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””’Auto Shankar””’ is a 2005 Indian [[Kannada]]-language [[masala film]] starring [[Upendra (actor)|Upendra]], [[Shilpa Shetty]], and [[Radhika Kumaraswamy|Radhika]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/telugu-cinema/happy-birthday-shilpa-shetty-azad-to-auto-shankar-her-8-best-south-indian-films-you-should-watch-101623167025881.html|title=Happy birthday Shilpa Shetty: Azad to Auto Shankar, her 8 best South Indian films you should watch|date=8 June 2021|work=[[Hindustan Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/jul/11slide4.htm|title=Raadhika: Glam doll or performer?|date=11 July 2006|work=[[Rediff.com]]|author=R. G. Vijayasarathy}}</ref> The film was directed by [[D. Rajendra Babu]] and produced by [[Ramu (Film Producer)|Ramu]], of Ramu Enterprises. The films tells about Shankar an autorickshaw driver belonging to a middle-class family who gets into a conflict with Maya, a money-lender. However, tables turn when she loses her property and they fall in love.
””’Auto Shankar””’ is a 2005 Indian [[Kannada]]-language [[masala film]] starring [[Upendra (actor)|Upendra]], [[Shilpa Shetty]], and [[Radhika Kumaraswamy|Radhika]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/telugu-cinema/happy-birthday-shilpa-shetty-azad-to-auto-shankar-her-8-best-south-indian-films-you-should-watch-101623167025881.html|title=Happy birthday Shilpa Shetty: Azad to Auto Shankar, her 8 best South Indian films you should watch|date=8 June 2021|work=[[Hindustan Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/jul/11slide4.htm|title=Raadhika: Glam doll or performer?|date=11 July 2006|work=[[Rediff.com]]|author=R. G. Vijayasarathy}}</ref> The film was directed by [[D. Rajendra Babu]] and produced by [[Ramu (Film Producer)|Ramu]], of Ramu Enterprises. tells Shankar an autorickshaw driver belonging to a middle-class family who gets into a conflict with Maya, a . However, tables turn when she loses her property and they fall in love.
The film was dubbed in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] as ”Aanavakari”, in [[Hindi]] as ”Shilpa – The Big Don” in 2007 and in [[Malayalam]] as ”Sarappa Sundari”.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Make way for Shilpa, The Big Don |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/sep/10shilpa.htm |access-date=2024-12-17 |website=www.rediff.com}}</ref> The film was remade in Bangladesh in 2017 as ”[[Ohongkar]]”.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/from-anuraga-aralithu-to-u-turn-kannada-movies-that-were-remade-in-foreign-languages/etphotostory/76302041.cms|title = From ‘Anuraga Aralithu’ to ‘U Turn’: Kannada movies that were remade in foreign languages| work=The Times of India |date = 10 June 2020}}</ref>
The film was dubbed in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] as ”Aanavakari”, in [[Hindi]] as ”Shilpa – The Big Don” in 2007 and in [[Malayalam]] as ”Sarappa Sundari”.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Make way for Shilpa, The Big Don |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/sep/10shilpa.htm |access-date=2024-12-17 |website=www.rediff.com}}</ref> The film was remade in Bangladesh in 2017 as ”[[Ohongkar]]”.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/from-anuraga-aralithu-to-u-turn-kannada-movies-that-were-remade-in-foreign-languages/etphotostory/76302041.cms|title = From ‘Anuraga Aralithu’ to ‘U Turn’: Kannada movies that were remade in foreign languages| work=The Times of India |date = 10 June 2020}}</ref>
== Synopsis ==
== Synopsis ==
Shankar is a middle class autorickshaw driver. He is friendly and jovial. Maya, a money-lender, is brought up in a rich family and is portrayed as a boorish character. She is unscrupulous in recovering loans given to the poor and has designed crude methods to recover the money. She is also the daughter of a lady [[don (honorific)|don]].
Shankar is a middleclass autorickshaw driver. He is friendly and jovial. Maya, a , is brought up in a rich family and is portrayed as a boorish character. She is unscrupulous in recovering loans given to the poor and has designed crude methods to recover the money. She is also the daughter of a lady [[don (honorific)|don]].
Shankar defends the poor and fights the moneylenders. Several interesting battles follow, after which the Maya loses all her property and prestige. It is also revealed that she is not really the daughter of the lady don. She then learns a lesson that reforms her attitude. She makes amends and Shankar embraces her as the two fall in love. The rest forms the plot of the story.
Shankar defends the poor and fights the moneylenders. Several interesting battles follow, after which the Maya loses all her property and prestige. It is also revealed that she is not really the daughter of the lady don. She then learns a lesson that reforms her attitude. She makes amends and Shankar embraces her as the two fall in love. The rest forms the plot of the story.
==Cast==
==Cast==
* [[Upendra (actor)|Upendra]] as Auto Shankar
* [[Upendra (actor)|Upendra]] as Auto Shankar
* [[Radhika Kumaraswamy]] as Gowri
* [[Radhika Kumaraswamy]] as Gowri
* [[Shilpa Shetty]] as Maya, an arrogant money lender
* [[Shilpa Shetty]] as Maya, an arrogant
* [[Sudharani]] as Geeta, Shankar’s sister
* [[Sudharani]] as Geeta, Shankar’s sister
* [[Bhavya]] as an Auto driver’s wife
* [[Bhavya]] as an Auto driver’s wife
* [[Mohan Raj]] as Peddodu, Kalamma’s brother
* [[Mohan Raj]] as Peddodu, Kalamma’s brother
* Rajashekhar Kotian as Chinnodu, Kalamma’s brother
* Rajashekhar Kotian as Chinnodu, Kalamma’s brother
* Mohan Juneja as a man who came to see Geeta for marriage proposal
* Mohan Juneja as a man who came to see Geeta for marriage proposal
* Maarimutthu Sarojamma
* Maarimutthu Sarojamma
* Shanthamma
* Shanthamma
2005 film by D. Rajendra Babu
Auto Shankar is a 2005 Indian Kannada-language masala film starring Upendra, Shilpa Shetty, and Radhika.[1][2] The film was directed by D. Rajendra Babu and produced by Ramu, of Ramu Enterprises. It tells the story of Shankar, an autorickshaw driver belonging to a middle-class family, who gets into a conflict with Maya, a moneylender. However, the tables turn when she loses her property and they fall in love.
The film was dubbed in Tamil as Aanavakari, in Hindi as Shilpa – The Big Don in 2007 and in Malayalam as Sarappa Sundari.[3] The film was remade in Bangladesh in 2017 as Ohongkar.[4]
Shankar is a middle-class autorickshaw driver. He is friendly and jovial. Maya, a moneylender, is brought up in a rich family and is portrayed as a boorish character. She is unscrupulous in recovering loans given to the poor and has designed crude methods to recover the money. She is also the daughter of a lady don.
Shankar defends the poor and fights the moneylenders. Several interesting battles follow, after which the Maya loses all her property and prestige. It is also revealed that she is not really the daughter of the lady don. She then learns a lesson that reforms her attitude. She makes amends, and Shankar embraces her as the two fall in love. The rest forms the plot of the story.
The film was launched at Gavi Gangadeshwara Temple in Basavanagudi in Bangalore.[5] As the director was ill during the majority of the shoot, Telugu cinema‘s renowned associate director Shiva Ramakrishna, an associate of Puri Jagannadh, directed the songs, fight sequences and a major portion of Shilpa Shetty’s scenes. The movie was filmed in different locations including Austria, Finland, the Bangalore Palace, and the Mysore Lamps Factory, Mysore.
The film sparked off a controversy with regard to a movie poster depicted a glamour still of Shilpa Shetty from the film. A Madurai based lawyer filed an obscenity case against Shetty. Shetty however, protested by saying that “It (the photo) is not vulgar. I am an actor and an entertainer and I won’t endorse vulgarity“.[6]
The music is composed by Gurukiran.
The music of the song “Ready Ready” was used in the Telugu film Nagavalli and the music was given by Guru Kiran.
Film critic R. G. Vijayasarathy of IANS wrote that “Auto Shankar is one of those typical mass (or it masala) films which are made in style but lack substance”.[7] B. S. Srivani of Deccan Herald wrote “Ajaykumar has written an ‘original’ screenplay which is heavily influenced by Telugu movies -even the scenes reek of Telugu overtones. It is sad to see a director of Rajndra Babu’s calibre picturising ‘reality’ in such a crude manner”.[8]
Auto Shankar successfully ran for 100 days. The film was released at the same time as the Puneeth Rajkumar starrer Namma Basava and there was a fierce competition between the two films. Both the films were successful at the box office,[9][10] but Auto Shankar turned out to be more successful than Namma Basava.
- ^ “Happy birthday Shilpa Shetty: Azad to Auto Shankar, her 8 best South Indian films you should watch”. Hindustan Times. 8 June 2021.
- ^ R. G. Vijayasarathy (11 July 2006). “Raadhika: Glam doll or performer?”. Rediff.com.
- ^ “Make way for Shilpa, The Big Don”. www.rediff.com. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
- ^ “From ‘Anuraga Aralithu’ to ‘U Turn’: Kannada movies that were remade in foreign languages”. The Times of India. 10 June 2020.
- ^ “Upendra is riding a wave!”. Sify. 11 December 2004. Archived from the original on 3 January 2005. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
- ^ “I won’t endorse vulgarity: Shilpa”. Hindustan Times. 8 August 2006. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ “Auto Shankar Movie Review”. IANS. 9 September 2005 – via Nowrunning.
- ^ Srivani, B. S. (11 September 2005). “Auto Shankar”. Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 7 December 2006. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
- ^ “Namma Basava and Auto Shankar hit the 100days mark”. Viggy.com. 13 March 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
- ^ “Kannada audio race : Jogi, Amrithdhare, Vishnu Sena, Anna Thangi, Uppi Dada MBBS, top five films : Jogi, Amrithdhare, Auto Shankar, Namma Basava, Swamy, Guru Kiran has now become the toast of Kannada film music fans”. IANS. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2012 – via Latestcinema.com.
