Sampath Kumar (18 September 1950 – 30 December 2009), known by his stage name Vishnuvardhan, was an Indian actor who worked predominantly in Kannada cinema besides also having sporadically appeared in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu and Malayalam language films.

[6][7] The Government of Karnataka honoured him with the Rajyothsava Prashasthi in 1990 and the Dr. Rajkumar Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 for his contributions to Kannada cinema.

[9][10] In 2008, a poll conducted by CNN-IBN listed Vishnuvardhan as the most popular star in the Kannada film industry.

[11] Vishnuvardhan made his acting and on-screen debut at age 21 in B. V. Karanth and Girish Karnad's Vamsha Vriksha in 1971.

By the late-1970s, he established himself as a bankable leading actor after starring several successful films throughout the 70's; the crime drama Sahasa Simha released in 1982 catapulted him into superstardom in Karnataka.

Some of his best known non-Kannada films include the Tamil mythological Sri Raghavendrar (1985) and the Malayalam crime thriller Kauravar (1992).

His sister Rama was a Kathak dancer at the Mysore Palace, and brother Ravi was a child actor who appeared in the 1955 Tamil language – Kannada bilingual film Modala Thedi.

[26][27] Vishnuvardhan started his career with the National Award-winning movie Vamshavruksha (1972) directed by Girish Karnad based on the novel by S. L.

In 1977, he appeared in many Kannada movies of which three were with Rajinikanth who was then a budding star – Sahodarara Savaal, Kiladi Kittu and Galate Samsara.

In 1978, Vishnuvardhan appeared in the hit romantic drama Hombisilu and his role of a doctor fetched him his second Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor.

In 1985, he appeared with Rajinikanth in the Tamil film Sri Raghavendrar and the next year in the multi-starrer Viduthalai co-starring Sivaji Ganesan as well.

A number of his films in the 1980s like Onde Guri, Nee Bareda Kadambari, Jeevana Chakra, Khaidi, Suprabhaata, Deva and Hrudaya Geethe were successful at the box-office.

In 1990, Muthina Haara – the National award-winning film (38th National Film Awards) directed by S. V. Rajendra Singh Babu (who had earlier given him the blockbuster Bandhana) got him rave reviews but was an average grosser at the box office, while Mathe Haadithu Kogile where he costarred with Anant Nag for the first time became a super hit.

In 1991, he appeared in a double role in Lion Jagapathi Rao for which he received yet his fourth Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor.

Other significant movies in the late 1990s include Laali (1997), Surya Vamsha, Habba (both in 1999) During this time, while he acted with almost all the notable actresses of the South industry, he formed the most successful pair with Madhavi, Bhavya, Suhasini, Rupini and Sithara.

In 2000 Yajamana was a huge box office success and became the all-time highest grossing Kannada movie.

Shankar Nag directed Malgudi Days and introduced Vishnuvardhan as the main character Venkat Rao, in an episode called Rupees Forty-five a Month.

To name a few are Guru Sishyaru, Jeevana Chakra, Karunamayi, Jana Naayaka, Hrudaya Geethe, Karna, Mathe Haditu Kogile, Onde Guri, Krishna Nee Begane Baaro, Shiva Shankar, Bangarada Kalasa.