Tuesday, 20 October 2026

Prakash Raj

Actor • Director • Producer

Prakash Raj is an Indian actor, director and producer who works mainly in South Indian cinema, with films in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam, as well as Hindi. He began in Kannada films, and his breakthrough role came in Harakeya Kuri (1992).

He won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for Iruvar (1997) and the National Film Award for Best Actor for Kanchivaram (2007). He is known for playing villains and character roles in films such as Ghilli and Singam, and for his work as a director.

Profession
Actor, Director and Producer
Known for
Iruvar, Kanchivaram, Ghilli, Singam, Dabangg 2, Harakeya Kuri
Date of birth
1965-03-26
Birthplace
Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Nationality
Indian

Prakash Raj Quick Facts

Full NamePrakash Raj
ProfessionActor, director and producer
Date of Birth26 March 1965
Age (as of 2026)61
BirthplaceBangalore, Karnataka, India
NationalityIndian
EducationSt. Joseph’s Indian High School, Bangalore
Years Active1989 to present
BreakthroughHarakeya Kuri (1992), Kannada
Tamil DebutDuet (1994)
SpousePony Verma (married 2010)
Known ForIruvar, Kanchivaram, Ghilli, Singam, Dabangg 2

Prakash Raj Career in Numbers

MilestoneDetails
National Film Award, Best Supporting ActorIruvar (1997)
National Film Award, Best ActorKanchivaram (2007)
National Film Award, Special MentionAntahpuram (1998)
Nandi AwardsMultiple, including Khadgam (2002) and Bommarillu (2006)

Early Life and Family

Prakash Raj was born on 26 March 1965 in Bangalore. He attended St. Joseph’s Indian High School in Bangalore and started his acting career in Kannada films and television. He is married to Pony Verma, a choreographer, whom he married in August 2010.

Breakthrough

Harakeya Kuri (1992), a Kannada film directed by K. S. L. Swamy, was his breakthrough role. His Tamil debut came with Duet (1994), directed by K. Balachander.

Prakash Raj Career Journey

Early Films (1992 to 2004)

He moved from Kannada to Tamil and Telugu films, and won acclaim for Iruvar (1997), Antahpuram (1998) and Khadgam (2002). He also played the antagonist in Ghilli (2004) and worked with Kamal Haasan in Vasool Raja MBBS.

Hindi Films and Direction (2009 to 2014)

He appeared in Wanted (2009) and Dabangg 2 (2012) in Hindi cinema, and made his directorial debut with Naanu Nanna Kanasu (2010). He directed multilingual projects including Oggarane, Ulavacharu Biryani and Un Samayal Arayil in 2014.

Recent Work (2015 to 2024)

He won multiple SIIMA awards for supporting roles and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor (Telugu) for Ranga Maarthaanda, a 2023 film presented at the 2024 ceremony.

Prakash Raj Movies: Selected Filmography

The table below lists the films named in the source reviewed. It is a selected list, not a full record of his career.

YearFilmRole
1992Harakeya Kuri (Kannada)Breakthrough role
1994Duet (Tamil, Tamil debut)Not stated
1996Kalki (Tamil)Not stated
1997Iruvar (Tamil)Tamilselvan
1998Antahpuram (Telugu)Not stated
2002Khadgam (Telugu)Not stated
2004Ghilli (Tamil)Muthu Pandi
2004Vasool Raja MBBS (Tamil)Hospital dean
2007Kanchivaram (Tamil)Lead role
2008Santosh Subramaniam (Tamil)Father
2009Wanted (Hindi)Not stated
2010Singam (Tamil)Corrupt politician
2010Naanu Nanna Kanasu (Kannada)Director
2011Puttakkana Highway (Kannada)Actor and producer
2012Dabangg 2 (Hindi)Not stated
2014Oggarane (Kannada)Director
2014Ulavacharu Biryani (Telugu)Director
2014Un Samayal Arayil (Tamil)Director
2023Ranga Maarthaanda (Telugu)Not stated

Prakash Raj Awards and Honours

YearAward
1996Tamil Nadu State Film Award, Best Villain, Kalki
1997National Film Award, Best Supporting Actor, Iruvar
1998National Film Award, Special Mention, Antahpuram
2002Nandi Award, Best Supporting Actor, Khadgam
2007National Film Award, Best Actor, Kanchivaram
2011National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada, Puttakkana Highway (as producer)

Prakash Raj Net Worth and Brand Value

The figures below are not official. No net worth figure was found in a reliable source.

Estimated Net WorthNot publicly estimated
Brand ValueNot publicly estimated
Key Brand EndorsementsNot verified for this profile
Main Income SourcesFilm fees, production and direction work

Frequently Asked Questions About Prakash Raj

How old is Prakash Raj?

Prakash Raj was born on 26 March 1965, so he is 61 as of October 2026.

What was Prakash Raj’s breakthrough film?

His breakthrough was the Kannada film Harakeya Kuri (1992).

What is Prakash Raj’s net worth?

No reliable published estimate was found, so no figure is given here.

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