Prakash Raj alias Prakash Rai, the Mangalore-born actor, who began his career as an actor on Bangalore Doordarshan, has won the national award for 2007 for his performance in the Tamil film Kanchipuram. Prakash, who changed his name for his debut Tamil film, is said to have pipped Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan.
In Kanchipuram, directed by Priyadarshan, Prakash Raj depicts the lives of silk weavers in the eponymous town in Tamil Nadu in pre-independence India and exposes communists “who preach a lot and practice little“. He had earlier won a national award for his supporting role in Mani Ratnam‘s Iruvar in 1998, and a special jury award in 2003.
Question: Are actors like Prakash Raj lost to Kannada cinema?
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No. They’re are gifts to southern India.
He deserves
He hails from small village called Bellipady near puttur tq in Mangalore
Prakash Rai is a brilliant actor. It is really sad that we in the kannada film industry, do not have movies which are a challenge to the actors of his caliber. He is the true role model for aspiring actors on diction. Be it telugu or tamil, his dialogue delivery is impeccable. Many a times, this has elevated his performance many bars!
Congratulations Mr.Rai!
Not lost. Just returning to their Madras Presidency roots.
What about Umashree? She is also a very good actor. She fully deserves it.
Kannada actress Uma Shri is best actress for Gulabi Talkies; Avrigu swalpa congratulate madi saar..
Rather than regretting the ‘loss’ of Prakash Raj should’nt we celebrate the honour to Umashree ! I am truly truly happy for this magnificent actress.
Its beyond doubt that he is one actor who could give life to any character which he portrays. He is one of the very few natural actors around in Soth India along with Ananth nag, Kamal Hasan etc.
He is one actor who more than having a larger than life image on the screen being a HERO, has done justice and reached the classy audience with his sensitive acting.
If at all if there is any current actor from Kannada industry, who can come close to this genre of actors is Ramesh Aravind. I have always felt that Ramesh is one actor who can preonounce kannada unblemished in the first place (unlike other longu-macchu,aithe-paithe, bicchu-mutthu actors), apart from his inimitable naturality in screen presence, which Ananth Nag had displayed immaculately(which he is currently too)
Kannada cinema is busy importing stars and singers – they don’t like homegrown talent. Now, Prakash Raj aka Prakash Rai has to make frequent trips to Bangalore from Chennai to receive appreciations/felicitations from Karnataka govt and other 101 pseudo organizations. Pity!
Karthik says ” pronounce kannada” as aithe – paithe
Language has different flavours . There is no better
Definition that a particular flavour is perfect.
Show me a definition that Kannada has to be spoken
In a partcular way.
Accept the facts…
Telugu and Tamil industries pay much much higher than Kannada industry. naturally he gets inclined to those industries.
I agree we ought to congratulate Umashree than lament about Rai, especially given her ascend from flimsy B-grade roles to a character actress of reckon. It shows her mettle.
Prakash Rai did not win for a Kannada movie ; but he still acts in Kannada, albeit intermittently. I would rather see him in a Nagamandala once in 4 years than flimsy ones like these where his fame preceds his chops..
http://blog.taragana.com/e/2009/09/07/prakash-raj-gets-rs4-mn-for-brief-appearance-in-kannada-film-31336/
I’m happy for people like Prakash Rai and Rajnikanth who made the right move and became who they are today. That’s life. We in Kannada and in South in general have done the same for many a north belle ? Kushboo, Nagma, Simran, Pooja Gandhi et al..
@Kishore,
If the movie is about a slum kid he would talk aithe-paithey ?
@Cycle Kalla,
It’s fine saar. Kishore minds aithe paithe but loves this :-)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIdkH8hxYt4&hl=en&fs=1&]
DP Satish – I await your feature on CNN IBN on Umashree. And an article on Umashree on your blog.
Same goes to all other NDTV, CNNIBN and TimesNow correspondents of karnataka. There are newsworthy items from Karnataka other than Mangalore incidents and burqa incidents, no!! Look here – a self made woman who has risen to glittering heights in Indian cinema – from karnataka. An added bonus – she is a congressi too.
Now, I hope you dont disappoint admirers of Umashree’s acting prowess.
I think we should celebrate both Prakash Rai and Umashree instead of putting labels on their achievements.
Gaby,
I agree Umashree is a good actress. I think it is high time Kannada film industry works hard on making original movies rather than remake ones.
Completely agree with Faldo.
i doubly happy bcoz they are most masters of the spoken language. GK sir has worked gainfully with most of real actresses in KA.
Just like professionals & workers seek opportunities where they exist people like PR also go. Why should he be subject extra painful test? Lets face gandhinagara is not exactly the most productive of places.
there is an interview with director prem on one of ka film sites. please see that, movie making in g’nagar is full of non-filim rated nonsense.
Prakash Rai has given his best in Nagamandala directed by our own Nagabharana and shamelessly adapted as Paheli in Hindhi . Which they did not give due credits to the director.
Same can be said of Chiguridha Kanasu which was an excellant movie and well performed by Shivraj kumar ( remade as swades in hindhi)
Chiguridha Kanasu is a novel by Shivaram karanth .
Umashree is a versatile actress and can adapt the situation and language and bring life to her roles .
Remember Putnanja movie , her acting was impeccable .
She also acted very well in another TV serial directed by T.S.N for small screen called ‘Mussanje’ .
Both the actors have great talent and even today Prakash has great regards for Kannada Cinema .
Please just accept a good actor born in Karnataka achieve something your brother state. there is no point in saying who lost where.
There are lots of potential people around india who can glorify india rather than just a simple state issue. i agree there some warms between two states which is apart from the general human thinking.
of-course rajinikanth , arjun, there are lots of potential actors from karantaka who excelled in your brother state. like wise there would be lot of people from tamilnadu who excelled in karanataka too.
so don;t get fused with honour, talents against state issues. state issues were/are there quite some time thats different than human being well-wishes.
No, I don’t thinks so.He is a gift from kannada to all southindian movies.