Prabhu

Biography

Prabhu Manrayar Ganesamoorthy (born 25 December 1956), known professionally as Prabhu, is an Indian actor, businessman, and film producer who predominantly works in Tamil cinema. He is the son of veteran actor Sivaji Ganesan. 

He is popularly known as Ilaya Thilagam. He has worked in more than 220 films in lead and supporting roles in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada films.

After making his debut in Sangili (1982), Prabhu played various leading and supporting roles, earning the Best Actor award recognition by the Tamil Nadu State for his portrayal in Chinna Thambi (1991).

After leaving Bishop Cotton Boys' School in Bangalore, Prabhu got involved in film production as an executive producer and worked alongside his uncle and mentor V. C. Shanmugam, who insisted that Prabhu learn the filmmaking process in a disciplined way, giving him general tasks such as pulling up chairs for artistes. 

Prabhu's father, actor Sivaji Ganesan, had initially expressed reluctance in allowing Prabhu to pursue an acting career, but through his work in the industry, he began to receive offers from filmmakers to feature in their films.

He subsequently made his acting debut in C. V. Rajendran's Sangili (1982), a remake of the Hindi film Kalicharan, where he was cast in a supporting role. By the time Sangili was released, Prabhu was working on six films, including Charuhasan's Pudhiya Sangamam and Gangai Amaren's romantic film Kozhi Koovuthu, which became his first commercially successful venture. 

After featuring in about thirty films, including nineteen with his father including Neethibathi (1983), Sandhippu (1983), and Miruthanga Chakravarthi (1983), Prabhu's career graph registered a drop and he began to reconsider the type of films he had signed.

 He opted against featuring in films co-starring his father and consciously began to choose subjects rather than accept as many offers as possible.

Prabhu was married to Punitha in 1982 and has two children Aishwarya Prabhu (born 1984) and Vikram Prabhu (born 1986), who is also an actor who made his acting debut in the 2012 film Kumki.

While still married to Punitha, Prabhu had a live-in relationship with actress Khushbu and got married on 12 September 1993. The pair subsequently decided to split four months later.