Prakash Jha
Prakash Jha with Deepika Padukone at the press announcement of Aarakshan
Born	(1952-02-27) February 27, 1952 (age 60) West Champaran, Bihar, India
Occupation	producer, director, screenwriter
Years active	1976- present
Spouse	Deepti Naval(1985-2002)[1]
Awards	1985: National Film Award for Best Feature Film: Damul (1985) 1985: Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie: Damul (1985) 2004:National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues: Gangaajal (2003) 2006: National Film Award for Best Screenplay: Apaharan (2005) 2006:Filmfare Best Dialogue Award: Apaharan (2005) 1984: National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film: Faces After The Storm (1984)[2] 1987: National Film Award for Best Arts/Cultural Film: Kudiattam[3] 1988: National Film Award for Best Costume Design: Parinati 1988: National Film Award for Best Industrial Documentary: Looking Back 2002: National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film: Sonal[4] 1983: Best Documentary of the year: Faces After The Storm (1983)

Prakash Jha (Hindi: प्रकाश झा, born 27 February 1952) is an Indian film producer-director-screenwriter, who is most known for his political and socio-political films such as Damul (1984), Mrityudand (1997), Gangaajal (2003), Apaharan (2005) and multistarrer hit movie Raajneeti (2010). He is also the maker of National Film Award winning documentaries like, Faces After The Storm (1984) and Sonal (2002).

He now runs a production company, Prakash Jha Productions.^[5]Prakash Jha, owns the P&M Mall in Patna.

Biography[link]

Early life and education[link]

Prakash Jha was born and raised raised at his family's farm in Baraharwa, Bettiah, West Champaran, Bihar, India. He did his schooling from Sainik School Tilaya,^[6] Koderma district and Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 1, Bokaro Steel City (now in Jharkhand). Later, he joined Ramjas College, Delhi University to do B.Sc (Hons) in Physics; though he left studies after one year,^[7] and decided to go to Bombay and become a painter, though while he was preparing for J.J. School of Arts, he happen to witness the shooting of the film Dharma and got hooked on to filmmaking.

Soon he joined the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune in 1973, to do a course in editing, though midway through it, the institution was closed for while, due to student agitation, so he came to Bombay, and started working, and never went back to complete the course.^[8]

Personal Life[link]

Prakash was at one time married to actress Deepti Naval with whom he has an adopted daughter Disha.^[9][10]

Career[link]

While still midway through his course, he started working on films independently, in 1974,^[11] and made his first documentary, Under the Blue in 1975, and continued to do so for next 8 years.^[7]

During this period he made some highly politically charged documentaries, like the one of 'Bihar Sharif riots', titled, Faces After Storm (1984), which received considerable attention, as it was banned within 4–5 days of its released^[8] though later it won the National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film for the year.

Finally, he made his debut, as a feature film director, Hip Hip Hurray in 1983, scripted by Gulzar and starring, Raj Kiran and Deepti Naval as leads.^[12] Next came, the film he received most recognition with, Damul (1984), which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie in 1985. The film was based on the bonded labour issue in Bihar.

In 1986, he directed, Parinati, based on the story by Vijaydan Detha.^[13]

Over the years he has made over 25 documentaries, nine feature films, two television features and three television series.^[14][15]

In 2010, he directed Raajneeti, which was a contemporary take on the epic, Mahabharat. It starred Ajay Devgan, Manoj Bajpai, Naseeruddin Shah, Katrina Kaif, Arjun Rampal, Nana Patekar and Ranbir Kapoor and was a critical and commercial success. His next venture was Aarakshan which starred Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan Deepika Padukone and Prateik Babbar.^[16] Currently,Prakash Jha is diecting film Chakravyuh starring Abhay Deol, Manoj Bajpai, Kabir Bedi, Esha Gupta and Arjun Rampal.^{[17][18][19][20]} His second film Satyagrah will star Amitabh Bachchan and Ajay Devgn.^[21]

Politics[link]

Prakash Jha contested and lost election to the Lok Sabha from his native Champaran in 2004. He again lost election to the Lok Sabha in 2009 as Lok Janashakti Party candidate from West Champaran.^[22][23][24]

Social initiatives[link]

For the last five years Prakash Jha has been seriously involved with development initiatives in Bihar. He has been spearheading growth in infrastructure, health care and vocational training facilities in the state through the NGO Anubhooti.

Anubhooti[link]

Prakash Jha is the chairman of Anubhooti, a registered society that has been working for cultural development , improvement of health care, disaster management and the upliftment of farmers and socio-economic backward people in Bihar since 1991.

Most recently, the organization has been working for flood survivors. After the Kosi flood on 18 August 2008, Anubhooti has provided complete relief to 6000 people since September 2008. Anubhooti has created a model village, Hindolwa village, for the flood affected and is working towards their complete rehabilitation.

Filmography[link]

Dialogue Writer[link]

• Gangaajal (2003)
• Mrityudand (1997)

Director[link]

• Hip Hip Hurrey (1984)
• Damul (1985)
• Parinati (1989)
• Bandish (1996)
• Mrityudand (1997)
• Dil Kya Kare (1999)
• Rahul (2001)
• Gangaajal (2003)
• Apaharan (2005)
• Raajneeti (2010)
• Aarakshan (2011)
• Chakravyuh(2012) (Pre-production)
• Satyagraha(2013) (Announced)
• Satsang (Announced)
• love story

Producer[link]

• Satyagrah (Announced)
• Aarakshan (2011)
• Yeh Saali Zindagi (2011)
• Turning 30 (2011)
• Raajneeti (2010)
• Khoya Khoya Chand (2007)
• Dil Dosti Etc (2007)
• Apaharan (2005)
• Gangaajal (2003)
• Mrityudand (1997)
• Bandish (1996)
• Parinati (1989)
• Damul (1985)

Editor[link]

• Gangaajal (2003)
• Dil Kya Kare (1999)
• Mrityudand (1997)

Story Writer[link]

• Apaharan (2005)
• Gangaajal (2003)
• Dil Kya Kare (1999)
• Damul (1985)

Awards[link]

National Film Awards[link]

• 1984: National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film: Faces After The Storm (1984)^[2]
• 1985: National Film Award for Best Feature Film: Damul (1985)
• 1987: National Film Award for Best Arts/Cultural Film: Kudiattam^[3]
• 1988: National Film Award for Best Costume Design: Parinati
• 1988: National Film Award for Best Industrial Documentary: Looking Back
• 2002: National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film: Sonal^[4]
• 2004: National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues: Gangaajal (2003)^[25]
• 2006: National Film Award for Best Screenplay: Apaharan (2005)

Filmfare Awards[link]

• 1983: Best Documentary of the year: Faces After The Storm (1983)
• 1985: Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie: Damul (1985)
• 2006:Filmfare Best Dialogue Award: Apaharan (2005)^[26]

Star Screen Awards[link]

• 2005: Star Screen Best Screenplay Award: Apaharan
• 2011: Star Screen Best Screenplay Award: Raajneeti

Other Awards[link]

• 1983: International Film Festival of India, Special Jury Award: Faces After The Storm
• 1984: All India Film Awards Association, Best Director: Hip Hip Hurray
• 1986: Baba Saheb Ambedkar Award, Social Understanding
• 1998: Screen Cinema Award, Best Actor in a Negative Role: Mrityudand - Death Sentence
• 1998: Screen Cinema Award, Best Dialogue: Mrityudand - Death Sentence
• 1998: Screen Cinema Award, Best Screenplay: Mrityudand - Death Sentence
• 1998: Zee Cine Award, Best Dialogue: Mrityudand - Death Sentence
• 1998: Zee Cine Award, Best Director: Mrityudand - Death Sentence
• 1998: Sansui Film Awards, Best Film (Critics Choice): Mrityudand - Death Sentence
• 1998: Sansui Film Awards, Best Actress: Mrityudand - Death Sentence

International Awards[link]

• 1988: Presented as An Outstanding Film at the London Film Festival at the London Film Festival: Parinati - The Inevitable
• 1998: Special Jury Award, Cinema Tout Ecran, Geneva for Best Feature: Mrityudand - Death Sentence
• 1998: Audience Award, Best Feature, Bangkok Film Festival: Mrityudand - Death Sentence

International Acclaim[link]

• Damul - Bonded Until Death invited for competition and participation at Montreal, Berlin, Chicago, Moscow and several other festivals (1986–1987)
• Parinati - The Inevitable invited to several film festivals including the London International Film Festival (1988)
• Parampara - Traditions and Abhivyakti - An Expression represented India at the Festival of India in France and Japan.
• Mrityudand - Death Sentence invited to several festivals like London, Dublin, Melbourne, Riocine (Brazil), Bangkok, New York Human Rights Festival, Cinema Tout Ecran (Geneva) and others.
• Apaharan - Opening film of the Indian Film Festival in Israel (2005)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Prakash Jha at the Internet Movie Database
• Prakash Jha Productions website
• Interview - Director Prakash Jha at Rediff.com.

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