Prakash Jha

Prakash Jha

Prakash Jha with Deepika Padukone at the press announcement of Aarakshan
Born 27 February 1952
West Champaran, Bihar, India
Occupation producer, director, screenwriter
Years active 1976- present
Spouse(s) Deepti Naval(1985-2002) Divorced[1]

Prakash Jha (born 27 February 1952) is an Indian film producer, director and screenwriter who is mostly known for his political and socio-political films such as Damul (1984), Mrityudand (1997), Gangaajal (2003), Apaharan (2005), multistarrer hit movie Raajneeti (2010), Aarakshan (2011) Chakravyuh (2012), and the Satyagraha (2013). 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.[2] Prakash Jha, owns the P&M Mall in Patna.

Biography

Early life and education

Prakash Jha was raised at his family's farm in Baraharwa, Bettiah, West Champaran, Bihar, India. He did his schooling from Sainik School Tilaya,[3] Koderma district and Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 1, Bokaro Steel City (Jharkhand). Later, he joined Ramjas College, Delhi University to do B.Sc (Hons) in Physics; though he left studies after one year,[4] and decided to go to Mumbai and become a painter, though while he was preparing for J.J. School of Arts, he happened 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 Mumbai, and started working, and never went back to complete the course.[5]

Personal life

Prakash was at one time married to actress Deepti Naval with whom he has an adopted daughter Disha.[6][7]

Career

While still midway through his course, he started working on films independently, in 1974,[8] and made his first documentary, Under the Blue in 1975, and continued to do so for next 8 years.[4]

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[5] 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 1984, scripted by Gulzar and starring, Raj Kiran and Deepti Naval as leads.[9] 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.[10]

Over the years he has made over 25 documentaries, nine feature films, two television features and three television series including the popular TV serial Mungerilal Ke Hasin Sapne.[11][12]

In 2004,Prakash Jha directed a 112-minute film Loknayak based on the life of Bharat Ratna Jayaprakash Narayan.In the film, Chetan Pandit enacted the role of Jayaprakash Narayan and Tisca Chopra played role of Prabhavati Devi, wife of JP.[13][14][15][16][17]

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.[18] In 2012, Jha's next release Chakravyuh starred Arjun Rampal, Abhay Deol, Manoj Bajpai, Kabir Bedi and Esha Gupta was released in Dussehra 2012.[19][20][21][22] His next film Satyagraha(2013) starred Amitabh Bachchan and Ajay Devgn.[23]

Politics

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.[24][25][26] He again contested 2014 Elections as a JD(U) Candidate from Bettiah and lost being second on the list.[27]

Social initiatives

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

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. Anubhooti has provided relief to 5000 people for health care in jamui dist.bihar.

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1982 Shree Vats
(Documentary) 		Director Film on the Pune-based institute Shreevatsa
1983 Faces After The Storm
(Documentary) 		Director National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film
Best Documentary of the year
International Film Festival of India, Special Jury Award
1984 Hip Hip Hurray Director All India Film Awards Association, Best Director
1985 Damul Director, Producer, Co-Script Writer National Film Award for Best Feature Film
Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie
1986 Kudiattam
(Documentary) 		Director National Film Award for Best Arts/Cultural Film
1988 Looking Back
(Documentary)		 Director National Film Award for Best Industrial Documentary
1989 Parinati Director, Producer National Film Award for Best Costume Design
Presented as An Outstanding Film at the London Film Festival at the London Film Festival
1996 Bandish Director, Producer
1997 Mrityudand
(The Death Sentence)		 Director, Producer, Editor, Dialogue Writer Screen Cinema Award, Best Actor in a Negative Role
Screen Cinema Award, Best Dialogue
Screen Cinema Award, Best Screenplay
Zee Cine Award, Best Dialogue
Zee Cine Award, Best Director
Sansui Film Awards, Best Film (Critics Choice)
Sansui Film Awards, Best Actress
Special Jury Award, Cinema Tout Ecran, Geneva for Best Feature
Audience Award, Best Feature, Bangkok Film Festival
1999 Dil Kya Kare Director, Editor, Story writer
2001 Rahul Director
2002 Sonal
(Documentary)		 Director National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film
2003 Gangaajal Director, Producer, Editor, Story writer, Dialogue Writer National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues
2004 Loknayak Director, Producer, Editor, Story writer, Dialogue Writer Based on the life of Bharat Ratna Jayaprakash Narayan
2005 Apaharan Director, Producer, Story writer National Film Award for Best Screenplay
Filmfare Best Dialogue Award
Star Screen Best Screenplay Award
2007 Dil Dosti Etc Producer
2007 Khoya Khoya Chand Producer
2010 Raajneeti Director, Producer, Dialogue Writer Star Screen Best Screenplay Award
2011 Turning 30 Producer
2011 Yeh Saali Zindagi Producer
2011 Aarakshan Director, Producer
2012 Chakravyuh Director, Producer
2013 Satyagraha Director, Producer
2015 Crazy Cukkad Family Producer Set to release on 16 January 2015
2016 Raajneeti 2 Director (Announced)

Awards

National Film Awards

Filmfare Awards

Star Screen Awards

Other Awards

International Awards

International Acclaim

References

  1. ↑ Untitled Document
  2. ↑ Prakash Jha Productions website.
  3. ↑ "Sainik Schools Society". Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Prakash Jha Interview Part I passionforcinema.com.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Prakash Jha The Cinemas of India, by Yves Thoraval. Macmillan India, 2000. ISBN 0-333-93410-5, ISBN 978-0-333-93410-4. Page 191-192.
  6. ↑ "Today's actors have become picky: Prakash Jha". http://www.hindustantimes.com/''. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "Prakash Jha during the launch of Deepti Naval's book 'The Mad Tibetan'". Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  8. ↑ Interviews Movies, Rediff.com, 3 February 2003.
  9. ↑ Filmmaker sees hope in Bihar Telegraph, 4 December 2005.
  10. ↑ Prakash Jha Interview passionforcinema.com.
  11. ↑ "Prakash Jha Productions". Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  12. ↑ Awards at imbd
  13. ↑ "Uncensored 'Loknayak' to be screened soon". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  14. ↑ Doordarshan decides to air controversial Prakash Jha film
  15. ↑ "Jayaprakash Narayan deserved better". Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  16. ↑ "Prakash Jha declines to change his film on JP". Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  17. ↑ "“I am fully indebted to theatre”". The Hindu. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  18. ↑ http://tinselgurus.net/2010/12/23/finally-the-announcement-for-the-film-aarakshan/
  19. ↑ "India News, Latest Sports, Bollywood, World, Business & Politics News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  20. ↑ "Arjun to enter ‘Chakravyuh’ next week". Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  21. ↑ Prakash Jha ties up with Eros International Media
  22. ↑ "'Chakravyuha' has nothing to do with 'Ko': Prakash Jha". IBNLive. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  23. ↑ "My ‘Chakravyuha’ has nothing to do with ‘Ko’: Prakash Jha". Zee News. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  24. ↑ After Nitish declined, I needed a party: Prakash Jha
  25. ↑ "Of course, I'll contest elections: Prakash Jha". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  26. ↑ "‘I will not contest an election again. Even without being an MP, I do whatever I can’". Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  27. ↑ "Filmmaker Prakash Jha to contest Polls from Bettiah as a JDU Candidate". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  28. ↑ "Prakash Jha Productions". Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  29. ↑ "Prakash Jha Productions". Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  30. ↑ "Prakash Jha Productions". Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  31. ↑ Gangajal - Awards 'Prakash Jha Productions'.
  32. ↑ Awards Internet Movie Database .

External links

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