PremiumHappy birthday, Anant Nag: Five films of the legend that you must stream on OTT
On the occasion of the prolific actor turning 75, we at OTTplay are paying a small tribute to his legacy by listing five of his best works to date.
Last Updated: 06.21 PM, Sep 04, 2023
Actor Anant Nag has played every possible role in his 50-year-long (and counting) acting career and considering that he still retains the old zest, one could expect him to deliver a few more compelling performances in the coming days. On the occasion of the prolific actor turning 75, we at OTTplay are paying a small tribute to his legacy by listing five of his best works to date. More importantly, these films are available across all the top OTT platforms in India, meaning that if you looking to either get started or revisit some of his classics, you are only a click away!
Nishant (1975)
The early days of Anant Nag's acting career bore strong impressions of auteurs like Shyam Benegal, Girish Karnad and others. In Nishant, one of his earliest roles, the actor plays an irredeemable character named Anjaiya who, along with his brothers Vishwam (Naseeruddin Shah) and Prasad (Mohan Agashe), wreaks havoc in a village in Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana). In hindsight, this role can be seen as a stark departure for Anant Nag who would make his mark in Kannada cinema as the affable everyday man.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video
Naa Ninna Bidalaare (1979)
Anant Nag and 'Julie' Lakshmi remain one of the most adored on-screen couples in the history of Kannada cinema and one of their best works together to date remains Vijay's Naa Ninna Bidalaare. Although the film is set in the horror genre, Anant Nag lends a comedic, almost farcical touch to it with his performance. The same film would be remade in Hindi as Mangalsutra with Nag reprising his role and Rekha coming in for Lakshmi.
Where to Watch: YouTube
Ganeshana Maduve (1990)
If the '70s and '80s saw Anant Nag emerging as a strong performer in drama, the following decade was all about his comedic prowess. Although there were traces of humour in several of his previous films, it's the 'Ganesha' series that really found him a lot of success in the 1990s. Phani Ramachandra's Ganeshana Maduve, in particular, has Anant Nag at his very best as he endears the audience with both his comic timing and charm as a leading man. He would go on to work with the same filmmaker on multiple noteworthy titles in the '90s such as Ganesha Subramanya, Gowri Ganesha and Ganesha Matthe Banda.
Where to Watch: Zee5
Gaalipata
Although Anant Nag does not play the lead role in this Yogaraj Bhat cult classic, his presence in the film is surely one of the highlights. Be it his performance in the more dramatic portions of the film or his repartee with Golden Star Ganesh, Anant Nag elevated the material with his experience. Fans still revisit the film for the sequences involving his character.
Where to Watch: Disney Plus Hotstar
Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu
This Hemanth M Rao film is proof enough that unlike most of his contemporaries, Anant Nag never stopped being relevant as an actor. In Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu, he plays Venkob Rao, a middle-aged man suffering from Alzheimer's disease who goes missing on an odd day. The film, which is mainly centred around the bond that Venkob Rao shares with negligent son Shiva (Rakshit Shetty), was a commercial success and many regard Anant Nag's performance as one of the main contributors to that.
Where to Watch: Disney Plus Hotstar