Vinay Rajkumar

Vinay Rajkumar was born to actor and film producer Raghavendra Rajkumar and Mangala. He is the grandson of actor Rajkumar. He has a younger brother, Yuva Rajkumar. The actors Shiva Rajkumar and Puneeth Rajkumar are his paternal uncles. Vinay earned a bachelor's degree in commerce from St. Joseph's College of Commerce, Bangalore.

Vinay's grandfather, Rajkumar, brought him on-screen at the age of four in the film Aakasmika (1993).^[3] Vinay followed this with appearances in Odahuttidavaru (1994), his father's film's Anuragada Alegalu (1993) and Navibbaru Namagibbaru (1993), and uncle Shiva's Om (1995) and Hrudaya Hrudaya (1999).^[4][5]

Vinay studied and trained as an actor in "acting workshops with a couple of people" before "training... in theatre". He subsequently trained in dance and martial arts from trainers of his uncles' films.^[6] In an interview with The Times of India in 2012, he said he was "involved with the filming of [uncle Puneeth's film] Yaare Koogadali", having already worked in the filming of the latter's previous film Anna Bond (2012).^[6][7]

Vinay began his acting journey as a child artist in Kannada cinema, appearing in family productions featuring his father and uncles. His first on-screen appearance was in Aakasmika (1993), followed by roles in Anuragada Alegalu (1993), Navibbaru Namagibbaru (1993), and Odahuttidavaru (1994). He also featured in his uncle Shiva Rajkumar’s films Om (1995) and Hrudaya Hrudaya (1999), credited as Master Vinay Raghavendra.

After completing his education and training in acting, dance, and martial arts, Vinay made his debut as a lead actor in 2015 with Siddhartha, directed by Prakash. The romantic drama earned him the SIIMA Award for Best Debut Actor (Male), marking a promising start to his career.

In 2016, Vinay starred in Run Anthony, an action thriller directed by Raghu Shastry. The film showcased him in a high-energy role as Antony, blending suspense and romance. Though the movie received mixed reviews, Vinay’s performance was praised for its intensity and screen presence, cementing his image as a versatile actor.

Vinay expanded his repertoire with Ananthu Vs Nusrath (2018), a romantic drama where he played an advocate entangled in a cross-cultural love story. The film was critically acclaimed and highlighted Vinay’s ability to handle nuanced roles. He continued experimenting with genres, appearing in projects like Totapuri and short films such as Daya, which earned him recognition at the Bangalore Short Film Festival.

Vinay returned to the big screen with 10 (2022), a sports drama, and followed it up with romantic entertainer Ondu Sarala Prema Kathe (2024) and the action-packed Pepe (2024). His upcoming films include Andondittu Kaala (2025) and Graamayana (2025), signaling a strong comeback phase with diverse roles

• Note: He was credited as Master Vinay Raghavendra from 1993 to 1999.