Jayasimha (born 6 November 1983), better known as Bobby Simha, is an Indian actor who predominantly appears in Tamil and Telugu language films, alongside a few Malayalam-language films. After making brief appearances in the films Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi and Pizza (2012), he portrayed a kidnapper in Nalan Kumarasamy's Soodhu Kavvum and a comic villain in Alphonse Putharen's Neram. Simha's subsequent performance as the Madurai gangster Sethu in Karthik Subbaraj's Jigarthanda (2014) won him positive reviews from critics and the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor.[2]
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Bobby Simha | |
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![]() Bobby Simha at the audio launch of Urumeen (2015) | |
Born | Jayasimha (1983-11-06) 6 November 1983 (age 39)[1] Secundrabad,
Andhra Pradesh (Now Telangana), India[1] |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 2012 – present |
Spouse | |
Children | 2 |
Relatives | Reshma Pasupuleti (Cousin) |
Bobby Simha was born to a Telugu speaking family on 6 November 1983 in Secundrabad, Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana).[1] Simha's family is from Mopidevi, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh but they moved to Kodaikanal in 1995.[3] He subsequently completed his schooling at Priyadarshini Vidyalayam, a Telugu Medium School, in Mopidevi, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh and then attended college at Pioneer College of Arts and Science in Coimbatore.[3]
In 2005, he participated in a Coimbatore-based event called Naalaya Natchathiram, where chief guests Sundar C and E. Ramdoss suggested that he should attempt to become an actor in Tamil films.[3] Simha stated that he received an offer to feature in a TV serial in Chennai and only after making the journey from Coimbatore, did he realise he had been conned.[3] Simha subsequently finished his degree and came back to Chennai to pursue a career in acting but ended up working in marketing, insurance and business process outsourcing to fulfill his financial needs. He subsequently became acquainted with short-film maker Manikandan, who introduced him to his friend, another short-film maker Karthik Subbaraj.[4] The pair subsequently made a series of short films together, with Subbaraj giving Simha a role in his directorial debut Pizza, too.[5] Balaji Mohan, who too was short-film maker, gave Simha a small role in his first feature film, Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi. Both ventures became critically acclaimed and amongst the most profitable of 2012.[6][7][8]
Simha then appeared in Soodhu Kavvum (2013) portraying the role of Pagalavan, and played the antagonist in the bilingual Neram,[9] his performances in both films were received well.[10] In 2014, he was seen in the role of an ageing Madurai gangster in Jigarthanda[6] with his portrayal winning him critical praise.[11][12] In an interview he said that in order to get into the character, he had interacted with real gangsters to learn their behaviour and nuances. To tan his skin, he stood in the sun at noon wearing only his shorts.[13] The film opened to positive reviews in August 2014,[14] with The Hindu writing that it had achieved "cult status" within a week of its release.[15] Simha won positive reviews for his depiction of Sethu, with Rediff.com noting that Simha "steals the show. He is chillingly menacing at times, while completely hilarious in others, but equally convincing in both", stating it is "a truly remarkable performance".[16] A critic from Sify.com delivered a similar verdict, writing "truly the film belongs to Simhaa. He is electrifying especially in the first half, where he brings out the viciousness and violent streak of the character along with that eerie laughter."[17] His performance in the film earned him the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor.[18] After Jigarthanda he played a lead role in the Malayalam film Beware of Dogs,[19] while in Aadama Jaichomada he played Bhoominathan, a "serious, intelligent cop but with a comic touch".[20] The success of Jigarthanda had created opportunities for Bobby Simha to become a lead actor, though several of his subsequent films did not perform well commercially.[21] In December 2015, he appeared in Urumeen, his first film as a solo action hero.
In 2016, he appeared in the coming-of-age drama, Bangalore Naatkal, where he portrayed a softer role in comparison to his earlier action films. Simha had offered his own dates to the producers to portray a character in the film, with his performance receiving mixed reviews.[22] In June 2016, he has signed to play as antagonist for Saamy Square, which is the sequel of Saamy, directed by Hari.[23]
In 2019, Film Companion ranked Simha's performance in Jigarthanda among the 100 Greatest Performances of the decade.[24]
Bobby Simha got engaged to actress Reshmi Menon in November 2015, and they married on 22 April 2016. The couple has two children– a daughter (born 2017),[25][26] and a son (born 2019).[27][28]
Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2007 | Maya Kannadi | Barber customer | Tamil | Uncredited role | |
2012 | Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi | Jayasimha | Tamil | Credited as Jayasimha | |
Love Failure | Telugu | ||||
Pizza | Bobby | Tamil | |||
2013 | Naan Rajavaga Pogiren | Shankar Subramaniam | Tamil | ||
Soodhu Kavvum | Pagalavan | Tamil | |||
Neram | Vatti Raja | Malayalam | |||
Tamil | |||||
2014 | Beware of Dogs | Amir | Malayalam | ||
Jigarthanda | 'Assault' Sethu | Tamil | |||
Aadama Jaichomada | Inspector Bhoominathan | Tamil | |||
Aaaah | Prosper | Tamil | |||
2015 | Oru Vadakkan Selfie | John Mathew Bhaskar | Malayalam | Cameo appearance | |
Chennai Ungalai Anbudan Varaverkirathu | Chellapandi | Tamil | |||
Masala Padam | Amudhan | Tamil | |||
Inji Iduppazhagi | Himself | Tamil | Cameo appearance | ||
Size Zero | Telugu | ||||
Urumeen | Selvaa | Tamil | |||
2016 | Bangalore Naatkal | Kannan (Kutty) | Tamil | Also narrator | |
Aviyal | The Gangster | Tamil | Acted in segment Eli | ||
Run | Vatti Raja | Telugu | |||
Ko 2 | Kumaran | Tamil | |||
Meera Jaakirathai | Sivanesan | Tamil | |||
Iraivi | Jagan | Tamil | |||
Metro | Guna | Tamil | |||
Kavalai Vendam | Arjun | Tamil | |||
2017 | Mupparimanam | Himself | Tamil | Cameo appearance | |
Paambhu Sattai | Dakshna | Tamil | |||
Karuppan | Kathir | Tamil | |||
Thiruttu Payale 2 | Inspector Selvam | Tamil | 25th film | ||
2018 | Rosapoo | Actor | Malayalam | Cameo appearance | |
Kammara Sambhavam | Pulikeshi | Malayalam | |||
Saamy Square | Raavana Pichai | Tamil | |||
Ladoo | Joseph Dayanidhi | Malayalam | Cameo appearance | ||
2019 | Petta | Michael | Tamil | ||
Agni Devi | Agni Dev IPS | Tamil | |||
Edaina Jaragocchu | Kali | Telugu | |||
2020 | Disco Raja | Burma Sethu | Telugu | ||
Putham Pudhu Kaalai | Devan | Tamil | Segment: Miracle | ||
2021 | Gully Rowdy | Ravi Nayak IPS | Telugu | [33] | |
2022 | Mahaan | Sathyavan Soosaiyappan | Tamil | [34] | |
777 Charlie | Vamsinadhan | Kannada | Cameo appearance | [35] | |
Ammu | Prabhu | Telugu | [36] | ||
Vasantha Mullai ![]() |
Rudhra | Tamil | Post-production | ||
TBA | Waltair Veerayya | TBA | Telugu | Filming | [37][38] |
Year | Title | Role | Network |
Notes |
Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | Vella Raja | Drug Kingpin Deva | Amazon Prime Video | [39] | |
2022 | Kaiyum Kalavum | Anna/Partner (Narrator) | Sony Liv | Voice only. Along with Chinmayi | [40] |
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National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
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1984–2000 |
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2001–present |
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SIIMA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male) | |
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Kannada |
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Malayalam |
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Tamil |
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Telugu |
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