Dingri Nagaraj (born 6 June 1948)[1][2] is an Indian actor who works primarily in Kannada cinema, stage and television.
Influenced by his father who took to acting in the early 1950s, Nagaraj too joined Subbaiah Naidu's theatre group and began performing in plays such as Sri Jagajyothi Basaveshwara, Bhaktha Kumbara and Bedara Kannappa as a child actor.
After the choreographer failed to show up, Nagaraj filled in for him, starting with the picturization of "Thera Eri Ambaradaage", and later, the remaining song sequences.
Producer Abbaiah Naidu first hired Nagaraj as a dubbing artist, and would then frequently cast him as an actor in his films.
[1] Nagaraj went on to appear in comedic roles on films such as Mutthu Ondu Mutthu (1979), Anupama (1981), Chellida Rakta (1982), Thayiya Nudi (1983), Khaidi (1984), Maneye Manthralaya (1986), Thaliya Aane (1987), Namma Oora Devathe (1987), Olavina Aasare (1988) and Bombat Raja Bandal Rani (1994).
[1] In an interview with Deccan Herald in 2020, Nagaraj recalled, "I was lucky to portray varied characters, from a constable to a beggar.