Prakash Raj, born Prakash Rai on March 26, 1965, is a versatile Indian actor, film director, producer, television presenter, and politician known for his works in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, English, and Hindi-language films. He has received numerous accolades, including five National Film Awards, eight Nandi Awards, eight Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, six Filmfare Awards South, four SIIMA Awards, three CineMAA Awards, and three Vijay Awards.

Raj began his career in theatre and television before making his film debut in the Kannada movie "Olavu Moodidaga" in 1986. He has since acted in over 200 films, playing a variety of roles, most notably as the antagonist and, of late, as a character actor. Some of his notable works include "Iruvar" (1997), for which he won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor, and "Kanchivaram" (2007), for which he won the National Film Award for Best Actor.

In addition to his acting career, Raj has also worked as a film director and producer. He has directed several films, including the critically acclaimed Tamil film "Dhaya", and has produced successful films like the Kannada movie "Naanu Nanna Kanasu", which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada.

Raj is known for his social and political activism. He is a vocal critic of the Indian government and has been actively involved in various social causes. He is married to choreographer Pony Verma, with whom he has a son named Vedhanth.