BETWEEN ON SCREEN AND OFF SCREEN: READING PRAKASH RAJ’S PUBLIC PERSONA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/nvc4hc10Keywords:
Prakash Raj, Indian Cinema, On-Screen and Off-Screen Identity, Celebrity Activism, Social Justice, Media and SocietyAbstract
This essay focuses on the dual identity of Prakash Raj, who is among the most versatile actors of Indian cinema, through a juxtaposition of his much-acclaimed film acting performances against his activism outside the film industry. Starting with his career in theatre in Kannada, it moves on to his debut film, the Tamil movie 'Duet' (1994), in order to analyse how his antagonists in movies like 'Ghilli', 'Singham' and 'Anthahpuram' break away from the stereotype through menace along with a good sense of emotions and how his roles in movies such as 'Bommarillu', 'Mozhi' and 'Kanchivaram' – a National Award winner – give him a variety which keeps him from being pigeonholed. It further delves into his identity outside the movies, starting with his political activities following the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh in 2017 under #JustAsking, moving on to various controversies to arrive at his advocacy for political prisoners, farmers' rights and Gaza.
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