Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Kannada

The Filmfare Best Actor Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Kannada films The Award was first given in 1972.^[1][2] As of 2021, Rajkumar leads the list with 8 wins followed by Anant Nag with 6 wins.^[3]

Filmfare Award for Best Actor - Kannada
2023 recipient: Rakshit Shetty
Awarded for	Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Country	India
Presented by	Filmfare
First award	Venkata Rao Thalgeri, Vamsha Vriksha (1972)
Currently held by	Rakshit Shetty Sapta Saagaradaache Ello (2023)
Most awards	Rajkumar
Website	Filmfare Awards

Superlatives

Multiple winners

• Rajkumar - 8 Awards
• Anant Nag - 6 Awards
• Vishnuvardhan, Shiva Rajkumar, Puneeth Rajkumar - 4 Awards
• Sudeepa - 3 Awards
• Lokesh, Ramesh Aravind, Ganesh, Prem, Yash - 2 Awards

Hattricks

• Rajkumar (1984, 1985, 1986)
• Anant Nag (1989, 1990, 1991)
• Sudeepa (2001, 2002, 2003)

Winners

Year	Image	Name	Role	Movie	Ref
2023		Rakshit Shetty	Manu	Sapta Sagaradaache Ello	[4]
2022		Rishab Shetty	Shiva	Kantara	[5]
2020-21		Dhananjaya	Shankar	Badava Rascal	[6]
2018		Yash	Raja Krishnappa Bairya / Rocky	K.G.F: Chapter 1	[7]
2017		Puneeth Rajkumar	Siddharth	Raajakumara	[8]
2016		Anant Nag	Venkob Rao	Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu	[9]
2015		Puneeth Rajkumar	Vikram[a]	Rana Vikrama	[10]
2014		Yash	Ramachari	Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari	[11]
2013		Prem	Mohana	Charminar	[12]
2012		Darshan	Sangolli Rayanna	Kranthiveera Sangolli Rayanna	[13]
2011		Puneeth Rajkumar	Prabhu	Hudugaru	[14]
2010		Shiva Rajkumar	Shankar	Thamassu	[15]
2009		Ganesh	Preetham	Maleyali Jotheyali	[16]
2008		Ganesh	Ganesh	Gaalipata	[17]
2007		Duniya Vijay	Shivalingu	Duniya	[18]
2006		Puneeth Rajkumar	Shivaraj Urs	Arasu	[19][20]
2005		Prem	Kishore	Nenapirali	[citation needed]
2004		Vishnuvardhan	Dr. Vijay	Apthamitra	[21]
2003		Sudeepa	Shivayya	Swathi Muthu	[22]
2002		Sudeepa	Nandi	Nandhi	[23]
2001		Sudeepa	Sacchidananda / Kiccha	Huchcha	[24]
2000		Vishnuvardhan	• Shankara  • Ganesha	Yajamana	[25]
1999		Shiva Rajkumar	Ram	AK-47	[26]
1998		Ramesh Aravind	Santosh	Hoomale	[27]
1997		Ramesh Aravind	Abhishek Bhardwaj	Amrutha Varshini	[28]
1996		Shiva Rajkumar	Manoj	Nammoora Mandara Hoove	[29]
1995		Shiva Rajkumar	Sathya	Om	[30]
1994		Vishnuvardhan	Siddartha	Haalunda Thavaru	[31][32]
1993		Rajkumar	Murthy	Aakasmika	[33]
1992	–	Charuhasan	Dr. Kubera	Kubi Matthu Iyala	[34]
1991		Anant Nag	Lambodara	Gauri Ganesha	[35]
1990		Anant Nag	Raghanna	Udbhava	[36]
1989		Anant Nag	Anand Somavarpet	Hendthighelbedi	[37][38]
1988		Vishnuvardhan	Vijay	Suprabhatha	[39]
1987		Kamal Haasan	Unemployee	Pushpaka Vimana	[40][41]
1986		Rajkumar	Panduranga	Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma	[42]
1985		Rajkumar	• Jagannath  • Gopinath	Ade Kannu	[43]
1984		Rajkumar	Kumar	Shravana Banthu	[44]
1983		Girish Karnad	Narayana Sharma	Ananda Bhairavi	[45]
1982		Anant Nag	Satish Chandra	Bara	[46][47]
1981		Rajkumar	Inspector Shankar	Keralida Simha	[48]
1980	–	Lokesh	Belya	Ellindalo Bandavaru	[49]
1979		Anant Nag	Krishna	Naa Ninna Bidalaare	[50]
1978		Rajkumar	• Shankar  • Guru  • Rajashekar	Shankar Guru	[51]
1977	–	Maanu	Kalinge Gowda	Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane	[52]
1976		Srinath	Venu	Besuge	[53]
1975		Rajkumar	Mayurasharma	Mayura	[54]
1974	–	Lokesh	Ayyu	Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu	[55]
1973		Rajkumar	Kumar	Gandhada Gudi	[56][57][58]
1972	–	Venkata Rao Thalgeri	Shrinivasa Shrothri	Vamsha Vriksha	[59][60][61]

1. Puneeth played double roles with same name.