Ramanuj Sharma (born 15 May 1976), popularly known asAnuj Sharma, is an Indian politician and film, stage and television personality inChhattisgarhi cinema He was awardedPadma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, by theGovernment of India in 2014, for his services in the field of arts.[1] He is the first film personality from Chhattisgarh to receive the Padma Shri award.[2]
There are only three theatres in southern Chhattisgarh and the condition of the rest of the state is not good either. We need to reach a wider audience., Sharma on the state of movies inChhattisgarh.[3]
Sharma was born to Teken Lal Sharma and Dehuti Sharma atBhatapara inRaipur,Chhattisgarh.[4][5] He did his schooling at Bhatapara[5] and later, secured a master's degree in history from thePandit Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur.[4] He married Smita Sharma and they have two children. They reside at Labhandi, Raipur. Earlier he was a resident of Sant Kabir Nagar, Raipur.[6]
Sharma started acting and singing at the age of ten.[5] After a brief stint as the marketing executive,[8] he made his debut in the 2000 film,Mor Chhaihan Bhuiyan,[9] considered to be the first of the modern era in Chhattisgarhi film history, which was till then at a nascent stage. The first Chhattisgarhi film was made in 1965 and the second one in 1971.[5] The film became a commercial success.[10]
The success of the debut film made him a star[10] and he had eight releases a year and 4 silver jubilee hits, the only lead actor to do so in Chhattisgarhi films.[5] Some of his movies like Maya,[10] Mister Tetkuram[11] and Mahu Diwana Tahu Diwani, were a big success and got him best actor award four times.[2] The prolificacy of his acting career also returned two of his films being released on the same day.[5] Sharma's films have been dubbed into many other languages such asSambalpuri, Jharkhandi,Bundelkhandi,Gujarati, andBhojpuri. He has also acted in a number of Bhojpuri films.[5]
He has active presence on stage and television in various parts of central India.[5] He is also associated withUNICEF for the campaigns in Chhattisgarh.[citation needed] He has also performed as radio jockey in the National FM channel and was the first Chhattisgarhi compere.[12] He has compered around 125 television shows so far.[5] He has also made advertisement and promotion films for the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board and for other commercial institutions as well.[5]
A Chhattisgarhi folk singer by practice, Sharma is reported to be at ease singing all styles of Chhattisgarhi folk songs. He has over 100 video albums, has sung over 200 film and folk songs, and has composed music for 10 audio albums.[5] He also owns a music label called "Aaarug Music".[13]
Anuj (Ramanuj) Sharma was honoured by theGovernment of India by awarding him thePadma Shri, in 2014, in recognition of his efforts to the cause of art.[1] Anuj Sharma has also received many other awards such as:
Anuj Sharma was listed by theTimes of India among theKings of the Provinces when they published a special report in connection with the100 years of Indian Cinema celebrations, placing him among the stalwarts of Indian cinema such asM. G. Ramachandran,N. T. Rama Rao andMohanlal.[5]
^ab"Padma Awards Announced".Circular. Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 25 January 2014. Archived fromthe original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved23 August 2014.
Bharatiya Janata Party
