Prakash Jha

Prakash Jha (born 27 February 1952) is an Indian film producer, actor, director and screenwriter, mostly known for his political and socio-political films such as Damul (1984), Mrityudand (1997), Gangaajal (2003), Apaharan (2005), including multistarrer hit movies Raajneeti (2010), Aarakshan (2011) Chakravyuh (2012), and Satyagraha (2013). He is also the maker of National Film Award winning documentaries like, Faces After The Storm (1984) and Sonal (2002).
Jha runs a production company, Prakash Jha Productions. Jha also owns the P&M Mall in Patna.

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, 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, and decided to go to Mumbai and become a painter, 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, 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.

Personal life

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

Career

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

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 release though later it won the National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film for the year.

Katrina Kaif and Prakash Jha during promotions of Rajneeti (2010)

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. 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.

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.

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.

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

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. He again contested 2014 Elections as a JD(U) Candidate from Bettiah and lost being second on the list.

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.

National Film Awards

• 1984: National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film: Faces After The Storm (1984)
• 1985: National Film Award for Best Feature Film: Damul (1985)
• 1987: National Film Award for Best Arts/Cultural Film: Kudiattam
• 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
• 2004: National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues: Gangaajal (2003)
• 2006: National Film Award for Best Screenplay: Apaharan (2005)

Filmfare Awards

• 2001: 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)

Star Screen Awards

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

Other awards

• 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

• 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

• "Prakash Jha Productions". Retrieved 1 April 2015. 
• "Prakash Jha Productions". Retrieved 1 April 2015. 
• "Prakash Jha Productions". Retrieved 1 April 2015. 
• Gangajal - Awards 'Prakash Jha Productions'.
• Awards Internet Movie Database .

• 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, Cinema Tout Ecran (Geneva) and others.
• Apaharan - Opening film of the Indian Film Festival in Israel (2005)
• "Lipstick under My Burkha"- Produced by Prakash Jha starring Konkana Sen has been selected to be premiered at prestigious Stockholm International Film Festival in November alongside Bertrand Bonello’s Nocturama, Mahmoud Sabbagh’s Barakah Meets Barakah and Garth Davis’s Lion.