# Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor

Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actor is a state film award of the Indian state of Karnataka given during the annual Karnataka State Film Awards. The award honours Kannada Language films.

## Superlatives

| Awardees | Wins |
| Rajkumar | 9 |
| Vishnuvardhan | 7 |
| Anant Nag | 4 |
| Shiva Rajkumar | 4 |
| Lokesh | 3 |
| Puneeth Rajkumar | 2 |
| Ramesh Aravind | 2 |
| Kichcha Sudeepa | 2 |

## Recipients

The first recipient was Rajkumar who was honored in 1967 for his performance in Bangaarada Hoovu. As of 2019 he is the most honored actor with nine awards. Vishnuvardhan was honored in seven occasions. Two actors Anant Nag, Shiva Rajkumar have been honored four times, while Lokesh honored three times and two actors Ramesh Aravind, Puneeth Rajkumar have won the award two times. The award was tied in 1998 between Vishnuvardhan and Ramesh Aravind. Shiva Rajkumar, Raghavendra Rajkumar and Puneeth Rajkumar are the only siblings to have bagged this award. The most recent recipient is Kichcha Sudeepa who is honored in 2019 for his performance in the film Pailwaan.
The following is a complete list of award winners and the name of the films for which they won.

### Key

| Symbol | Meaning |
| † | Indicates a joint award for that year |
| / | Indicates one role with multiple names |
| ‡ | Indicates that the winner won the award for double roles |
| Year | Image | Recipient(s) | Role | Film |
| 1967-68 | | Rajkumar | Anand | Bangarada Hoovu |
| 1968-69 | – | R. Nagendra Rao | Anantha Raya | Hannele Chiguridaga |
| 1969-70 | | B. R. Panthulu | Thimmarasu / Appaji | Sri Krishnadevaraya |
| 1970-71 | | Rajkumar | • Raja Raghunatha Rao • Ravi / Chandrashekharaiah • Shankar / Anand | Kula Gourava |
| 1971-72 | – | Venkata Rao Thalageri | Shrinivasa Shrothri | Vamsha Vriksha |
| 1972-73 | | Vishnuvardhan | Ramachari | Naagarahaavu |
| 1973-74 | – | Lokesh | Sambayya / Ayyu | Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu |
| 1974-75 | | Rajkumar | Gora Kumbhar | Bhakta Kumbara |
| 1975-76 | – | M. V. Vasudeva Rao | Choma | Chomana Dudi |
| 1976-77 ‡ | | Rajkumar | • Arjuna • Babruvahana | Babruvahana |
| 1977-78 | | Vishnuvardhan | Dr. Nataraj | Hombisilu |
| 1978-79 | – | Lokesh | Thimma | Parasangada Gendethimma |
| 1979-80 | | Anant Nag | Antony De'Souza | Minchina Ota |
| 1980-81 | | Srinath | Raghavendra | Shree Raghavendra Vaibhava |
| 1981-82 | | Rajkumar | Ravi | Hosa Belaku |
| 1982-83 | | Rajkumar | Ranga | Haalu Jenu |
| 1983-84 | – | Lokesh | Malgudi Margayya | Banker Margayya |
| 1984-85 | | Vishnuvardhan | Dr. Harish | Bandhana |
| 1985-86 | | Anant Nag | Krishna Prasad | Hosa Neeru |
| 1986-87 | – | Charuhasan | Tabara Shetty | Tabarana Kathe |
| 1987-88 | | Anant Nag | Krishnappa Gowda | Avasthe |
| 1988-89 | | Rajkumar | Krishna Murthy | Devatha Manushya |
| 1989-90 | – | Sridhar | Shishunala Sharif | Santha Shishunala Sharifa |
| 1990-91 ‡ | | Vishnuvardhan | • Lion Jagapathi Rao • Kumar Raja | Lion Jagapathi Rao |
| 1991-92 | | Devaraj | Veerappan | Veerappan |
| 1992-93 | | Rajkumar | Vishwanath | Jeevana Chaitra |
| 1993-94 | | Rajkumar | Ramanna | Odahuttidavaru |
| 1994-95 | | Anant Nag | Raghappa | Gangavva Gangamaayi |
| 1995-96 | | Shiva Rajkumar | Sathya Murthy / Sathya | Om |
| 1996-97 | | Ramesh Aravind | Surya | America! America!! |
| 1997-98 | | Vishnuvardhan | Swaroop Krishna Kumar | Laali |
| 1998-99 † | | Vishnuvardhan | Veerappa Nayaka | Veerappa Nayaka |
| 1998-99 † | | Ramesh Aravind | Santosh | Hoomale |
| 1999-2000 | | Shiva Rajkumar | Ravi | Hrudaya Hrudaya |
| 2000-01 | | H. G. Dattatreya | Hasanabba | Munnudi |
| 2001-02 ‡ | | V. Ravichandran | • Raja • Ravi | Ekangi |
| 2002-03 | | Kichcha Sudeepa | Nandi | Nandhi |
| 2003-04 | | Shiva Rajkumar | Shankar / Dattanna | Chigurida Kanasu |
| 2004-05 | – | Sri Murali | Kanthi / Srikanta | Kanthi |
| 2005-06 | | Shiva Rajkumar | Madesha / Jogi | Jogi |
| 2006-07 | | Vijay | Shivalingu | Duniya |
| 2007-08 | | Puneeth Rajkumar | Akash | Milana |
| 2008-09 | – | Yogesh | Dhananjaya / Dhanu | Ambari |
| 2009-10 ‡ | | Vishnuvardhan (posthumously) | • Dr. Vijay • Vijaya Rajendra Bahaddur | Aaptha Rakshaka |
| 2010-11 | | Puneeth Rajkumar | Jackie | Jackie |
| 2011 | | Arjun Sarja | Shankar | Prasad |
| 2012 | | Darshan | Sangolli Rayanna | Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna |
| 2013 | – | Nikhil Manjoo | Altaf | Hajj |
| 2014 | | Sanchari Vijay | Madesha (Vidya) | Naanu Avanalla...Avalu |
| 2015 | | Vijay Raghavendra | Puttaraj Gawai | Shivayogi Sri Puttayyajja |
| 2016 | – | Achyuth Kumar | Shivappa | Amaravathi |
| 2017 | – | Vishruth Naik | Bhyra | Manjari |
| 2018 | | Raghavendra Rajkumar | Rajeeva | Ammana Mane |
| 2019 | | Kichcha Sudeepa | Pailwan Krishna | Pailwaan |