Prabhas

Who is Prabhas?

Uppalapati Venkata Suryanarayana Prabhas Raju is an Indian actor who predominantly works in Telugu cinema. One of the highest-paid actors in Indian cinema, Prabhas has featured in Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list since 2015 and has received seven Filmfare Awards nominations, a Nandi Award, and a SIIMA Award.

Prabhas made his acting debut with the 2002 drama Eeswar and later attained his breakthrough with the action-romance Varsham (2004). His notable works include Chatrapathi (2005), Bujjigadu (2008), Billa (2009), Darling (2010), Mr. Perfect (2011), and Mirchi (2013), winning the Nandi Award for Best Actor for his performance in the lattermost.

In 2015, Prabhas portrayed the title role in S. S. Rajamouli’s epic action drama Baahubali: The Beginning, which is the 17th-highest-grossing Indian film to date. He later reprised his role in its sequel, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017), which became the first Indian film ever to gross over ₹1,000 crore (US$155 million) in all languages in just ten days and is the second-highest-grossing Indian film to date, helping Prabhas achieve international recognition. He achieved further commercial success with the pan-Indian action thrillers Saaho (2019) and Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire (2023).

Prabhas is the first South Indian actor to receive a wax sculpture at Madame Tussaud’s wax museum. Prabhas is the only South Indian actor to have five films that crossed the 100 crore mark in the Hindi film industry. In addition to his film career, he is widely known for promoting various humanitarian and philanthropic causes. He is the brand ambassador for the Mahindra TUV300.

Prabhas Early Life and Education:

Prabhas was born on 23 October 1979, into a Telugu-speaking family to film producer Uppalapati Surya Narayana Raju and Siva Kumari in Madras, Tamil Nadu. The youngest of three children, he has an elder brother, Prabodh, and an elder sister, Pragathi. He is the nephew of Telugu film actor Krishnam Raju. His family hails from Mogalthur, near Bhimavaram of West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh.

Prabhas did his schooling at Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Chennai, and at DNR High School, Bhimavaram. He then completed his intermediate education at Nalanda College, Hyderabad. He is also an alumnus of Satyanand Film Institute, Visakhapatnam.

Prabhas Details:

Prabhas Career:

Prabhas started his film career with Eeswar (2002). In 2003, he was the lead in Raghavendra. In 2004, he appeared in Varsham and Adavi Raamudu. He received his first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for his performance in the former.

In 2005, the actor starred in the films “Chakram” and “Chatrapathi,” directed by S. S. Rajamouli, where he played the role of an exploited refugee. It had a 100-day run in 54 centers. “Chatrapathi” received acclaim for his unique style and macho charm, earning him a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu.

Following this, he appeared in “Pournami” (2006), “Yogi” (2007), “Munna” (2007), and “Bujjigadu” (2008). In 2009, he was featured in “Billa” and “Ek Niranjan,” with the former being praised for its stylish and visually rich presentation. “Ek Niranjan” earned him his third Filmfare Award nomination.

In 2010, he starred in the romantic comedy “Darling,” which received positive reviews despite a predictable plot. In 2011, he appeared in the romantic comedy “Mr. Perfect,” praised as a clean, family entertainer, earning him his fourth Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actor – Telugu.

In 2012, Prabhas starred in the action film “Rebel,” directed by Raghava Lawrence. While praised for its stylish visuals, the movie received mixed reviews for its lack of substantial content. Critics noted that it appealed more to Prabhas’ hardcore fans than the discerning audience. Prabhas also lent his voice for a short cameo in the film “Denikaina Ready” in the same year.

The following year, in 2013, he featured in the film “Mirchi,” receiving positive feedback for its decent first half, engaging flashback episodes, and Prabhas’ performance. The movie was considered a commercial success, with reviewers highlighting its entertaining mix for both class and mass audiences. Prabhas earned his fifth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu.

In 2014, Prabhas made his Hindi cinema debut with the item number “Punjabi Mast” in the film “Action Jackson.”

In 2015, Prabhas played the lead roles in S.S. Rajamouli’s epic action drama “Baahubali: The Beginning,” marking the beginning of a pan-India film movement. The movie became the seveenth-highest-grossing Indian film to date. Prabhas reprised his roles in the sequel, “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” (2017), the first Indian film to gross over ₹1,000 crore (US$155 million) in all languages within ten days and the second-highest-grossing Indian film to date. He won the SIIMA Award for Best Actor – Telugu for his performance in “The Conclusion.” Prabhas, who increased his weight to 105 kg for the Baahubali character, received his sixth and seventh nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu. The success of “Baahubali” catapulted Prabhas to pan-Indian stardom, garnering a significant following in Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi languages.

In 2019, Prabhas starred in the action thriller “Saaho” alongside Shraddha Kapoor, which, despite unfavorable reviews, grossed over ₹433 crore. In 2022, he appeared in the period romance film “Radhe Shyam,” directed by Radha Krishna Kumar, receiving negative reviews and proving to be a box office disappointment. In 2023, Prabhas portrayed Lord Ram in the mythological action film “Adipurush,” facing negative reviews and another box-office setback. However, he made a successful comeback with the Prashanth Neel-directed action drama “Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire,” released in December 2023, receiving mixed reviews.

As of December 2023, Prabhas has three films in various stages of production. First is Nag Ashwin’s epic mythological sci-fi film, “Kalki 2898 AD,” co-starring Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Deepika Padukone, and Disha Patani, scheduled for release on 9 May 2024. He is also set to star in “The Raja Saab,” a horror comedy directed by Maruthi, slated for release in the second half of 2024. Additionally, his 25th film, “Spirit,” directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga and jointly produced by T-Series and Bhadrakali Pictures, is in pre-production with filming set to begin in July 2024.