# Saurav Lokesh

Saurav Lokesh (born 28 May 1984), also known as Bhajarangi Loki, is an Indian actor who predominantly works in Kannada cinema. He rose to the fame with the 2013 blockbuster Bhajarangi.

## Early life

Saurav was born as youngest son to V. Ramakrishna & L. Rajalakshmi in Srinagar Bangalore district, Karnataka. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, from National College, Jayanagar. He was employed at HSBC before he resigned and followed his passion for acting and started doing theatre.

## Career

Lokesh started his acting journey from theatre in the year 2006. He has worked with most of the amateur & professional theatre groups from 2006 to 2014, which includes more than 30 plays which has been performed over 100+ shows. While he was doing theatre he managed to get into television serials and started doing supporting roles but did not achieve much success.
Saurav Lokesh made his sandalwood debut in the year 2009 with a small role in the movie Savaari directed by Jacob Verghese. He then appeared in small supporting roles in Huli, AK 56, and Shiva, all directed by Om Prakash Rao, between 2010 and 2012. He appeared as minor antagonists in Googly and Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari.
He has appeared in more than 12 movies in small supporting roles before getting his breakthrough performance in Bhajarangi, directed by A. Harsha, which won him many applause and was praised for his role as Rana. The movie was a commercial hit and got him wide recognition as an actor and he became popular as Bhajarangi Loki. In the year 2015 he appeared Rathaavara as a transgender, which furthered his fame. He also played a role of a lawyer in Mahakaali. He also appeared as an antagonist in Sharp Shooter. In 2016, he appeared in the movie Jaguar; a bilingual film in both Kannada and Telugu, this was Lokesh's Telugu debut. In the same year, he also appeared as one of the lead antagonists in Jai Maruthi 800. Saurav appeared in the role of Bhujanga in Raj Vishnu. In Thayige Thakka Maga, Lokesh played an antagonist in the role of Sharath Kale. Later, in 2019, Lokesh played a police officer in the suspense-thriller Striker. In the same year he appeared as Bairaa, an antagonist, in Radhika Kumaraswamy's comeback film Damayanthi, directed by Navarasan. In 2020, he appeared as an antagonist in rom-com fantasy movie Kaanadante Maayavadanu.

## Filmography
### Films

| Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes |
| 2009 | Savaari | Salman | Kannada | |
| 2010 | Mathe Mungaru | Fisherman | Kannada | |
| 2010 | Huli | College Student | Kannada | |
| 2012 | AK 56 | Local Goon | Kannada | |
| 2012 | Narasimha | Local Goon | Kannada | |
| 2012 | Shiva | Police Trainee | Kannada | |
| 2013 | Googly | Local Goon | Kannada | |
| 2013 | Mangana Kaiyalli Manikya | | Kannada | |
| 2013 | Sweety Nanna Jodi | | Kannada | |
| 2013 | Bhajarangi | Rana | Kannada | Nominated for SIIMA in Best Actor in a Negative Role (2014) |
| 2014 | Sadagara | | Kannada | |
| 2014 | Belli | | Kannada | |
| 2014 | Ambareesha | | Kannada | |
| 2014 | Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari | Ramachari's collegemate | Kannada | |
| 2015 | Mahakali | Lawyer | Kannada | |
| 2015 | Just Maduveli | | Kannada | |
| 2015 | Sharp Shooter | | Kannada | |
| 2015 | Rathaavara | Maadevi | Kannada | |
| 2016 | Jai Maruthi 800 | Narasimha | Kannada | |
| 2016 | Jaguar | Ajay | Kannada | Bilingual |
| 2016 | Jaguar | Ajay | Telugu | Bilingual |
| 2017 | Veera Ranachandi | Lucky | Kannada | |
| 2017 | Raj Vishnu | Rupai Bhujanga | Kannada | |
| 2018 | Gaanchali | Johnny | Kannada | |
| 2018 | Thayige Thakka Maga | SharathKaale | Kannada | Nominated for Filmibeat in Best Actor in a Negative Role (2018) |
| 2019 | Striker | Purushotham | Kannada | |
| 2019 | Ranabhoomi | Cop | Kannada | |
| 2019 | Damayanthi | Bhaira | Kannada | |
| 2019 | Margaret | Ramachari | Kannada | |
| 2020 | Kaanadante Maayavadanu | Jayanna | Kannada | |
| 2021 | Bhajarangi 2 | Sudheendra | Kannada | |
| 2022 | Local Train | | Telugu | |
| 2022 | Acharya | Rathod's Brother | Telugu | |
| 2022 | Nachindi Girl Friendu | Vikram Roy | Telugu | |
| 2022 | Takkar | | Telugu | |
| 2022 | Ghoda | Sambashivudu | Kannada | |
| 2023 | Raja Marthanda | Jayanna | Kannada | |
| 2023 | Salaar: Part 1 - Ceasefire | Cheeka | Telugu | |
| 2024 | Edagaiye Apaghatakke Karana | | Kannada | |
| 2025 | Fateh | Balaji | Hindi | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Network | Notes |
| 2008 | Nakutanti | Office Boy | Udaya TV | Directed by Giri Raj |
| 2011 | Mahabharata (Kannada) | Younger Bheeshma | Udaya TV | Produced by Cinevistaas Limited |
| 2012 | Cheluvi | Army Officer | Suvarna TV | |
| 2014 | CID Karnataka | CID | Zee Kannada | |
| 2019 | Raktha Chandana | Psycho Killer | Watchoo Channel | Directed by Giri Raj |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Film | Award | Category | Result | Ref |
| 2014 | Bhajarangi | SIIMA - 2014 | Best Actor in a Negative role | Nominated | |
| 2018 | Thayige Thakka Maga | 'Filmibeat' Best of 2018 | Best Kannada Negative Role 2018 | Nominated | |