Shiva Rajkumar is the eldest son of matinee idol Dr. Rajkumar. He is also fondly known as Shivanna by his fans.^[5][6] He made his onscreen debut with Sri Srinivasa Kalyana (1974) as a child artiste. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Shiva Rajkumar began his film career at the age of 24 by starring in the leading role in his mother‘s production Anand (1986), which was a critical and commercial success. His performance in Anand which fetched him the Cinema Express Award for Best Actor. He then followed it up with Ratha Sapthami (1986) and Manamecchida Hudugi (1987), both of which were commercially successful, earning him the nickname of Hat-trick Hero, coined by the media and his fans.^[7] He then appeared in several successful films in the late 1980s with the romantic-thriller film Samyuktha (1988), the comedy-thriller Inspector Vikram (1988), the action-drama film Ranaranga (1988) and the comedy Aasegobba Meesegobba (1988).^[8]

Gangubai Hangal was born in Dharwad to Chikkurao Nadiger, an agriculturist^[1] and Ambabai, a vocalist of Carnatic music.^[8] Hangal received only elementary education^[5] and her family shifted to Hubli in 1928 so that Gangubai could study Hindustani music.^[1][9][10] She began to train formally aged 13 with Krishnacharya Hulgur, a kinnari (stringed instrument like a veena)player, studying Hindustani classical music.^[11] From Hulgur, Gangubai learned sixty compositions in one year before he stopped teaching her after an argument about his fees. She also learned from Dattopant Desai before studying under Sawai Gandharva, a respected guru.^[12][13] Hangal could only study sporadically under Gandharva when he returned to his home, but she received an intensive training of three years after he relocated permanently to Hubli.^[11]

Nag received the inaugural IFFI Best Actor Award (Male): Silver Peacock Award” at the 7th International Film Festival of India for his work in the film Ondanondu Kaladalli.^[3] He co-wrote 22 June 1897, a National award-winning Marathi film. He is the younger brother of actor Anant Nag.^[4][5] Vincent Canby, the chief film critic of The New York Times had opined that Shankar’s performance in Ondanondu Kaladalli had the force and humor of the younger Toshiro Mifune.^[6]

With his debut in Puttanna Kanagal‘s Naagarahaavu (1972), Ambareesh’s acting career commenced with a brief phase of portraying antagonistic and supporting characters. After establishing himself as a lead actor portraying rebellious characters on screen in several commercially successful films, he earned the moniker Rebel Star, similar to Krishnam Raju in Telugu cinema.^[4] He also earned the nickname Mandyada Gandu (transl. Man of Mandya)^[5] and continues to hold a matinee idol status in the popular culture of Karnataka.

Puttanna Kanagal was born to Ramaswamaiah and Subbamma in Kanagal, a village in the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore into a poor family.^[4] As he hailed from a poor brahmin family,^[5] he had to endure hardships and struggled to get a decent job. He worked as a teacher, salesman and even as a cleaner. His job as a publicity boy brought him closer to theatre and subsequently to cinema.^[1] His association with films began when he started working for B. R. Panthulu as an assistant director and also as his driver.^[1] His first film as an assistant director was Rathnagiri Rahasya (1957).

Puttanna married Nagalakshmi at very young age and they had 5 children. However he fell in love with his protege and leading actress in 1970s Aarathi and they got married during 1976–77. They had a daughter Yashaswini, who was born in 1978. However, due to creative differences Puttanna and Aarathi separated in 1981.^[6]