Prasanna Puwanarajah

Prasanna Puwanarajah
Born1981 (age 44–45)
Ipswich, Suffolk, England
Alma materNew College, Oxford
OccupationActor
Years active2006–present

Prasanna Puwanarajah (Tamil: பிரசன்னா புவனராஜா; born 1981) is a British actor, director, writer, and former junior medical doctor.

Early life and education

Puwanarajah was born at Ipswich Hospital in Suffolk to Tamil Sri Lankan parents from Sri Lanka. He spent his early childhood on Churchill Avenue in Ipswich before the family moved to Hampshire when he was four. He participated in school plays and spent a season with the National Youth Theatre, but thought of acting as more of an interest than a career choice at the time.[1]

He trained in Medicine at New College, Oxford.[2] He worked in the NHS as a hospital junior doctor for a period of 4 years and prior to commencing a training post in reconstructive surgery, Puwanarajah took a year away from medicine. It was during this time he began working as a director, actor and writer.[3]

Personal life

As of 2019, Puwanarajah was living in north-west London.[4]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2009 Clamp and Grind N/a Director, writer, producer; short film
2010 London Assurance Servant National Theatre Live
Hamlet Guildenstern
2011 The Half-Light N/a Director, writer; short film
2012 Boy N/a Writer; short film
2013 Möbius Saïd
2015 The Gunman Doctor
2015 The Baby Shower Eric Short film
2020 Dara Talib National Theatre Live
2023 Malcolm Joe
2023 Ballywalter N/a Director[5]
2026 Finding Emily Professor Westlake

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2008 The Sarah Jane Adventures Car Salesman Episode: "The Mark of the Berserker: Part 2"
2012 Coming Up Director Episode Title: "Spoof or Die"
2012–2014 Silk Dr Malik 3 episodes
2015 Critical Ramakrishna Chandramohan Main role
The Vote Tom Baird Television film
New Tricks Sanjeev Da Silva Episode: "Prodigal Sons"
You, Me and the Apocalypse Rajesh McNeil Miniseries; main role
2016 Cold Feet Sam Harvey 1 episode
2017 Doctor Foster James Mohan Series 2 (4 episodes)[6][7]
2018 Patrick Melrose Johnny Hall Miniseries[8]
2018–2019 Defending the Guilty Ashley Jeevaratnam Main role
2019 Mum Kumar Episode: "Monday"
World on Fire Major Taylor 2 episodes
2020 Unprecedented: Real Time Theatre from a State of Isolation Writer Episode Title: Fear Fatigue
2021 Line of Duty Haran Nadaraja Series 6
Three Families David Fortress Part 2
2022 Ten Percent Dan 8 episodes
2022 The Crown Martin Bashir Guest Star (Season 5) Nominated: Gold Derby Awards 2023[9]
2023 Payback DC Jibran Khan
2024 Breathtaking Co-Showrunner / Co-Writer / Executive Producer Nominated: Best Limited Series, RTS Awards 2025
2025 Too Much Auggie Guest Star (Season 1)
2027 Neuromancer Darvin Mitnik Guest Star (Season 1)

Stage

Year Title Role Notes Nominations
2007 Romeo & Juliet Escalus Battersea Arts Centre, London
2008 Something I Wrote in a Hurry Director Tabard Theatre, London
2009 On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco Director New End Theatre, London
Thyestes Messenger Arcola Theatre, London Ian Charleson Awards: Commendation
Twelfth Night Priest Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon / Duke of York's Theatre, London
Amadeus North Wall Theatre, Oxford
2010 London Assurance Servant Royal National Theatre, London
Hamlet Guildenstern Royal National Theatre, London
The Wages of Thin Director Old Red Lion Theatre, London Whatsonstage Awards: Nominated Best Regional Play
2011 Emperor and Galilean Medon / Oribasius Royal National Theatre, London[10]
2011 Nightwatchman Writer
Part of Double Feature at the Royal National Theatre, London
2013 Moth Director HighTide Festival, Aldeburgh / Bush Theatre, London[11]
2013–2014 Henry V Montjoy Noël Coward Theatre, London[12]
2014 Peddling N/a Director; HighTide Festival, Aldeburgh / Arcola Theatre, London / 59E59 Theaters, New York
Dara Talib Royal National Theatre, London
2015 The Iliad and The Odyssey Almeida Theatre, London
Macbeth Banquo Young Vic, London
2017–2018 The Reluctant Fundamentalist Director Yard Theatre, London[13]
  • WINNER: Lustrum Award
  • NOMINATED: Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award
  • SHORTLISTED: Carol Tambor Award
2018 Absolute Hell Nigel Childs Royal National Theatre, London[14][15]
2019 Venice Preserved Director Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon[16][17]
2024 Twelfth Night Director Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon WINNER: UK Theatre Award Best Director
2025 Twelfth Night Director Barbican Theatre, London[16][17]
2026 Arcadia (play) Bernard Nightingale The Old Vic, London[18][19]
2026 45 Years Director Minerva Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Production Result
2009 Ian Charleson Awards Actor Thyestes Nominated
2023 British Independent Film Awards Director Ballywalter Longlisted
2023 Gold Derby Awards Drama Guest Actor The Crown Nominated
2025 UK Theatre Awards Director Twelfth Night Won

References

  1. ↑ Barnett, Laura (11 January 2015). "Second comings: the artists who found success the long way round". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Prasanna Puwanarajah". Nick Hern Books. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  3. ↑ Clarke, Andrew (23 April 2013). "Suffolk-born doctor now operates in a different theatre". East Anglia Daily Times. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  4. ↑ Watson, Faye (1 April 2019). "Prasanna Puwanarajah: The Edgware Road actor's journey from NHS to TV". The Resident. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  5. ↑ Dalton, Ben (28 January 2021). "First look at comedy 'Ballywalter' as filming wraps in Northern Ireland (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  6. ↑ Gordon, Naomi (14 September 2017). "Doctor Foster's Prasanna Puwanarajah: 'James and Gemma have a genuine connection'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  7. ↑ "Doctor Foster: James Mohan". BBC One. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  8. ↑ Kealey, Helena (11 May 2018). "Patrick Melrose star Prasanna Puwanarajah talks to Culture Whisper". Culture Whisperer. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  9. ↑ Drama Guest Actor
  10. ↑ "Prasanna Puwanarajah". National Theatre. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  11. ↑ "Prasanna Puwanarajah". United Agents. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  12. ↑ "Henry V". Michael Grandage Company. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  13. ↑ Stewart, Greg (28 July 2017). "NYT Interview: Prasanna Puwanarajah Director of The Reluctant Fundamentalist". Theatre Weekly. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  14. ↑ Bowie-Sell, Daisy (24 April 2018). "Prasanna Puwanarajah: 'Britain wasn't ready for Absolute Hell when it first came out'". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  15. ↑ Saner, Emine (16 May 2018). "Prasanna Puwanarajah: 'I thought Planet Acting didn't need someone like me'". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  16. 1 2 "Prasanna Puwanarajah Q&A". Royal Shakespeare Company. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  17. 1 2 Hemming, Sarah (17 May 2019). "Why Prasanna Puwanarajah quit medicine for theatre". Financial Times. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  18. ↑ "Prasanna Puwanarajah Stars In Arcadia". Dean St Voices. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
  19. ↑ "Cast Revealed For Tom Stoppard's Arcadia At The Old Vic". What's On Stage. 9 December 2025. Retrieved 9 December 2025.

Further reading

  • Mercurio, Jed; Puwanarajah, Prasanna (2021). Sleeper. Scribner UK. ISBN 9781471194986.
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