South Indian actor Upendra is a true powerhouse of talent. He is a director, actor, writer, and singer, all-in-one, a talent beyond measure. From the beginning of his career in the industry, his works have gained the status of being cult-classics. He has excelled in all of these roles, proving himself to be a true master. This blog will discuss his life as an artist. It will deal with topics such as Upendra net worth, movies, family, and more.
Upendra Rao Biography
Upendra Rao, more popularly known only by his first name, was born on 18th September 1968. He was born in Koteshwara, Karnataka. This makes him an Indian citizen. He is known for various professions. This includes acting, directing, writing, singing, producing, and being a politician. He is a Hindu man. Moreover, Upendra’s zodiac sign is Virgo.
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Upendra Rao |
| Also Known As | Upendra, Uppi |
| Profession | Actor, Director, Writer, Singer, Lyricist, Producer, Politician |
| Date of Birth | 18th September 1968 |
| Place of Birth | Koteshwara, Karnataka, India |
| Current Residence | Bangalore, Karnataka, India |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Marital Status | Married |
Upendra Rao Age
Kumar was born in the year 1968 in Koteshwara, Karnataka. As such, Upendra age is currently 57 years old (as of September 2025).
Upendra Rao Height and Physical Appearance
Rao maintains a healthy physical appearance. He is well-known for his rugged good looks. He maintains a weight of approximately 76kg. Moreover, Upendra height in feet is 5’9’’ (5 feet 9 inches). He has a dusky skin tone with black eyes and curly black hair.
| Attributes | Details |
|---|---|
| Age | 57 years (As of September 2025) |
| Height | 5’9’’ (5 feet 9 inches) 175cm 1.75m |
| Weight (Approx.) | 76kg 187lbs |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Colour | Black |
Upendra Rao Family
Upendra’s family belongs to the historic town of Koteshwara. His father, Manjinath Rao, belongs to the area. His mother, on the other hand, is Anusuya. Based on online sources, his father worked as a businessman, while his mother was a homemaker.
Moreover, he has an older brother as well. His brother’s name is Sudheendra Rao. Information regarding his profession is conflicting. While some sources claim that he is an actor too, others claim that he is an army officer. Neither of these professions has been confirmed yet.
Upendra Rao Education
The talented artist began and finished his education in Karnataka. He studied at local schools in his hometown. After which, he earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from APS College, Bangalore. He was active in the theatre department of his school.
Moreover, he also received an honorary degree from Angkor University, Cambodia.
| Level | Qualification | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| College | Bachelor of Commerce | APS College of Commerce, Bangalore |
| – | Honorary Doctorate | Angkor University, Cambodia |
Upendra Rao Movie Career
His love for the arts began in college itself. He performed in various plays during his college time. So naturally, he gravitated towards the film industry. His fascination with movies increased when he found himself in association with acclaimed director Kashinath. Kashinath was reportedly a distant relative of his. Upendra began his career in the film industry through Kashinath’s films. He played the role of an assistant, helping in various job roles. This helped him to be a better artist.
The 1992 film, Tharle Nan Maga, marked his directorial debut. The film was co-directed by Kashinath. His directorial debut was a blockbuster hit, becoming a Kannada cult-classic. His next film was named Om. It also became hugely popular among fans and instantly attained cult status.
He made his debut as an actor in the 1997 self-directed film “A”. Despite the scandalous plotline, it became an instant hit among fans. He acted in another self-directed and self-titled 1999 film, Upendra. The unusual plot line of the film did not stop it from becoming a commercially successful film. It is still regarded as one of his best works as an actor and director. Only a few years after his debut, he had achieved superstar status in both fields.
For the next few years, he focused more on acting. Some of his most famous movies as an actor are: Preethse, Gokarna, Auto Shankar, and more. In 2010, the film Super marked his return as a director. It was one of the most successful films of the year. He worked in many more popular films after this. His latest role was in the 2025 blockbuster film Coolie, which added to his success streak.
Movies as an Actor
Upendra made his debut as an actor in 1989 through various cameo roles. But has since climbed as a superstar in various films, self-directed and otherwise. All of his acting projects to date have been listed below:
| Year | Title | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Anantana Avantara | Kamadeva (Cameo) |
| 1989 | Love Maadi Nodu | Doctor (Cameo) |
| 1991 | Ajagajantara | Groom (Cameo) |
| 1993 | Shhh! | Fake Police officer (Cameo) |
| 1995 | Om | Deena (Voiceover for Kote Prabhakar) |
| 1995 | Operation Antha | Bystander (Cameo) |
| 1997 | Omkaram | Narrator in the first scene |
| 1998 | Kanyadanam | Venkat |
| 1998 | A | Surya |
| 1999 | Upendra | Naanu |
| 2000 | Oke Maata | Sooryam |
| 2000 | Preethse | Chandru |
| 2001 | Raa | Sridhar |
| 2002 | Neethone Vuntanu | Ravi |
| 2002 | H2O | Udayashankar Gowda |
| 2002 | Super Star | Ricky / Deependra |
| 2002 | Nagarahavu | Ajay |
| 2002 | Naanu Naane | Raja |
| 2002 | Hollywood | Upendra / Surendra / Robot US47 |
| 2003 | Kutumba | Vijay |
| 2003 | Rakta Kanneeru | Mohan |
| 2003 | Gokarna | Sidda |
| 2004 | Omkara | Sathya |
| 2005 | Gowramma | Venkat Swamy |
| 2005 | News | Guru |
| 2005 | Auto Shankar | Shankar |
| 2006 | Uppi Dada M.B.B.S. | Rao Bahaddur Upendra |
| 2006 | Thandege Thakka Maga | Sathya |
| 2006 | Aishwarya | Abhishek Hegde |
| 2007 | Toss | Neelakanta |
| 2007 | Parodi | Vijay |
| 2007 | Masti | Siddappaji |
| 2007 | Anatharu | Rudra |
| 2007 | Lava Kusha | Chakri |
| 2008 | Satyam | Manickavel |
| 2008 | Salute | Prathap Rudra |
| 2008 | Budhivanta | Panchamrutha |
| 2008 | Mast Maja Maadi | Himself (Cameo) |
| 2009 | Dubai Babu | Babu |
| 2009 | Rajani | Rajani |
| 2010 | Super | Subhash Chandra Gandhi |
| 2011 | Shrimathi | Raj Kumar |
| 2011 | Maryade Ramanna | Cycle (voice) |
| 2012 | Aarakshaka | Arun / Vishnu |
| 2012 | Katari Veera Surasundarangi | Upendra / Mohan / Mass Manava Temporary Yama |
| 2012 | Godfather | Shiva / Ajay / Vijay |
| 2012 | Kalpana | Raghava |
| 2013 | Topiwala | Basak |
| 2014 | Brahma | Brahma |
| 2014 | Super Ranga | Sriranga |
| 2015 | S/O Satyamurthy | Devaraj Naidu |
| 2015 | Shivam | Basavanna / Alexander |
| 2015 | Uppi 2 | Naanu / Neenu |
| 2016 | Kalpana 2 | Raghava / Jade Shivu |
| 2016 | Mukunda Murari | Mukunda |
| 2017 | Upendra Matte Baa | Upendra / Surendra |
| 2019 | I Love You | Santosh |
| 2022 | Ghani | Vikramaditya |
| 2022 | Home Minister | Renuka Prasad |
| 2023 | Kabzaa | Arkeshwara |
| 2024 | UI | Sathya / Kalki / Upendra Rao |
| 2025 | Coolie | Kaleesha |
| 2025 | Andhra King Taluka | “Andhra King” Surya Kumar |
| TBA | Buddhivantha | TBA |
| TBA | Thrishulam | TBA |
| TBA | 45 | TBA |
| TBA | Karvva Navneeth Directorial | TBA |
| TBA | Guerrilla war | TBA |
Upendra Rao Singing Career
Upendra has also taken up the mantle of being a singer several times over the year. He has sung a few songs for his film’s discography. Here are all the songs that he has sung since 1999:
| Year | Film | Song |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Upendra | “Uppiganta Ruchi Bere Illa” |
| 2002 | H2O | “Bida Byada”, “Dil Ilde Love” |
| 2002 | Nagarahavu | “Yaaking Aadthiye” |
| 2003 | Rakta Kanneeru | “Baa Baaro Rasika” |
| 2004 | Omkara | “Othla Othla” |
| 2006 | Uppi Dada M.B.B.S. | “Makkar Maado Maliniye” |
| 2006 | Uppi Dada M.B.B.S. | “M Andre” |
| 2006 | Aishwarya | “Yella Okay Madhuve Yaake” |
| 2007 | Parodi | “Rowdy Mele” |
| 2008 | Budhivanta | “Chitranna” |
| 2010 | Super | “Sikkapatte Ishtapatte” |
| 2011 | Jogayya | “Thagalakonde” |
| 2011 | Jarasandha | “Pade Pade Phone-inalli” |
| 2012 | Katari Veera Surasundarangi | “Muthinantha Muthondhu” |
| 2013 | Brindavana | “Oye Kalla” |
| 2014 | Jai Lalitha | “Thorisabedammi” |
| 2014 | Super Ranga | “Ondsali Avala” |
| 2015 | Krishna-Leela | “Phoneammangu Simmappangu” |
| 2015 | Uppi 2 | “Excuse Me Please” |
| 2016 | Kalpana 2 | “H2O Kudidivni” |
| 2016 | Mukunda Murari | “I Am God, God is Great” |
| 2019 | I Love You | “Life Ene T20” |
Upendra Rao Political Career
In 2017, he stepped into politics as well. He joined the Karnataka Pragnyavanta Janata Paksha in 2017. Only a year later, however, he left the party due to internal conflict and differences.
He later decided to form his own political party. On 18 September 2018, the Uttama Prajaakeeya Party (UPP) was founded. The party was founded on the principle of Prajaakeeya or people-oriented politics. The party contested the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections. However, Upendra did not participate himself.
Upendra Rao Achievements
Holding onto various titles can be a difficult job. But he has done it with extreme perfection. Over the years, he has won recognition as both an actor and director. He has won several awards in the past years. All of his official awards are listed below:
| Year | Film | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | A | Udaya Film Awards | Best Male Actor |
| 2000 | Upendra | 47th Filmfare Awards South | Best Director |
| 2000 | Upendra | 47th Filmfare Awards South | Best Film |
| 2003 | Nagarahavu | Udaya Film Awards | Best Male Actor |
| 2004 | Raktha Kanneeru | Hello Gandhinagara Awards 2004 | Best Actor |
| 2004 | Raktha Kanneeru | Hello Gandhinagara Awards 2004 | Best Dialogue |
| 2008 | Anatharu | Suvarna Film Awards | Special Award For Performance |
| 2011 | Super | Udaya Film Awards | Best Screenplay |
| 2011 | Super | Suvarna Film Awards | Favorite Director Award |
| 2011 | Super | Suvarna Film Awards | Favorite Film |
| 2012 | Super | Karnataka State Film Awards | Karnataka State Film Award for Best Director |
| 2012 | Super | Karnataka State Film Awards | Karnataka State Film Award for Best Film |
| 2012 | Shrimathi | 1st SIIMA Awards | Special Appreciation Award |
| 2013 | Kalpana | Udaya Film Awards | Best Male Actor |
| 2013 | Katariveera Surasundarangi | 2nd SIIMA Award | Critics’ Award for Best Actor |
Upendra Rao Wife
The actor/director tied the knot on the 14th of December 2003. He got married to Priyanka Trivedi. Priyanka, herself, was an actress. She had starred alongside him in films such as Raa and H2O. In 1996, she also won the title of Miss Kolkata.
The couple has two children together. Their son’s name is Ayush Upendra, and their daughter’s name is Aishwarya Upendra.
Upendra Net Worth
He has built an expansive career from the ground up. Coming from a middle-class family, He has now become one of the highest-earning South Indian actors. As such, Upendra net worth is estimated to be around ₹78 crore or $9 million. He reportedly earns between ₹10 crore and ₹15 crore per movie. This has helped him build up substantial wealth. Moreover, he also appears as the brand ambassador for various companies. This includes brands such as United Breweries, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Emani Navratna Brand, and more.
Upendra Car Collection
The South Indian star is a fan of luxury. Because of his high earning status, he also owns many luxurious cars. Based on online sources, here are the cars the actor might own and the estimated cost as of September 2025:
| Car | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz S-Class | ₹1.78 Cr to ₹1.88 Cr |
| Audi Q7 | ₹83.91 Lakh to ₹94.41 Lakh |
| BMW X5 | ₹94.88 lakh to ₹1.07 Cr |
Social Media
The actor/ director is pretty active on social media. He often posts about his current and upcoming projects on various platforms. As of September 2025, he has over 2 million followers collectively from various platforms.
| Platform | Followers (As of September 2025) | Handle |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1M+ | @nimmaupendra | |
| 503K+ | @nimmaupendra | |
| X (Formerly Twitter) | 1.2M+ | @nimmaupendra |
Frequently Asked Questions
Ans. Upendra net worth is ₹78 crore or $9 million.
Ans. Upendra age is 57 years (as of September 2025).
Ans. Upendra Rao net worth in rupees is around ₹78 crore.
Ans. Upendra wife is actress Priyanka Trivedi.
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