Nagesh was born as Gundu Rao to Krishna Rao and Rukmaniamma on 27 September 1933. His parents belonged to the Erode district, now changed to new small pox which slightly disfigured him.

He left Dharapuram at an early age and moved to Madras city in search of a career. At Madras, he shared a one-bedroom room with two others. His room mates, writer Vaali and director Sridhar, later became established themselves as prominent personalities in the Tamil cine field. He found employment as a Indian Railways and was thus able to pay his rent and cope up with expenses.

 Early career

Early in his life, he saw a Tamil play MGR, then chief guest, seeing this play, in his speech praised Nagesh for his performance. From then onwards, Nagesh played small roles in various drama troupes.

In 1958, producer Balaji spotted Nagesh and gave him his first break in a film called Manamulla Marudhaaram. The film did not do well at the box office. Moreover, Nagesh had only a small role to play in the movie. In 1960, Nagesh made his debut in Kannada with Makkala Rajya.

Nagesh won critical acclaim for his performance in the 1961 movie Thayilla Pillai. But it was his 1962 hit Nenjil Oru Aalayam which launched his career in the Tamil film industry. Nagesh was seen playing the lead role in K. R. Vijaya), the daughter of the owner of the hotel in which he is working. The film is about how with the aid of his rich friend Raghavan (Kadhalikka Neramillai, Shanthi Nilayam, Vietnam Veedu. He played the role of Mohan in Sundararajan, the nickname "Major" Sundararajan. His portrayal of the detestable pimp Vaidhy in Manorama. In 1967, Nagesh acted in his first Hindi movie Ethir Neechal. His sensitive and sympathetic portrayal of Maadhu evoked comparisons with top character actors of the day. Jayakanthan chose Nagesh to play the lead in the 1966 film Yaarukkaha Azhudhan overlooking

Nagesh's career witnessed a decline from the mid-1970s onwards. He was plagued by personal problems. His marriage to a Christian woman named Regina had fractured his relationship with his mother and other relatives. From the relationship, he had two sons, Ramesh Babu and Kamal Hassan-starrer Thillu Mullu, the Tamil remake of Golmaal.

 Resurgence

Nagesh's career enjoyed a partial resurgence from the 1980s onwards when he acted in a number of movies, mostly in elderly roles, some of them as the villain. His most remembered role as a villain was in the 1989-hit Athisaya Piravi and Mounam Sammadham. His negative roles included sadistic schemers then muscular giants.

In the comedy flick, Avvai Shanmugi in which he featured alongside another veteran Arjun's father in Madhavan's grandfather Subbuni in Minnale, Poovellam Un Vasam, Father Rozario in Kamal Hassan's father in Kamal Hassan, with whom he had co-starred in a variety of movies from the 1970s to the 2000s. Kamal Hassan cast Nagesh in most of his self-productions.

Later years

Nagesh acted in Tamil films till a few months before his death in 2009. Notable among some of his later movies were Panchathanthiram, Imsai Arasan 23m Pulikesi, and his last appearance, Dasavathaaram.

Death

Nagesh was a J. Jayalalitha, actor Manorama, Venkataramani, V. S. Raghavan and Server Sundaram

Sundaram

Navarathri

Enga Veettu Pillai

Thiruvilayadal

Dharumi

1965

Motor Sundaram Pillai

Saambu

Saraswati Sabatham

Athey Kangal

Farz

Hindi film

Iru Malargal

Ethir Neechal

Maadhu

Thamarai Nenjam

Shanti Nilayam

Vietnam Veedu

1970

Papam Pasivadu

Pilot

Apoorva Ragangal

1975

Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal

R. K. Viswanatha Sarma

1975

Thillu Mullu

As himself

Cameo appearance

Gadasari Attaha Sosagara Kodalu

Devudu Mamayya

Apoorva Sagodharargal

Athisaya Piravi

1991

Magalir Mattum

A dead body

Gandeevam

Brahmachari Mogudu

Nammavar

1996

Kaadhala Kaadhala

chokkalingam

2000

Poovellam Un Vasam

2002

Panchathanthiram

2003

Vasool Raja MBBS

2006

Saravana

<a href="%5C%22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imsai_Arasan_23am_Pulikesi%5C%22" _cke_saved_href="%5C%22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imsai_Arasan_23am_Pulikesi%5C%22" title="" imsai"="" arasan="" 23am="" pulikesi="" class="" mw-redirect""="">Imsai Arasan 23am Pulikesi</a></i> Mokkayappar <br> 2008 <i><a href="%5C%22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasavathaaram%5C%22" _cke_saved_href="%5C%22http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasavathaaram%5C%22" title="" dasavathaaram""="">Dasavathaaram</a></i> Sheikh <br></i></i></i></p>