Prakash Belawadi
Biography
Prakash Belawadi is an acclaimed Indian actor, filmmaker, theatre director, journalist, and activist known for his influential work across Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and English cinema. Born in Bangalore to renowned theatre artists B. N. Narayan (Makeup Nani) and Bhargavi Narayan, he grew up deeply rooted in the performing arts before graduating as a mechanical engineer from UVCE. His directorial debut Stumble won the National Award for Best Film in English, and he later gained national recognition for powerful roles in films such as Madras Café, Airlift, The Tashkent Files, and The Kashmir Files. A respected theatre practitioner and educator, Belawadi has also been active in civic initiatives, co‑founding citizen movements in Bengaluru and speaking widely on urban issues, culture, and public policy. His contributions have earned him honours including the Karnataka Nataka Academy Award and the Helpmann Award in Australia for his performance in Counting and Cracking.