Prithviraj Sukumaran is an Indian film actor, producer, and playback singer best known for his work in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi films.
The son of actors Sukumaran and Mallika, Prithviraj was first spotted by director Fazil. Fazil's screen test of Prithviraj prompted director Ranjith to cast him in Nandanam, Prithviraj's first film, a 2002 romantic drama fi...Prithviraj Sukumaran is an Indian film actor, producer, and playback singer best known for his work in Malayalam cinema. He has also acted in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi films.
The son of actors Sukumaran and Mallika, Prithviraj was first spotted by director Fazil. Fazil's screen test of Prithviraj prompted director Ranjith to cast him in Nandanam, Prithviraj's first film, a 2002 romantic drama film. In a career spanning over a decade, Prithviraj has starred in over 90 films. Prithviraj produces films under his production company, August Cinema. He has won two Kerala State Film Awards for Best Actor and a National Film Award (as producer).
Prithviraj Sukumaran was born in Thiruvananthapuram to actors Sukumaran and Mallika Sukumaran. His initial schooling was at Shrine Vailankanni Senior Secondary School, T. Nagar, Chennai and St.Joseph's Boys' Hr.Sec.School, Coonoor, since the family was settled at Tamil Nadu that time. Later when the family shifted to Kerala he had his education from The NSS Public School Perunthanni, St.Mary's Residential Central School, Poojappura (which was near his home at Chengallur) where he acted in various plays and skits for the school's Annual Day Celebrations. He completed the rest of his school education at Sainik School Kazhakoottam and Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram. He also participated and lost in debates and elocution competitions while in school. Prithviraj won the title of "Mr LA Fest" in the Annual Inter-School arts festival hosted by Loyola School, Thiruvananthapuram in successive years and is the only person to date to win that title twice.
While pursuing his bachelor's degree in Information Technology at the University of Tasmania, Australia,he was called for a shot in the movies by film director Ranjith Balakrishnan to play the lead role in his film Nandanam. It was Fazil, a well known Malayalam film director, who introduced him to Ranjith. After his performance in Nandanam, he decided to take a break from studies to concentrate on his film career. Prithviraj's elder brother Indrajith Sukumaran and sister-in-law Poornima Indrajith are also film actors.
In 2001, 19-year-old Prithviraj underwent a screen-test by director Fazil for one of his projects at that time. Even though that project never materialised, Fazil recommended him to director Ranjith who was planning his second directorial venture, Nandanam. Ranjith instructed Prithviraj to grow a beard to look mature. Nandanam released in 2002. Though Nandanam is his debut film, it released after Nakshathrakkannulla Rajakumaran Avanundoru Rajakumari. After Nandanam, Prithviraj appeared in films directed by Lohithadas, Vinayan, Kamal and Bhadran. Shyamaprasad, who cast him in lead role in his film Akale, said that Prithviraj's advantages are his talent and intelligence irrespective of his box office successes.
In 2006, he played the role of Sub Inspector Solomon Joseph in Vargam. After Vargam, Prithviraj acted in Vaasthavam with the same director, M. Padmakumar, for which he received the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor and became the youngest actor to win the award. The same year he starred in Lal Jose's Classmates. In 2007, he starred in Chocolate, directed by Shafi. In 2008, he starred in Thalappavu (directed by Madhupal) and Thirakkatha (directed by Ranjith), in which he took up roles which serve as pivotal characters. One of the reviews of Thalappavu describes it as a film which is truly the coming-of-age film for Prithviraj the actor and that there is a spartan dignity that he brings into his commanding portrayal of Naxalite Joseph. The Sify review of Thirakkatha describes it as a "genuine attempt that keeps the viewer engaged until the end". Both Thalappavu and Thirakkatha shared the award for the best film in the Film Critics Award for 2008. He also made a special appearance in Anjali Menon's Manjadikuru.
