Sudeep (Kiccha Sudeep) Age, Wiki, Family, Career, Net Worth

Sudeep Sanjeev, popularly known as Kiccha Sudeep, is an Indian actor, director, producer, screenwriter, singer, and television presenter.

He is best known for his work in Kannada cinema and has also appeared in Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi films. He was born on September 2, 1971 (55 years old), in Shimoga, now called Shivamogga, Karnataka, India.

Sudeep gained major recognition through Huchcha and later delivered notable performances in Nandhi, Swathi Muthu, My Autograph, Eega, Vikrant Rona, and Max.

He is also widely recognised as the longtime host of Bigg Boss Kannada.

He won three consecutive Filmfare Awards for Best Actor in Kannada for Huchcha, Nandhi, and Swathi Muthu.

Quick Facts of Kiccha Sudeep

Full Name	Sudeep Sanjeev
Profession	Actor, director, producer, screenwriter, singer, and television presenter
Age	55 years old
Date of Birth	September 2, 1971
Nationality	Indian
Zodiac Sign	Virgo
Birthplace	Shimoga, now Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
Current Address	Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Gender	Male

Kiccha Sudeep Early Life and Education

Kiccha Sudeep was born in Shimoga, Karnataka, to Sanjeev Manjappa and Saroja. His family had moved there from Narasimharajapura in Chikmagalur district. At home, he was called Deepu, and he grew up with two elder sisters.

Long before films, though, Sudeep’s passion was cricket. He represented his college in under-17 cricket.

Education

He went to school at Vasavi Public School in Shimoga. He then earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Production Engineering from Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering in Bangalore.

Acting came later. He trained at the Roshan Taneja School of Acting in Mumbai, where he worked on overcoming his shyness.

School	Vasavi Public School, Shimoga
Alma Mater	Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Bangalore
Highest Qualification	Bachelor of Engineering (Industrial and Production Engineering)

Kiccha Sudeep Personal Life

Away from the camera, Sudeep’s world centres on a small, close family. His wife has worked alongside him in business and production, and his daughter has stepped into music.

Wife

Sudeep met Priya Radhakrishna, a Malayali, in Bangalore in 2000, and they married in 2001. Their wedding date was October 18, 2001. Before their marriage, Priya worked for an airline and later for a bank.

In 2013, Sudeep launched Stage 360°, an events management company, and Priya took an active role in running it. She has also produced films under their banner, Supriyanvi Picture Studio.

The couple separated in September 2015 but later reconciled. They have been together since and often appear together at family and public events.

Children

Sudeep and Priya have one child, a daughter named Saanvi, born in 2004.

Saanvi has chosen music over acting. She has said several times that she is more passionate about singing than acting, and she has already worked on a music album.

Her first big moment came in 2023, when she wrote and sang a song for the teaser of Jimmy, the debut film of her cousin Sanchith Sanjeev. Her father said she sounded like a professional playback singer.

In 2025, she lent her voice to the Telugu film HIT: The 3rd Case, starring Nani. She also sang “Masth Malaika” with Nakash Aziz in her father’s film Mark (2025).

Family

Sudeep’s family originally came from Narasimharajapura in Chikmagalur district before settling in Shimoga.

Father

His father, Sanjeev Manjappa, was a hotelier who later became a film producer. He produced Sudeep’s breakthrough film Sparsha (2000) under his banner, Sarovar Productions.

Mother

His mother, Saroja Sanjeev, had been battling age-related ailments. She passed away at a private hospital in Bangalore on October 20, 2024.

Siblings

Sudeep has two elder sisters, Sujatha Sanjeev and Surekha Sanjeev. More details about them are yet to be updated.

His nephew, Sanchith Sanjeev, made his debut as an actor and director with Jimmy, a film produced by Priya.

Relationship Status	Married
Wife	Priya Sudeep (née Radhakrishna)
Children	Daughter: Saanvi Sudeep
Parents	Father: Sanjeev Manjappa Mother: Saroja Sanjeev (late)
Siblings	Sisters: Sujatha Sanjeev, Surekha Sanjeev (both elder)

Kiccha Sudeep Career

Kiccha Sudeep’s career spans nearly three decades. He started in television, became a Kannada star, played a villain who became famous across India, and has hosted Bigg Boss Kannada every season since it began.

Television Start and Early Films (1997 to 1999)

Sudeep made his screen debut in the Udaya TV serial Premada Kadambari. His first film to be released was Thayavva (1997), with Umashree, Charan Raj and Sindhu.

His two earlier films had been dropped before they were finished. He then played a supporting role in Prathyartha (1999).

Breakthrough with Sparsha and Huchcha (2000 to 2001)

His first lead role came in the romance Sparsha (2000), opposite Sparsha Rekha and Sudharani. The film was produced by his father under Sarovar Productions.

Huchcha (2001), with Rekha Vedavyas, made him a star. Fans began calling him “Kiccha” after his character.

Three Filmfare Wins in a Row (2002 to 2005)

In Nandhi (2002), he starred with Sindhu Menon, Radhika Chaudhari and Ashish Vidyarthi. Kiccha (2003) paired him with Shweta Agarwal.

Swathi Muthu (2003), opposite Meena, won him his third Filmfare Best Actor award in a row.

Director, Producer and Hindi Debut (2006 to 2010)

He made his directing debut with My Autograph (2006), which ran for 175 days in Karnataka. He starred in it alongside Meena and Sridevika. He turned producer with No 73, Shanthi Nivasa (2007).

His Hindi debut was the horror film Phoonk (2008), with Amruta Khanvilkar and Ahsaas Channa. The same year, he paired with Ramya in Mussanjemaatu.

In 2009, he directed Veera Madakari, playing a double role, opposite Ragini Dwivedi. In 2010, he appeared in nine films, including Just Maath Maathalli with Ramya. Around the same time, he changed his screen name from Sudeep to Sudeepa.

That year he also appeared in Hindi in Rann, with Amitabh Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh and Paresh Rawal. He then joined Rakta Charitra, with Vivek Oberoi, Shatrughan Sinha and Radhika Apte.

Kannada Superstar and Eega (2011 to 2014)

In 2011, he directed and starred in Kempe Gowda with Ragini Dwivedi, a remake of the Tamil hit Singam. He also starred in Vishnuvardhana with Bhavana, Priyamani and Sonu Sood.

His national breakthrough came with S. S. Rajamouli’s Eega (2012). He played a ruthless industrialist who kills his rival in love, only to be haunted by the man reborn as a housefly. Nani and Samantha Ruth Prabhu played the other leads.

He followed it with Bachchan (2013), with Bhavana, Parul Yadav, Jagapathi Babu and Tulip Joshi. He then directed Maanikya (2014), sharing the screen with V. Ravichandran, Ramya Krishna and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar.

Pan Indian Reach (2015 to 2019)

Ranna (2015), with Prakash Raj, Rachita Ram, Haripriya and Madhoo, was a box office success. That year he made a cameo in Baahubali: The Beginning and made his Tamil debut in Puli, with Vijay and Sridevi.

In Hebbuli (2017), he played a commando alongside V. Ravichandran and Amala Paul. The Villain (2018) teamed him with Shiva Rajkumar and became a big hit.

In 2019, he played a wrestler in his first sports drama, Pailwaan. Suniel Shetty played his coach, with Aakanksha Singh, Sushant Singh and Kabir Duhan Singh in the cast.

He also joined Chiranjeevi and Amitabh Bachchan in Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy. The same year, he played the archenemy of Salman Khan‘s Chulbul Pandey in Dabangg 3.

Vikrant Rona and the Max Era (2021 to 2026)

He returned in Kotigobba 3 (2021) and then led Vikrant Rona (2022), with Nirup Bhandari and Neetha Ashok. In Kabzaa (2023), he shared the screen with Upendra and Shiva Rajkumar.

Max (2024), with Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Sunil, Samyukta Hornad and Sukrutha Wagle, was released on December 25, 2024. It earned around ₹62 crore and became the highest-grossing Kannada film of 2024.

The follow-up, Mark (2025), cast him as SP Ajay Markandeya alongside Shine Tom Chacko, Naveen Chandra and Yogi Babu. It received mixed reviews from critics, and his daughter Sanvi sang one of its songs. In 2026, he made a cameo in KD: The Devil.

Bigg Boss Kannada and Television

He first hosted the reality show Pyate Hudgeer Halli Lifu on Suvarna. In 2013, he became the host of Bigg Boss Kannada. In 2015, Colors Kannada signed him to a five-season deal, a record for Kannada television.

In 2026, he returned to host his 13th straight season, one of the longest host runs among the regional versions of the show. Season 13 premiered on September 6, 2026, on Colors Kannada and JioHotstar.

Work Beyond Acting

He often sings in his own films, including Vaalee, Ranga SSLC and Kempe Gowda. He also runs the production house Kiccha Creations and captains the Karnataka Bulldozers in the Celebrity Cricket League.

He has been a brand ambassador for Joyalukkas, the Bangalore Traffic Police and the Income Tax Department.

In 2022, he became the face of the Karnataka Animal Husbandry Department’s cow adoption programme.

Upcoming Projects

He has reunited with director Anup Bhandari for Billa Ranga Baasha, a science fiction epic set in 2209 AD. It is planned as two films, and shooting resumed on June 26, 2026. The first part, Billa Ranga Baasha: First Blood, is due in the last quarter of 2027 in five languages.

He has also been announced to play Emperor Sri Krishna Devaraaya in the period film Devaraaya. Details of his other projects are yet to be updated.

Kiccha Sudeep Awards and Achievements

Kiccha Sudeep has a record that no other actor shares. He has won four Filmfare Awards South, and he is the only actor so far to win three Filmfare Awards in a row.

Key Wins

• Film Fans’ Association Awards (2000): Won Best Actor (Kannada) for Sparsha.
• Debut honours for Sparsha (2000): Won Best New Face (Male) at the Asianet Kaveri Film Awards and Best Newcomer Actor at the Videocon Suprabhata Awards. He also received a special award from the Karnataka Welfare Association for the Blind.
• Karnataka State Film Awards (2002): Won Best Actor for Nandhi.
• Filmfare Awards South: Won Best Actor (Kannada) three years in a row, for Huchcha (2001), Nandhi (2002) and Swathi Muthu (2003).
• Film Fans’ Association Awards (2003): Won Best Actor (Kannada) for Swathi Muthu.
• Hello Gandhinagara Awards (2004): Won a Special Award for Swathi Muthu.
• Zee Kannada Awards (2009): Won the Special Jury Award at the Innovative Film Awards for Veera Madakari.
• Times Film Awards (2011): Won Best Actor (Kannada) at the Bangalore Times Film Awards for Vishnuvardhana.
• Suvarna Film Awards (2011): Won Favourite Hero for Veera Madakari (2009) and Best Actor for Vishnuvardhana.
• Filmfare Awards South (2012): Won Best Supporting Actor (Telugu) for Eega.
• Nandi Awards (2012): Won Best Villain for Eega.
• TSR TV9 National Film Awards (2012): Won Best Actor (Kannada) for Eega.
• Toronto After Dark Film Festival (2012): Won Best Villain and Best Fight for Eega. The Best Fight award was shared with the fly and Nani.
• Villain awards for Eega and Naan Ee (2012): Won Best Villain at the CineMAA Awards, the Vijay Awards and the Edison Awards.
• Zee Kannada Awards (2016): Entertainer of the Decade at Dashakada Sambhrama.
• Karnataka State Film Awards (2019): Named Best Actor for Pailwaan (2019), but declined the award in keeping with his personal decision not to accept awards.
• Zee Cine Awards Tamil (2020): Won the Pride of Kannada Cinema award for his contribution to cinema.
• Bengaluru Press Club (2021): Received the Press Club Special Award for his contribution to cinema.
• SIIMA (2024): Won Best Actor (Kannada) for Max.

Key Nominations

• Filmfare Awards South: Nominated twelve times for Best Actor (Kannada), for My Autograph (2006), Mussanjemaatu (2008), Just Maath Maathalli (2010), Kempe Gowda (2011), Bachchan (2013), Kotigobba 2 (2016), Hebbuli (2017), Vikrant Rona (2022) and Max (2024).
• Suvarna Film Awards: Nominated for Star Pair of the Year with Ragini Dwivedi for Veera Madakari (2009). For Just Maath Maathalli (2010), he was nominated for Best Director and Best Actor. For Kempe Gowda (2011), he was nominated for Best Director, Favourite Director, and Favourite Hero.
• SIIMA: Nominated for Best Actor (Kannada) for Kempe Gowda (2011), Bachchan (2013) and Vikrant Rona (2022).
• Bangalore Times Film Awards: Nominated for Best Singer (Male, Kannada) for the song “Hale Radio” from Kempe Gowda (2011).
• Madrid International Film Festival: Nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Eega (2012).
• TSR TV9 National Film Awards: Nominated for Best Villain for Eega (2012), and for Best Hero (Kannada) for Hebbuli (2017) and Ambi Ning Vayassaytho (2018).
• Zee Cine Awards (2020): Nominated for Best Actor in a Negative Role for Dabangg 3 (2019).
• Chittara Star Awards: Nominated for Best Actor (Male) for Vikrant Rona (2022) and Max (2024).
• ViKa Web Cinema Awards: Nominated for Best Actor for Kotigobba 3 (2021) and Vikrant Rona (2022).

Other recognitions

• Abhinaya Chakravarthy (2012): Given this honorary title by Karnataka Rakshana Vedike.
• Forbes India Celebrity 100 (2013): Ranked number 22 in his first appearance on the list. He has been featured on the list every year since.
• Bangalore Times Most Desirable Men: Ranked number 1 in 2012, 2014 and 2015, and number 2 in 2013.
• Villain lists (2012): Ranked number 8 on the Times of India Top 10 Villains of 2012 list, and won MovieCrow’s Best Villain award for Naan Ee.
• Reader and fan honours: Voted Best Actor of 2013 (Kannada) by Filmibeat (then One India) readers, and named Movie Star of the Year at the Outlook Social Media Awards in 2016.
• Civic and cultural honours: He has received several honours from civic, cultural and religious bodies:
  • The BBMP Kempe Gowda Award (2018).
  • The Dr. Vishnuvardhan Kala Datti Award from Kannada Sahitya Parishath (2020).
  • The Valmiki Rathna from Valmiki Mutt, Davangere (2021).
  • The Shivaganga Shree Award from Melana Gavi Mutt (2021).
  • The Anugraha Award from the Raghavendra Swamy Mutt, Mantralaya (2022).
  • An honorary title from Kannada Sangha UAE (2021).
• Celebrity Cricket League (2014): Honoured by DS-MAX Properties as part of the CCL 2014 champion team. He captains the Karnataka Bulldozers team.

Kiccha Sudeep Controversy

• Hindi language debate with Ajay Devgn in 2022: Sudeep sparked a national discussion after saying that Hindi was no longer India’s national language. Ajay Devgn challenged the statement on X, leading to a public exchange. Sudeep later explained that his comment had been misunderstood and lost in translation.
• Dispute with producer M N Kumar in 2023: Producer M N Kumar alleged that Sudeep had accepted an advance for a film but did not complete the project. Sudeep denied the allegations and filed a ₹10 crore defamation case against Kumar and producer N M Suresh. The accusations were disputed claims and not a confirmed finding of wrongdoing.
• Bigg Boss Kannada 12 complaint in 2025: A complaint naming Sudeep and two contestants was submitted to the Karnataka State Women’s Commission. It alleged verbal abuse, humiliation of women, and other misconduct connected with the reality show.
• Sudeep vs. Ramya Feud: During the shooting of Just Maathmatalli (2009), Sudeep publicly expressed severe displeasure over actress Ramya’s unprofessional behavior on set, sparking a long-standing cold war before they eventually reconciled.
• Darshan Fan Clashes: A complex personal and professional rivalry between Sudeep and fellow Kannada superstar Darshan Thoogudeepa has frequently spilled over into intense, toxic social media fan wars and mutual public call-outs over the years.
• Investment Fraud Allegation: A complaint was filed against Sudeep and director-actor Chakravarthy Chandrachud over an alleged investment fraud case.

Kiccha Sudeep Net Worth

The estimated net worth of Kiccha Sudeep is around $17.1 million (₹165 crore), and his annual salary ranges between ₹10-₹25 crore ($1-$2.6 million).

Net Worth in Dollars Approx.	$17.1 million (₹165 crore)
Salary Approx.	₹10-₹25 crore ($1-$2.6 million)

Kiccha Sudeep Height, Weight and Physical Stats

Below are the height, weight, and physical stats of Kiccha Sudeep:

Height	In centimetres: 185 cm In meters: 1.85 m In feet and inches: 6 feet 1 inch
Weight	In kg: 76 kgs In lbs: 167 lbs
Body Measurements	41–34 – 14 inches
Hair Color	Black
Eye Color	Dark Brown

Kiccha Sudeep Social Media

Instagram	@kichchasudeepa
X	@KicchaSudeep
Facebook	@kichchasudeepa
YouTube	Sudeep)

Interesting Facts about Kiccha Sudeep

• Before entering cinema, Sudeep seriously pursued cricket. He represented Karnataka at the Under-17 and Under-19 levels and even played matches for money during his struggling years.
• He has been a devoted admirer of Amitabh Bachchan since his youth.
• Sudeep prefers dubbing his own performances.
• In July 2023, he surprised a nine-year-old girl receiving cancer treatment in Bengaluru after learning that she wished to meet him.

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