Bengaluru: The humble act of putting stickers on auto rickshaws has taken on a whole new meaning in Bengaluru. It has evolved into a way of paying tribute to one of Karnataka’s biggest cultural icons, Shankar Nagarakatte, popularly known as Shankar Nag. For the past 24 years, Ramachandran R, affectionately known as ‘Sticker Ramu’, has lived his life as a fan of Shankar Nag through his craft, preserving the public memory of the legendary actor, director, producer, and screenwriter—one sticker at a time.
“Shankar Nag played an auto driver in that movie [Auto Raja, 1980]. Because of his character, auto drivers got a good name. It’s the reason auto drivers still admire and respect him,” Ramachandran says about his hero.
The collection, carefully stored in trays, is neatly stacked on a tall shelf at his shop in Bilekahalli, Bengaluru. The stickers are organised according to different actors. Not surprisingly, the cult action hero’s stickers—from sketches to photographs to hand-painted pictures in varying sizes—fill up two trays.
Ramachandran’s journey as a sticker maker began in 1999 when he decided to cement Nag’s image on the city’s ubiquitous auto rickshaws. The idea germinated in his mind after reading a magazine article where the late actor’s wife, Arundhati Nag, remarked that Shankar lived on in every auto.
At that point, a passionate 21-year-old fan took it upon himself to ensure that every single auto bore the likeness of Shankar Nag, whose portrayal of an auto rickshaw driver in the 1980 film Auto Raja elevated the profession.
Ramachandran’s love for the actor hasn’t waned over the years. He continues to live the hybrid life of a fan, indulging in his passion to popularise his favourite start while managing to earn his livelihood through it.
“Shankar Nag is an inspiration to youth. He used to work continuously; he was a creator. In one of his movies, there were underwater scenes. He got waterproof cameras to shoot them,” Ramachandran says. “The serial Malgudi Days was so popular on TV…he was able to do that at a time when shows like Ramayana and Mahabharata were widely popular,” he boasts about his inspiration.
A sticker-making crusade
Today, almost every auto driver in Bengaluru, across all ages, knows about ‘Sticker Ramu’. They queue outside his shop, sometimes for hours, to get their vehicles adorned with different stickers.
Raju, an auto driver, revered Shankar Nag as the “icon” of the drivers’ community. Despite being born after the actor’s death, he considers Nag to be his favourite actor. “His films, the way he came up in life and made a mark—all of these have touched me. That is why I have his photo on my auto,” said the 25-year-old.
Shankar Nag was known as ‘Karate King’, despite having no martial arts training. He made his entry into the Kannada film industry with a Girish Kanad-directed film, Ondanondu Kaladalli, in 1978. He is still remembered for his action roles. His commercial success included films like Nyaya Ellide, S. P. Sangliyana Part 2, and C.B. Shankar. He is also an award-winning director, remembered for films like Minchina Ota and Accident.
His 12-year-long career ended with his death in a road accident in 1990. Nag was 35. But his legacy is far from fading away.
‘Sticker Ramu’ single-handedly manages his tiny store, which overflows with stickers, featuring not only Shankar Nag but also numerous South Indian actors. He operates a computer with calm precision, directing an adjacent machine to print stickers on large vinyl paper. He then meticulously peels each sticker, ready to adorn an auto. The entire process of decorating an auto typically ranges from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the number of stickers a driver wants. He sells at least 20 Shankar Nag stickers a day and 50 including others.
When Ramachandran embarked on his mission to ensure Nag’s image remained a familiar sight on Bengaluru streets, he began by collecting old photographs of the actor from a still photographer who had worked with Nag. These photographs were then processed into stickers.
Over the years, word of his services spread beyond Bengaluru and he started supplying stickers in places such as Mandya, Missouri, Hubli, and Yadgiri.
Protector of legacy
Sticker Ramu was 10 years old when he first fell in love with Shankar Nag, while watching the actor’s movies on a small portable black and white TV. When Nag died, Ramachandran says he couldn’t eat for days, nor watch his movies for a year without shedding tears.
He had first seen Nag in his debut film Ondanondu Kaladalli, the period action drama that was also Girish Karnad’s first directorial venture, and was immediately impressed by his acting. Nag made the character of a kind-hearted but highly skilled mercenary who eschewed conventional brute force entirely his own, played with a quiet humour that was unique to him.
Ondanondu Kaladalli remains Ramachandran’s favourite movie to date, and despite the heartache, his love for Shankar Nag endures. He still watches Nag’s movies, checks his clips on YouTube, and even creates Instagram reels to honour his memories.
And then there’s the impressive collection of 300 unique Shankar Nag stickers, the result of his dedicated efforts spanning over two decades. These stickers ensure that Shankar Nag’s image continues to adorn vehicles throughout the region.
Ramachandran’s stickers come in various sizes, with prices ranging from Rs 30 to Rs 200 – a slight increase from the initial price of Rs 20 when he first started out.
“Every auto driver in Bengaluru knows who Shankar Nag is and understands his enduring legacy,” Ramachandran proudly asserts.
Beyond the stickers, Ramachandran also crafts personalised stickers featuring the image of gods and the names of auto drivers’ parents, siblings, and children.
“It’s all about sentiments,” he explains, emphasising the auto drivers’ desire to give their vehicles a distinct look.
But Ramachandran’s dedication goes beyond catering to his client’s demand of sticking stickers; he actively ensures that Shankar Nag’s popularity doesn’t diminish. “I am committed to preserving Shankar Nag’s legacy,” he confidently states.
In 2013, he initiated the tradition of celebrating Nag’s birthday as Autorickshaw Day. Every year on 9 November, Ramachandran distributes free Shankar Nag stickers to the auto drivers who visit his shop — it doesn’t matter if there are two or 200. “They all get Shankar Nag stickers for free,” he says with a smile.
Like a devoted fan, he has done everything within his means to honour his favourite star. In 2014, he organised a photo exhibition to commemorate Nag’s birthday, an event attended by Arundhati Nag, who shared this poignant advice: “Do whatever you want, but don’t tarnish Shankar Nag’s name.”
Making stickers affordable
Among his vast collection of stickers, Ramachandran’s favourite is a personal photograph of Shankar Nag, priced at Rs 80. He attributes its popularity to Nag’s captivating smile. Ramachandran also preserves stickers processed from old painted images of the actor from his debut film, Ondanondu Kaladalli.
Ramachandran says the key reason behind the stickers’ popularity is their affordability. His vinyl stickers for auto drivers have replaced expensive painted stickers that cost Rs 3,000 and laminated paper stickers that lacked durability. He bought the first vinyl sticker-making machine from Gujarat in the 2000s, a move he claims revolutionised the tradition of auto drivers embracing sticker culture.
“Stickers express sentiments of people,” Ramachandran reflects, highlighting the emotional connection that auto drivers share with these simple yet meaningful tokens of nostalgia.
Ramachandran’s unwavering dedication and substantial contributions have earned recognition from the state government, which has honoured him with an award.
His life as a devoted fan has also spurred him to diversify beyond his modest sticker business.
“I’m an assistant director. I’ve worked in both Tamil and Kannada movies. I have acted in a movie and directed another called Mortuary Mahadev, for which I got the Best Villain award at the ISTV Short Film Festival in 2018,” he says.
He credits his creative aspirations to Shankar Nag, Rajinikanth, Tamil director Shankar, and several Kannada directors, all of whom have played a pivotal role in shaping his journey in acting and directing.
Passing the torch
Looking ahead, Ramachandran’s ambitions go beyond sticker making and pursuing a career in movies. Much like his muse, Shankar Nag, who transcended the confines of cinema to champion various social causes, Ramachandran aspires to pass on his skills to the younger generation.
‘Sticker Ramu’ wants to help those who have strayed in their life’s path.
“Now, I want to pass on my skills to others. I’m looking to help youth who are lodged in jails for petty crimes and teach them what I know so that they can transform into good individuals,” he says.
The sticker maker plans to approach the government with a course proposal, aimed at teaching the youth the art of designing and crafting stickers, offering a path to employment and personal growth.
In Ramachandran’s eyes, preserving Shankar Nag’s legacy is not just about the present but ensuring that future generations remember it too.
“I don’t want my work to be limited to the present. I document and upload it on YouTube so that people can know about it even 100 years from now. It has to be transferred to posterity,” he said.
(Edited by Prashant)