Tiptur Ramaraju Narasimharaju (Kannada: ನರಸಿಂಹರಾಜು) (24 July 1923 – 11 July 1979) was a very popular Kannada actor specialised in roles that required ample comic timing. He was the comedy stalwart of the Kannada film industry. He acted in more than 250 Kannada films between 1954 and 1979. He was also referred to as Hasya Chakravarti.
Narasimharaju's stage debut happened when he was 4 years old. The poverty prevailing in the house made his uncle Lakshmipathiraju take the young lad to the 'Chandra-moul-eshwara drama company' run by C. B. Mallappa who happened to be touring Tiptur during that period. He played the roles of Prahlada, Lohithaswa, Krishna, Markanda among others. After some time, Narasimharaju left that company and formed his own troupe and enacted his roles from his now previous performances – Gora-Kumbara, and Harischandra. He soon joined "Edathorey Drama Company" after his troupe sustained losses. He took on the garb of a lady in the mythological Vishvamitra, Rama, Ravana, and Bharata among others. He spent the first 27 years of his acting career in professional drama companies. He donned different roles in the plays of different companies like "Shri Chandramauleshwara Nataka Sabha", "Hirannaiah Mitra Mandali", "Bharatha Lalitha Kala Sangha", "Gunda Joisara Company" of Belur, and Gubbi "Channabasaveshwara Nataka Company". He did not neglect these drama companies even after becoming hugely popular as a film actor.
