Prakash Jha

Director, Producer, Actor, Screenwriter, Politician

Indian West Champaran, Bihar, India

Quick Info

ProfessionDirector, Producer, Actor, Screenwriter, Politician
NationalityIndian
Date of Birth27/02/1952
Age74 years
BirthplaceWest Champaran, Bihar, India

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Bio/Wiki

Prakash Jha is an Indian filmmaker widely known for his hard-hitting social and political commentary through film. His work transcends genres from documentary film to artistic commercial cinema to television series and encompasses screenplay writing, direction, production, and acting. His films challenge society to confront issues of bonded labor, caste, class, power, politics, corruption, patriarchy, and resistance.

Physical Stats & More

Height178 cm (5' 10")
Weight70 kg (154 lbs)
Eye ColorDark Brown
Hair ColorBlack

Educational Qualification(s)

School
  • Sainik School Tilaya, Koderma district
  • Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 1, Bokaro Steel City, Jharkhand
CollegeRamjas College, Delhi University, New Delhi
EducationB.Sc (Hons) in Physics (Dropout)

Personal Life

He grew up on his family's farm in West Champaran, Bihar.
He moved to Mumbai in 1972 to study at the Film and Television Institute of India.
He began making films independently in 1974.
His hobbies include painting, cooking, playing piano, and singing.

Relationships & More

Marital StatusDivorcé
Affairs/GirlfriendsDeepti Naval (Actress)
Wife/SpouseDeepti Naval (Actress - m.1985–div.2002)
ChildrenDisha Jha (Adopted - Producer, Assistant director)

Family

FatherTejnath Jha
Siblings
SpouseDeepti Naval
ChildrenDisha Jha (Adopted - Producer, Assistant director)
Address
  • A 4-BHK flat on the 29th floor, Mumbai
  • A house in village Barharwa, Post Office Turahapalti, Police Station: Sirisio, Anchal Chmopatia, Dist. West Champaran

Career

Debut
DocumentaryShree Vats (1982)
Film DirectorialHip Hip Hurray (1984)
TV DirectorialMungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne (1989)
ActingJai Gangaajal (2016)
Notable Works
  • Damul (1984)
  • Mrityudand (1997)
  • Gangaajal (2003)
  • Apaharan (2005)
  • Raajneeti (2010)
  • Aarakshan (2011)
  • Chakravyuh (2012)
  • Satyagraha (2013)
Production CompanyPrakash Jha Productions
Filmography SummarySince 1983, has produced and directed 14 feature films, more than 25 documentaries, two featurettes, and three web series for television.

Favourites

FoodChicken curry
Actors
ActressPriyanka Chopra
Films
Bollywood
  • Ashani Sanket
  • Teesri Kasam
  • Ankur
  • Manthan
  • Mirch Masala
  • Chak De! India
HollywoodWhiplash
Filmmakers
  • Mrinal Sen
  • Satyajit Ray
  • Ritwik Ghatak
  • Andrzej Wajda
  • Roman Polanski
  • Jean-Luc Godard
  • François Truffaut
Political LeaderJayaprakash Narayan

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. He was born in a zamindar family and grew up on a farm in Champaran, Bihar.
2. Against his family's desires, he left college halfway to follow a career in filmmaking.
3. His interest in filmmaking was piqued after meeting Aghajani Kashmeri on a train journey.
4. He established 'Anubhooti,' a society dedicated to cultural and social progress in Bihar.
5. His career decisions caused strained relationships with his family.
6. He received a National Award for his documentary 'Faces After The Storm,' created during a riot.
7. He maintains a strong friendship with his former spouse, Deepti Naval.
8. He has taken up acting in recent years, receiving acclaim in both feature and short films, including the award-winning short Highway Nights (2021).
9. He contested elections unsuccessfully for a seat in the Indian Lok Sabha in 2004, 2009, and 2014.
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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