Acting

Mimicry Dayanad

Mysore, Karnataka, India

**Mimicry Dayanand** (born Dayanand Raman) is an Indian impressionist, stand-up comedian, television presenter, and actor prominent in Kannada entertainment. Widely celebrated for his uncanny voice impressions of political figures and film stalwarts, particularly Dr. Rajkumar, he established himself as a pioneering mimicry artist and comedic performer across Karnataka. Born in Mysuru, Karnataka, Dayanand developed an early passion for vocal impressions and mimicry. He began his career performing in live orchestra troupes, eventually doing hundreds of stage shows and releasing popular comedy audio cassettes, including well-received political satires and comedic sketches. He transitioned to feature films in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with his breakthrough role arriving in Upendra's psychological mystery thriller *Shhh!* (1993), where his performance as Dayananda Theertha Swamiji became widely recognized. He followed this with a memorable turn as K. D. S. Naidu in the political drama *Operation Antha* (1995). Over the decades, he has contributed comedic and character roles to dozens of films, including *Amrutha Varshini* (1997), *Vishwa* (1999), *Ekadantha* (2007), *Lifeu Ishtene* (2011), *Victory* (2013), and Upendra's *Uppi 2* (2015). Alongside his film credits, Dayanand became a ubiquitous household face on Kannada television. He hosted shows such as *Kachaguli*, served as a judge for talent reality programs like *Haasyada Arasa*, and delighted audiences on comedy talk shows including *Maja Talkies* and *Maja With Sruja*. With his sharp observational humor and mastery of vocal parody, he remains an influential pioneer in modern Kannada comedy.