Naveen Shankar

Some Lesser Known Facts About Naveen Shankar

• Naveen Shankar is an Indian actor and TV presenter who mainly works in the Kannada film industry. He rose to fame with his performance in the Kannada films Hondisi Bareyiri (2023) and Gurudev Hoysala (2023).

• He grew up in Ilkal, Bagalkot, Karnataka.

• During his school days, Naveen listened to the stories of legends from his teachers and also watched Kannada cinemas on DD channels, which inspired him to pursue a career in acting. In an interview, while talking about it, Shankar said,
  

  My teachers introduced me to various subjects that caught my attention for storytelling, which left a lasting impression on me. Reading recommended books and watching inspiring films and the dialogues delivered by various actors motivated me.”

• During his college days, Naveen started a Kannada theatre group and participated in various plays.

• In 2009, while he was in his first year of college, Naveen quit the course and started working as a film journalist for a local news channel.

• Simultaneously, he started taking part in theatre plays. In 2010, he associated himself with the Rajamarg Art, Culture, and Drama Academy and worked in around 45 plays and 200 street plays with them under different theatre production houses.

• In 2012, he joined the U2 Music channel as an anchor.

• After making his acting debut with the Kannada film Gultoo (2018), Naveen appeared in the Kannada-language crime drama film Dharani Mandala Madhyadolage (2022) in which he played the role of an MMA boxer named Aadhi.

• He has also appeared in a few other Kannada films including Hondisi Bareyiri as Ranjit, Gurudev Hoysala as Bali, and Kshetrapati as Basavaraj Hadimani.

  

• In addition to films, Naveen has also acted in a few TV serials and short films.

• In his spare time, he loves to travel and read books.

• The late Indian actor and screenwriter Shankar Nag serves as an inspiration to Naveen. In an interview, he disclosed that he added Shankar to his name as a token of respect for Shankar Nag. He said,
  

  I added ‘Shankar’ to my name not as my father’s name, but as a tribute to the personality of Shankar Nag. It’s my way of honouring Shankar Nag Sir. He’s a huge inspiration. I even spoke to the seniors who worked with him and learned about their experiences. Having my name alongside Shankar’s ignites my motivation. His remarkable persona and achievements in a short time pushes me. That’s why I added Shankar to my name.”

• In an interview, Naveen revealed that the director of his debut Kannada film Janardhan Chikkanna was his batchmate in college and helped him to start his career in the Kannada film industry.

  

• He is fond of animals and owns a pet dog and a pet cat.

  

• Naveen is often spotted consuming alcohol at parties and events.

  

• He also smokes cigarettes occasionally.

  

• Naveen follows the preachings of Sri Shivakumara Swamiji.