One of the biggest actors in Indian cinema, Prakash Raj is one of the few actors, whose name comes into our minds whenever we talk about versatility, screen presence and the ability to bring any character to life on the big screen. The actor made his acting debut in the world of cinema with the Tamil film, Duet, which was released in 1994. Since then, he has worked in numerous commercial and art films in his career of more than two decades.
We need a separate article if we talk about the successful, impactful and critically-acclaimed movies of Prakash Raj, as there the list is endless. However, some films need no introduction as they speak everything about his greatness as an actor.
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Thus, some of the best movies of Prakash Raj’s astonishing acting career are the likes of Aasai (1995), Iruvar (1997), Antahpuram (1998), Appu (2000), Okkadu (2003), Vasool Raja MBBS (2004), Anniyan (2005), Arai En 305-il Kadavul (2008), Dhoni (2012), Pokiri (2006), Singham (2011), and the list goes on. For giving so many memorable performances in his acting career, Prakash Raj has received tons of awards and trophies in his career.
However, one of the biggest honours of Prakash Raj’s life to date is that he is a recipient of the honourable Padma Shri award, which is the fourth highest civilian award in India, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema. While he has achieved almost everything on the professional front, it is his personal life that presented him with so many challenges, one after the other. However, he not only faced all of them but also won the battles in his personal life. So without further ado, let’s get into the details of those troubles.
It was in 1994 when Prakash Raj got married to his first wife, Lalitha Kumari. Not many details of their wedding are available on the internet. However, if the reports are to be believed, it was a low-key wedding setup and only the family members, and close relatives attended the ceremony.
The then-much-in-love couple, Prakash Raj and Lalitha Kumari welcomed three children, two daughters, Meghna and Pooja, and a son, Sidhu. Everything was fine in this cute family of five when a painful tragedy hit them so hard that everything came crashing down afterwards. It was the demise of Prakash and Lalitha’s son, Sidhu.
The sudden demise of Prakash Raj and Lalitha Kumari’s son, Sidhu broke the couple completely. Even the two daughters, Meghna and Pooja, were shattered seeing their brother’s untimely death. For the unversed, Sidhu passed away months after he fell from a table while flying a kite.
Despite struggling for a month or two with his injuries, Sidhu ultimately died due to the severe damage caused to his major organs. The tragedy left Prakash Raj, and Lalita devastated, and it took years to convince them that their son was no longer with them. It was the lowest point of their lives.
In an old interview with ETimes, Prakash Raj spoke about his son, Sidhu's tragic loss, revealing that the kid passed away in March 2004. The doting father also confirmed that his son died due to severe bodily complications, which he suffered while flying a kite in January 2004. When Prakash Raj was asked about whether the passage of time had healed his grief, the father stated that he had removed every photo of his late son from his home as a way to confront the painful reality that Sidhu is no longer with him. He said:
"I love my daughters, but just miss my child even though it's been nine years since he died. He was just five when, while flying a kite from a one-foot-high table, he fell on the ground. I can't forget him, even though I have removed all photographs of his."
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After the demise of Sidhu, a series of conflicts started rising between Prakash Raj and his first wife, Lalitha Kumari. Despite their continued efforts, they couldn’t be able to make peace with each other. Hence, the actor divorced Lalitha, against her wishes, in 2009. In a throwback interview with ETimes, Prakash Raj was questioned about how he informed his daughters Meghna and Pooja about his decision to divorce their mother. Prakash shared details about the complex situation in response to the question and revealed what had occurred during that time. He said:
"I live life the way I am and I didn't want to lie so I sat my daughters down and explained to them why I wanted to divorce even though Lata did not want to let me go."
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It was on August 24, 2010, when Prakash Raj got married to ace choreographer, Pony Verma. At the time of their marriage, Prakash was 45, while Pony was 33, and despite their age difference of 12 years, they tied the knot. In 2015, Prakash Raj and Pony welcomed their first child, a baby boy, whom they lovingly named Vedhanth.
The news of Prakash Raj’s second marriage stunned a lot of people and raised many eyebrows. However, everything calmed down after, in a conversation with ETimes, Prakash Raj revealed that his daughters, Meghna and Pooja, had given her a ‘green light’ for his marriage to Pony. He said:
"She (Pony Verma) met Lata (Lalitha) and my daughters, who said, 'Cool dad, please go ahead'. Then I went to meet her father and told them that I was divorced. They were shocked initially, but then blessed us."
In an interview with a news portal, Prakash Raj talked about the age difference of 12 years between him and his second wife, Pony Verma. But, sharing how it doesn’t matter to them, Prakash admitted that he had felt young again after marrying the love of his life, Pony. Calling his wife a ‘breath of fresh air’, the actor revealed that he loves Pony’s energy as she makes him feel like going back home. He said:
"She has been such a breath of fresh air in the family. I love her energy. I got married to her at 45. Suddenly, you feel younger and there is so much joy in my life. A woman who is 12 years younger to you, who is mature, who hugs you, who makes you feel like going back home."
In the same interview, Prakash Raj also opened up about the bond his wife, Pony Verma shares with his daughters, Meghna and Pooja, from his first wife, Lalitha Kumari. The doting father shared that his wife, Pony has developed a beautiful bond with his daughters. He also praised his Pony, Meghna, and Pooja for coming together like a family and setting aside any past discord.
It’s incredible the way Prakash Raj has maintained to keep his focus intact on the professional front despite so many ups and downs in his personal life. It indeed proves his mettle as an actor.
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