# Suneel Puranik

Suneel Puranik (A.K.A. Sunil Puranik) is a National Film Award-winning director; and film and tele-serial actor, director and producer, predominantly working in the Kannada Film and Television Industry. He was the President of the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy and has served on the jury of the National Film Awards and the International Film Festival of India.

## Early life

Suneel was born and brought up in Dharwad. He attended Junior Technical School, Hubli and Karnataka High School, Dharwad, obtained Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from K.H.K Institute, Dharwad and pursued professional training in film making from Adarsha Film Institute, headed at the time by Girish Kasaravalli. Suneel married Suhasini in 1991 and has two sons Sagar Puranik (born 1992), and Sameer Puranik (born 2000).

## Career
### Acting

Suneel started his career in film industry as an actor in tele-serial. His first project was Venkataswami Pranaya Prasangagalu directed by M. S. Sathyu.

### Directing

Thereafter he assisted V. Somashekhar in directing movie named Ranaranga and Parashuram. Chirasmarane a Kannada TV serial about freedom fighters from Karnataka such as, Mundaragi Bhimarao, Naragunda Babasaheb, Surapura Venkatappa Nayaka, Sangolli Rayanna, Kitturu Chennamma, etc telecasted by Doordarshan was directed by him 1997. In 2010, he made his directorial debuts with film ‘Gurukula’ about the Gurukula, an education system of our ancient India which won Best Children’s Movie Award State Award in 2009-2010.

### Academy member

He has held various positions in the Kannada Film and Television Industry
* President, Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy
* Member, Karnataka Chalanachitra Nirdeshakara Sangha
* Member, Karnataka Chalanachitra Prashasti Samithi

### Jury

* 64th National Film Awards (feature films, South II panel)
* Indian Panorama at International Film Festival of India (IFFI) - 2018
* IFFI - 2024 (Debut Films)

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Actor | Director | Role | Notes |
| 1992 | Chevalier Michael | Yes | No | Ignatiaus | Malayalam film |
| 2003 | Abhi | Yes | No | Joseph | |
| 2010 | Gurukula | No | Yes | | Karnataka State Film Award for Best Children Film |
| 2016 | Lift Man | Yes | No | | |
| TBA | Kappu Gulabi † | No | Yes | | Filming |
| 2023 | Hondisi Bareyiri | Yes | No | | |
| 2023 | Kabzaa | Yes | No | Sankeshwara | |

## TV Series
### As Actor

| Year | Title | Role | Channel |
| 2000–2001 | Devru Devru Devru | | Udaya TV |
| 2001–2002 | Danda Pindagalu | | Udaya TV |
| 2003–2004 | Moodala Mane | | ETV Kannada |
| 2011–2012 | Thangali | | Udaya TV |
| 2014–2016 | Putta Gowri Madhuve | | ETV Kannada |
| 2016–2017 | Mahasati | | Udaya TV |
| 2020–2021 | Manasaare | Anand Mahendra | Udaya TV |

### As director

| Year | Title | Channel |
| 1997–1998 | Chirasmarane | Doordarshan |
| 2016–2017 | Mahasati | Udaya TV |

## Awards & accolades

Suneel has been awarded numerous awards and accolades for his work. The most important ones are as follows:
* National Film Award
* Kempegowda Award in 2009
* Karnataka Rajyothsava Award (2009) by Government of Karnataka
* Aryabhata Award
* Best Children Film Awardee for his directorial film ‘Gurukula’.
* Chitra Rasikara Prashasti for his role in the tele-serial Sangolli Rayanna.
* Act Television award
* Indira Priyadarshini Award
* ‘Communicator of the Year’, Award from Public Relations Counsel of India.