Aparna (television presenter) explained

Aparna
Birth Date:October 17, 1965
Birth Place:Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Death Place:Banashankari, Bangalore, Karnataka, India[1]
Occupation:Television presenter, actress, radio jockey
Years Active:1984–2024
Known For:The voice behind Namma Metro-Bangalore, KSRTC announcement

Aparna Vastarey (17 October 1965 – 11 July 2024) was an Indian actress, television presenter, and radio jockey. A popular face in Kannada television, she was known for her work as a presenter of various shows that aired on DD Chandana in the 1990s. She made her cinematic debut in 1984 with Puttanna Kanagal's last film, Masanada Hoovu. Between 2015 and 2021, she played Varalakshmi on the sketch comedy show, Majaa Talkies.[2]

Biography

Aparna was born on 17 October 1965 at Bangalore in Karnataka, India.[3] Aparna made her feature film debut in Puttanna Kanagal's 1984 film, Masanada Hoovu, starring alongside stalwarts Ambareesh and Jayanthi. She began working as a radio jockey (RJ) with All India Radio in 1993, and went on to work with AIR FM Rainbow as its first presenter. Her career in Kannada television as a presenter began in 1990 with DD Chandana; she was part of a majority of its productions until 2000.[4] As part of Deepawali celebrations in 1998, she presented shows for a record eight hours.[5]

Aparna worked as an actress in television shows such as Moodala Mane and Mukta. In 2013, she appeared as a contestant in the first season of the Kannada reality television show Bigg Boss, which aired on ETV Kannada.[6] Since 2015, she appeared in the sketch comedy television show, Majaa Talkies, as Varalakshmi, the vain and boastful sister-in-law of the character of Srujan Lokesh who claimed to be friends of popular personalities such as Barack Obama and Salman Khan.[4]

In 2011, Aparna lent her voice for the recorded announcements of passenger boarding and deboarding for the Bangalore Metro.[4] In 2024, after more than 20 years away from acting, she returned with Gangadhar Salimath's cybercrime film Grey Games, in which she played the mother of a boy addicted to online gaming.[7] Of the gap, she stated, "It is not that I did not want to work; I did receive offers. But the role's significance mattered to me. Often, I was not fully briefed on what exactly I was supposed to do. I prioritised the importance of my role rather than its duration. Many times, the roles I was offered did not satisfy me, so I was not eager to accept them." A review in the Deccan Herald stated that she took on "a powerful role and is absolutely convincing."[8]

Death

On 11 July 2024, Aparna died at the age of 57 due to complications from lung cancer.[9] [10]

Partial filmography

Television

Year Title Role
2003–2004Moodala ManeSukanya
2005Ee FamilyHost[11]
2008–2010Mukta
2013Bigg Boss Kannada 1Herself
2015–2017Majaa TalkiesVaralakshmi[12]
2018–2021Majaa Talkies Super Season[13]
2019–2020Ivalu SujathaDurga[14]
2021Nannarasi RadheJanaki (Cameo appearance)[15]

Films

!Year!Title!Role!Ref
1985Masanada Hoovu Parvati[16] [17]
1987Sangrama (film)
1988Nammoora Raja
1988Sahasa Veera
1988Mathru Vathsalya Rohini
1989Olavina Aasare
1989Inspector Vikram Vijaya
1989Ondaagi Balu
1989Doctor Krishna
1989Onti Salaga[18]
2024Grey Games

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bose . Sharath . 12 July 2024 . Kannada Actress and Anchor Aparna Vastarey Passes Away at 57 Due to Cancer . Filmibeat . 11 July 2024.
  2. Web site: Swetha Changappa, Aparna, Kuri Prathap, and Other Cast Members of Majaa Talkies Enjoy a Reunion . The Times of India . 12 November 2021 . 14 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240514140639/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/kannada/swetha-changappa-aparna-kuri-prathap-and-other-cast-members-of-majaa-talkies-enjoy-a-reunion/articleshow/87666411.cms . live . 14 May 2024.
  3. Web site: 12 July 2024 . Renowned Kannada anchor Aparna Vastarey no more . Star of Mysore . 18 July 2024 . en-US.
  4. Web site: Srinath . Shruthi . The one & only... . Deccan Herald . 28 January 2017 . 22 May 2016 . 30 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180530034851/https://www.deccanherald.com/content/547887/one-amp-only.html . dead .
  5. Web site: Aparna, RJ, TV anchor and actress . Rediff.com . 25 March 2013 . 23 April 2015 . 29 November 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141129044606/http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-pix-meet-the-contestants-of-bigg-boss-kannada/20130325.htm#9 . live .
  6. Web site: 19 August 2014 . Details about People of Bigg Boss Kannada . https://web.archive.org/web/20130527234051/http://karnatakakaravali.blogspot.in/2013/05/detail-about-people-of-bigg-boss-kannada.html . 27 May 2013 . 22 August 2014 . karnatakakaravali.
  7. Web site: Sharadhaa . A. . 8 May 2024 . A closer look at strong female characters in Grey Games . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240514135847/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/interviews/2024/May/08/a-closer-look-at-strong-female-characters-in-grey-games . 14 May 2024 . 14 May 2024 . Cinema Express . en.
  8. Web site: Angadi . Jagadish . 'Grey Games' movie review: Despite flaws, this psychological thriller manages to entertain . Deccan Herald . 14 May 2024 . en.
  9. Web site: Kumar . Chethan . ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರಿಗೆ ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ಆಘಾತ, ಅಚ್ಚ ಕನ್ನಡದ ಖ್ಯಾತ ನಿರೂಪಕಿ ಅಪರ್ಣ ಇನ್ನಿಲ್ಲ! . Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd . 11 July 2024 . kn . 11 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240711195240/https://kannada.asianetnews.com/tv-talk/karnataka-well-known-television-presenter-aparna-vastarey-dies-at-51-in-bengaluru-ckm-sggy0s . live .
  10. Web site: Renowned Kannada anchor-actress Aparna Vastarey passes away due to Cancer at 51 . The Times of India . 11 July 2024 . 11 July 2024 . 11 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240711195225/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/kannada/renowned-kannada-anchor-actress-aparna-vastarey-passes-away-due-to-cancer-at-51/articleshow/111668945.cms . live .
  11. Web site: The many talents of 'RJ' Aparna . Deccan Herald . 28 January 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121229074033/http://archive.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/oct232005/enter1415720051021.asp . 29 December 2012 . dead.
  12. News: Aparna turns Nagavalli on Maja Talkies . The Times of India . 28 February 2015 . 28 January 2017 . 9 September 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160909025901/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/TV/News/Kannada/Aparna-turns-Nagavalli-on-Maja-Talkies/articleshow/46409643.cms . live .
  13. News: Sharan to be first guest of Majaa Talkies Super Season . 3 February 2018 . The Times of India . 31 January 2018 . 2 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180602131952/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/kannada/sharan-to-be-first-guest-of-majaa-talkies-super-season/articleshow/62721033.cms . live .
  14. News: Ivalu Sujatha to premiere today; Actress Meghashri to play the lead role . 11 October 2019 . The Times of India . 26 August 2019 . 15 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190915081205/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/kannada/ivalu-sujatha-to-premiere-today-actress-meghashri-to-play-the-lead-role/articleshow/70843070.cms . live .
  15. News: 31 August 2021 . Aparna Vastrey plays a cameo in the TV show Nannarasi Radhe . The Times of India . 20 July 2023 . 0971-8257 . 20 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230720121855/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/kannada/aparna-vastrey-plays-a-cameo-in-the-tv-show-nannarasi-radhe/articleshow/85790434.cms . live .
  16. Web site: 12 July 2024 . Who was Aparna Vastarey: Five lesser-known facts about the late actress, anchor . 18 July 2024 . Hindustan Times . en.
  17. News: 11 July 2024 . Aparna Vastarey, actor-presenter and Kannada voice of Bengaluru Metro, passes away . 18 July 2024 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  18. Web site: Popular TV anchor and actor Aparna Vastarey passes away . 18 July 2024 . www.msn.com.