied it to his nose, made the familiar Perrrrrrk sound with his handkerchief, and began to narrate his tales.
Umesh once quoted a funny situation that explained his financial condition. He had undergone an operation, and his wife and daughter used to support him as he walked around the house. After a few days, his daughter asked, “Paapa, why are you not getting balance to walk?” Remembering his bank balance, Umesh replied, “I don’t have balance even there also.”
Here is another real-life joke from Umesh’s life. He was walking on the streets when actress Vanitha Vasu recognized him and invited him to sit in her car and visit her house. Umesh agreed. When they reached her home, she asked him to sit on the sofa and went upstairs. Suddenly, she noticed the dining table was dirty and screamed, “Yē Umesh, clean the table!” The senior actor Umesh, sitting on the sofa, was perplexed. He obeyed the order and cleaned the table. Actually, Vanitha Vasu was shouting at the house servant named Umesh, a young boy. Baffled, Umesh cleaned the table and kept quiet. When Vanitha Vasu came downstairs, she was almost about to fall at his feet. It was an accidental episode in his life, as described by Umesh. This incident reflects his down-to-earth attitude.
Some of the notable films of M. S. Umesh are Anuraga Aralithu, Mavanige Thakka Aliya, Sarkarakke Savaal, Maneli Ganda Pakkadmaneli Hendthi, Nagaradalli Nayakaru, Guru Sishyaru, etc.
Some of His Observations in the Past
“Opportunities are not completely gone. Now and then, I get called for a role. I act in whatever role I get. Otherwise, I always have my harmonium box with me. When there’s no work, I simply sit and play it,” actor M. S. Umesh had once said.
Those who watched Umesh in the song “Bombeyaatavayya…” from the film Shruti Seridaga can never forget him. That role with Dr. Rajkumar brought him recognition.
The comedy sequence in Golmaal Radhakrishna remains unforgettable in the minds of cinema lovers even today. During the era of Rajkumar and Vishnuvardhan, there was no shortage of roles. Yet, now and then, the film world forgot him. During such times, Umesh would return to his native ground — the stage.
At just four years of age, Umesh joined K. Hirannayya’s professional theatre troupe. He was involved in theatre activities through various companies, including Gubbi Veeranna’s troupe. It was director Puttanna Kanagal who brought Umesh to the silver screen. In theatre, Umesh was mainly responsible for music direction.
In 1960, Puttanna Kanagal introduced Umesh to B. R. Pantulu. Makkala Rajya, directed by Pantulu, became Umesh’s first film. Afterwards, he returned to theatre for a while, until Kanagal brought him back for Katha Sangama.
Though Umesh became known for his comic roles, he was always keen on playing negative characters. He has performed a few such roles in the past too. The role he fondly remembered is that of a madman in Ramapurada Ravana. The grandmother’s role he played in Ramesh Aravind’s Venkata in Sankata also won much appreciation.
Besides acting, Umesh was involved in writing as well. He wrote stories for magazines, and even scripts and dialogues for several films. He also wrote a song for the film Hello Sister, and recently for Bad Manners, the Kannada film by director Suri.
“I am a fool in business. I learned acting but never learned business. That’s why, even after so many years in cinema, I have earned very little apart from a name. Back then, we treated acting as sacred. We accepted whatever the producer gave us. Now even art has become business. As times change, the nature of comedy also changes. Kālaaya Tasmai Namaha,” Umesh once said with sadness.
Umesh viewed the changing landscape of cinema with equanimity. Changes are inevitable in an artist’s life. Just as Puttanna Kanagal brought in a new wave back then, directors like Yogaraj Bhat and Suri have brought fresh changes now. He believed all of this was taking the industry forward positively.
“Though theatre pulled me strongly, I did not want to place my feet in two boats. So I remained in cinema. I have found satisfaction in it. Opportunities have reduced, but the love and respect I used to receive earlier — I still receive now.”
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