Chetan Kumar

Chetan Kumar (Kannada: ಚೇತನ್ ಕುಮಾರ) (born 24 February 1983),[1] also known as Chetan Ahimsa, is an American Kannada-language film actor. Chetan made his on-screen debut in the 2007 cult classic film Aa Dinagalu which earned him the Udaya Film Awards for best debut actor male. His most recent success came in the 2013 hit Myna, for which his performance received strong critical acclaim.

For the director, see Chethan Kumar (director).

Chetan Kumar
Born (1983-02-24) 24 February 1983[1]
Chicago, Illinois, United States
NationalityAmerican
Other namesChetan Ahimsa, Myna Chetan, Aa Dinagalu Chetan
Alma materYale University
Occupations
  • Actor
  • social worker
  • activist
Years active2007–present
SpouseMegha Shrivastav (m. 2020)

Personal life

Chetan was born and brought up in Chicago, Illinois, US. He finished as high school valedictorian at Marist High School, Chicago. His father and mother, both doctors working in the US, hail from Karnataka, India. Chetan Kumar married his long-time partner Megha on 2 February 2020.[2] Their wedding ceremony, which was held in an orphanage,[3] was appreciated for initiatives like plantable (seed paper) invitation card, marriage vows presided by a transgender activist, and the 'Indian Constitution' as return gift to all guests.[4][5][6] His tweet on the high court justice of Karnataka High Court made a controversy.[7]

Education

Kumar graduated from Yale University in South Asian studies with an emphasis on comparative theater (2005).[8] A US citizen, Chetan came to India as a Fulbright Scholar in 2005–06.[9][10][11]

Upon graduating in 2005, Kumar received a twelve-month Fulbright Scholarship to Karnataka, India, and worked in conjunction with National School of Drama—Bangalore.[12]

Career

Film actor

He played the lead role of a character named "Shreyas" in Noorondu Nenapu (2017).[13] In Chamarajanagara, Karnataka, right-wing extremists tore down posters and prevented the film from being screened due to Kumar's political stances.[14]

Social and political activism

Chetan defines himself as Ambedkarite and believes in ideas of Buddha, Basava, Ambedkar, Phule and Periyar.[15] He has supported youth and student organizations, women's collectives, farmers' groups, trade unions, and Dalit and Adivasi movements to fight for equality and justice.[16]

Chetan's activisms include a rehabilitation fund from the state government for victims of Endosulfan (2013), the building of 528 homes for the evicted tribals of Dhidalli, Coorg (2016), the founding of FIRE—Film Industry for Rights and Equality—for the benefits of women, writers, and workers in the Kannada Film Industry (2017), a recognized identity[17] for the Kadugolla community (2018),[18] a state-approved 'minority status' for Lingayats (2018), among others.

Kumar is regularly invited as a panelist for TV and media discussions on socio-political issues.[19] He has been voicing his views through writings[20] about social concerns (e.g., casting couch, water politics, against steel bridge construction,[21] against communal politics[22] and reservations for the marginalized) and recent government policies (Land Acquisition Bill, intolerance, and environmental destruction).

His social work/activism includes the following:

  • Anti-Superstition (2014)[23] - Chetan along with local activists was part of educating Koraga tribal school children of Dakshin Kannad against the discriminatory practice of 'Ajjalu Paddhathi' where tribal women are forced to consume the hair and nails of pregnant upper-caste women. Media exposure of this issue compelled the state government to ban 'Ajjalu Paddhathi' via its 2017 Anti-Superstition Bill.
  • LGBTQIA (2016)[24] - Chetan has openly advocated for the rights of sexual minorities and contested the discriminatory Article 377.
  • Chetan has championed drinking water facilities for those alongside the Mahadayi River in Hubli, Belagavi, and Gadag districts through on-ground protest, TV discussions and a published article.[25]
  • Anti-Hindi Imposition & Karnataka State Flag (2017)[26] - Chetan challenged the imposition of Hindi in government institutions in Bengaluru and pushed for a government-sanctioned, independent Karnataka state flag by attending protests, round-table conferences and TV panel discussions. He has also advocated for Karnataka domicile representation in the private and government sector.
  • "I am Gauri" campaign(2017)[27] Chetan stood in solidarity against the attacks on activists/progressives/intellectuals in light of the Gauri Lankesh murder through protests and speeches in Bengaluru and Kolar. He made the following statement in his speech during "I am Gauri" campaign: "Gauri Lankesh represented the voice of dissent. The voice against the culture of hatred being propagated in Karnataka. She did not bow down to the threats by the cowardly lot. She stood strong. They were scared of her bravery and hence, they killed her"[28]
  • Indian Farmers Protest against Farm Laws 2020-2021 - Chetan expressed solidarity to farmers agitation against Farm Laws passed in 2020.[29]
  • Environmental Activist: Chetan has raised his voice against construction of Steel flyover which aimed at destruction of trees. Project was kept on hold after protest from many civil groups. In March 2022, Chetan also expressed his criticism on proposed Mekedatu Dam Project citing environmental destruction. He organized awareness sessions with renowned environmental activists like Medha Patkar[30] and waterman Rajender Singh[31] to discuss the alternative sustainable ways to mitigate drinking water problem for Bangalore, Karnataka [32]
  • In 2022, Chetan was arrested because of his tweet about the Justice Krishna Dixit who was presiding over the hijab issue in the Karnataka High Court. Sheshadripuram police have filed a suo motto complaint. Justice Krishna Dixit in the past was criticized by the public for using misogynistic comments in the order he passed while granting bail to an accused in a rape case. Actor Chetan highlighted this comment of the judge in his tweet for which he was arrested. People on social media criticized the police for having booked Chetan in a frivolous case and huge support poured in for Chetan from across the world.[33]

Endosulfan victim rehabilitation

Kumar lent his support to a fight demanding 24-hour medical care and a monthly compensation increase (from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 3,000–5,000) for Endosulfan victims in Karnataka's coastal belt. The state government met the demands by allocating Rs. 72–90 crores for rehabilitation of pesticide poisoning victims, which it continues to provide.[34]

Dhidalli Adivasis rehabilitation protests

Kumar led the large-scale campaign to rehabilitate 3,000 Coorg tribals after their unlawful displacement in December 2016.[35][36] Homes are currently being constructed under government auspices near Kushalnagara at a cost of Rs. 4 lakhs/home for 528+ families.[37] In April 2018, the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP officially chargesheeted the Dhidalli struggle as ‘Naxalite-inspired,’ listing Kumar as responsible. Kumar has since challenged these allegations citing that the Dhidalli protest was non-violent and constitutional, demanding an apology from the Law Minister and BJP state President.[38]

Lingayat independent religion

Kumar played a role in the ongoing demand for an independent Lingayat religion[39] under the umbrella of Basava's philosophy and the Vachana literature. He participated in pro-Lingayat religion forums in Bengaluru, Kalburgi, Hassan as well as via several TV discussions and interviews.[40]

Kadugolla identity fight

Kumar spearheaded[17] and won a state-recognized identity for the Kadugolla community, Kannada-speaking, sheep-rearing Adivasis with distinct socio-cultural practices and religious icons.[41][42]

Film Industry for Rights and Equality (FIRE)

Kumar founded a Kannada Film industry-based association called FIRE[43] (officially registered in 2017) that works to tackle sexual harassment in the workplace, improve livelihoods of film workers and technicians, and establish a writers' guild[44] with certification and structured payments for writers.[45][46]

Rural school instruction

Kumar taught critical thinking and current events at a K-10 village school in Mullur, Karnataka, 25 km outside of Mysore, starting in September 2005. Specific academic techniques included interactive sessions, discussion forums, writing assignments, guest speakers, and meta-syllabus-based studies.[47]

Chetan ahimsa has been championing the cause of Dalit/Adivasi rights and has been fighting to highlight anti-caste ideas of Ambedkar, Periyar, and Kuvempu for over a decade. The controversy erupted after the actor, on June 6 2021, tweeted, quotation of Ambedkar and Periyar regarding Brahiminism as an ideology. [48] Brahmin caste groups had registered complaint against Chetan in Basavangudi Police station on June 7th.

Chetan Ahimsa, who identifies himself as feminist,[49] was arrested, in February 2022, for his alleged comments against a Karnataka High Court judge hearing the hijab case. The police then had taken suo motu cognizance of his comments and arrested him. He was released on bail later. [50]

In October 2022, another FIR was booked against Chetan on complaint of right-wing extremist group for stating that Buta Kola, which was depicted in the film Kantara, was not part of a Hindu custom. [51]

Chetan Ahimsa was again arrested in March 2023 by the Bengaluru city police on complaint of Bajrang Dal (Hindu right wing extremist group) activist for hurting religious sentiments with his tweet on Hindutva. Karnataka Police was criticized widely by Human right defenders against illegal arrest. [52] [53][54][55]

The Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) status of actor Chetan Kumar has been cancelled by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 14th April 2023.[56]

Philanthropy

Chetan is known for many philanthropic causes for over a decade. He apart from volunteering and donating to many orphanages,[57] old age homes, animal rescue organization has also contributed during crisis events as below:

Karnataka flood relief efforts 2018- Chetan was involved in Flood relief efforts in Kodagu Karnataka in August 2018.[58] He had donated ration kits & other essential materials for people stuck in flood. He also visited the flood affected tribals stuck in remote part of Kodagu area with his social work team and helped them with relief material. [59]

Food/ration kit and medical kit distribution during COVID: Actor Chetan Kumar had extended help to the marginalized tribal groups,[60] transgender communities, and Bengaluru cemetery workers in the state by distributing Ration and Medical kit distribution during 1st and 2nd wave of Corona. [61][62]

He also took up the cause of cemetery or crematorium workers and has reached out to the state government to look at their demands of insurance and increased pay, and long-term demands such as classification of the workers as govt employees. [63][64]

Filmography
Key
Films that have not yet been released Denotes films that have not yet been released
YearFilmRoleNotes
2007Aa DinagaluChetanUdaya Film Award for Best Debut Actor
2009RaamHimselfCameo
2009BirugaaliHacchi
2010SuryakaantiRohith / Surya
2012DashamukhaAgni
2013MynaSathyamurthy
2017Noorondu NenapuShreyas Bahaddur
2017AthirathaAkash
2021RanamSatyagrahi
2021MaargaFilms that have not yet been released TBAFilming
2021 100 CroresFilms that have not yet been released TBA Telugu-Kannada film, Post-production[65]
2021 KumbhakarnaFilms that have not yet been released TBA Post-Production (Kannada-Telugu film)[66]

Awards and recognitions
Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2008 Udaya Film Awards Best Actor Aa Dinagalu Won

References
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