Upendra ranks 8th among world’s top 50 directors: IMDb reports

IMDb’s global list places Kannada filmmaker Upendra among cinema’s elite, recognising his bold storytelling, cult classics, and multi-dimensional career across films and public life.

Kannada cinema icon Upendra has earned global recognition after being ranked 8th among the world’s top 50 best directors in a list released by IMDb. The ranking places him among the most influential filmmakers internationally, marking a proud moment for Indian and Kannada cinema.

The list is topped by acclaimed Hollywood director Christopher Nolan, while celebrated Indian filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani has secured the second position. Upendra’s inclusion in the top 10 highlights the global impact of his unconventional storytelling and cult filmmaking style.

Upendra is widely known as an actor, director, screenwriter, lyricist, playback singer, producer, and politician, primarily associated with Kannada cinema. Over the years, he has also worked in Telugu and Tamil films, expanding his reach beyond Karnataka.

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He began his film journey as a writer and assistant director under actor-director Kashinath. His first directorial film, “Tharle Nan Maga” (1992), marked his entry as a director. In the mid-1990s, Upendra delivered “Om” (1995), which became a massive box-office success and later achieved cult status. The film was also remade in Telugu as “Omkaram.”

Upendra later debuted as an actor with “A”, a film that became a major success and elevated his popularity nationwide. He continued to redefine cinema with “Upendra” (1999), a psychological thriller that gained cult status. After focusing on acting for nearly a decade, he returned to direction with “Super,” which received both critical and commercial acclaim.

His notable films include Preethse, Super Star, Kutumba, Gokarna, Hollywood, Raktha Kanneeru, Gowramma, Aishwarya, Anatharu, Budhivanta, Kalpana, Godfather, S/O Satyamurthy, Uppi 2, I Love You, UI (2024), Coolie (2025), and 45 (2025).

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Beyond cinema, Upendra entered politics in 2017 by joining Karnataka Pragnyavanta Janata Paksha, exited the party in 2018, and later founded the Uttama Prajaakeeya Party (UPP), based on the idea of citizen-centric governance (Prajākīya).

In recognition of his contributions, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Angkor University in 2015. IMDb’s latest ranking now cements Upendra’s position not just as a regional icon, but as a globally recognised filmmaker.