Prakash Raj is an Indian film actor, director, producer, thespian, television presenter, activist and politician who is known for his works in the South Indian film industry and Hindi-language films. He acted in back to back stage shows for ₹300 a month in the initial stages of his career. He made his debut in Tamil cinema through Duet by K. Balachander and has since been a commercially successful film star in Tamil.
Prakash fluency in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi and English has placed him among the most sought after actors in Indian cinema. As a producer, he has won a National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada for Puttakkana Highway, directed by his long time theatre friend B. Suresh in 2011. Prakash was also the host of Neengalum Vellalam Oru Kodi during the show’s second season.
Birth Name
Prakash Rai
Nickname
Prakash
Profession
Actor, Producer, Director, Politician
Nationality
Indian
Personal Life
Birthday / Date of Birth
Prakash Raj was born on the 26th of March 1965, in Bangalore, Mysore State, India.
Age
He’s currently 55 years old.
Residence
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Sun Sign
Aries
Ethnicity
Asian (Indian)
Religion
Hinduism
Education
Prakash completed schooling at St. Joseph’s Indian High School, Bangalore and then completed his graduation from St. Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bangalore.
Family Details
- Father – Manjunath Rai
- Mother – Swarnalatha Rai
- Siblings – Prasad Raj (Brother) (Actor)
Marital Status
Married
Girlfriend / Spouse
Prakash Raj has dated –
- Lalitha Kumari (1994-2009) – Prakash married actress Lalitha Kumari in 1994. They had two daughters, Meghana and Pooja and a son, Sidhu. The couple divorced in 2009.
- Pony Verma (2010-Present) – Prakash married choreographer Pony Verma on 24 August 2010. They have a son, Vedhanth.
Physical Statistics
- In feet – 5 feet 9 inches
- In centimeters – 175 cm
- In meters – 1.75 m
Weight
- In Kilograms – 80 kg
- In Pounds – 177 lbs
Body Measurements
- Measurements – 40-14-32
- Chest – 40 in or 102 cm
- Arms / Biceps – 14 in or 35.5 cm
- Waist – 32 in or 81 cm
Body Build
Average
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Hair Color
Black
Shoe Size
His shoe size is 11 (US).
Sexuality
Straight
Professional Statistics
Famous For
Prakash is known for his works in the South Indian film industry and Hindi-language films. In 1998, Prakash acted in many Telugu films including Antahpuram which earned him a National Film Award – Special Jury Award / Special Mention.
Film Debut
In 1994, he made his debut in Tamil cinema through Duet by K. Balachander and has since been a commercially successful film star in Tamil.
Producer Debut
In 2002, Prakash became a producer beginning with the Tamil film Dhaya in which he starred with actress Meena. It earned him a Special Jury National Award for his performance.
Director Debut
In 2010, Prakash took on the mantle of director with Naanu Nanna Kanasu in Kannada for which he was the joint producer. The film completed 125 days successfully in the theatres across Karnataka becoming the biggest hit of the year. He was nominated for the Filmfare South Best Director category for his very first film.
Television Debut
In 1986, Prakash began his acting career with Doordarshan serials such as Bisilu Kudure (Kannada).
Brand Endorsements
Prakash has been a part of commercials like Junglee Rummy, Netmeds.com, Ford & KFJ.
Prakash Raj Favorites
- Favorite Actress – Trisha Krishnan
- Favorite Film – Aakasamantha
- Favorite Food – Biryani
Prakash Raj Net worth
Prakash Raj has an estimated net worth of $25 million dollars as of 2020.
Social Media Profiles
- Facebook – Prakash Raj
- Instagram – prakashraj
- Twitter – Prakash Raj
- YouTube Channel – Prakash Raj
Some Lesser Known Facts About Prakash Raj
- Prakash started acting when he was in the 7th standard.
- His son Sidhu was just 5 years old when he died after falling from a table while flying a kite.
- Prakash changed his name from Prakash Rai to Prakash Raj on the suggestion of director K. Balachander.
- Buddha has a big impact in his mind and lifestyle.
- Prakash has a production house named Duet Movies.
- In 1997, Prakash re-entered Kannada films through Nagamandala directed by T. S. Nagabharana which was selected for the Indian Panorama in the International Film Festival.
- Prakash adopted the villages of Kondareddypalle in Mahabubnagar District, Telangana state for its development.
- In 2011, he produced the Tamil version of the Tamil-Telugu bilingual Payanam starring Nagarjuna Akkineni and himself.
- In 2019, general elections Prakash contested as an individual contestant.
