Prakash Varma

Varma was born and brought up in Alappuzha, Kerala, India.{{cite news|date=21 May 2009|title=The world of Zoozoos|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/The-world-of-Zoozoos/article15927080.ece|work=The Hindu}} His father and mother were teachers. He is an alumnus of SD College, Alappuzha.{{cite news |title='കരണം നോക്കി ഒന്ന് പൊട്ടിക്കാൻ തോന്നുന്ന വില്ലൻ'; ആരാണ് 'തുടരും' ചിത്രത്തിലെ സിഐ ജോർജ് സാർ |url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/movies-music/news/prakash-varma-thudarum-villain-1.10540297 |access-date=2 May 2025 |work=Mathrubhumi |date=26 April 2025 |language=ml}} Varma is nephew to Malayalam film actor Jagannatha Varma.{{cite news |last1=Alexander |first1=Princy |title=Mohanlal was very protective while filming an action scene with me: 'Thudarum' actor Prakash Varma {{!}} Exclusive |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2025/05/01/prakash-varma-interview-thudarum-performance-as-george-inspector-of-police.html |access-date=2 May 2025 |work=OnManorama |date=1 May 2025}} He has four brothers. In an interview, Varma said that he knows his family is related to painter Raja Ravi Varma, but has "no clue how". He worked in Pfizer before pursuing his passion in filmmaking.

After graduation from college, Varma worked as an assistant director to filmmakers A. K. Lohithadas and Viji Thampi. He began his commercial career as an assistant to ad filmmaker V.K. Prakash. After three years of assisting Prakash under the ad company Trends, in 2001, Varma and his wife set up their own production house, Nirvana Films, in Bangalore. The company's first notable ad was for WagonR's Feel at Home series, which won an awards for the best campaign of 2001. He also directed ad for Bajaj XCD 135. His campaign for Hutch featuring a pug was so popular that the price for pugs rose in India. He has also done ad for Airtel. He directed campaigns for Vodafone featuring the characters ZooZoos, sketched by himself. He then went on to make notable ads, including Titan, Hyundai Santro, Chevrolet Optra, Frooti, Lee, Pond's.

In 2009, American filmmaker Michael Bay hired Varma to direct commercials for his company The Institute.{{cite news |last1=Nyayapati |first1=Neeshita |title=Meet actor who directed ads with Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone; is now going toe-to-toe with Mohanlal in Thudarum |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/others/prakash-varma-who-directed-ads-with-shah-rukh-khan-deepika-padukone-mohanlal-in-thudarum-101745754642400.html |access-date=2 May 2025 |work=Hindustan Times |date=27 April 2025}}

He also directed ads for Cadbury Gems, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Facebook, iPhone, Indian Railways, Kerala Tourism, Rajasthan Tourism, Madhya Pradesh Tourism, West Bengal Tourism, and Incredible India. In 2013, he produced the Malayalam film Ezhu Sundara Rathrikal directed by Lal Jose and also directed a promo song in the film, "Pettidamaarum Aapathil". His ad for Greenply served as the inspiration for Lijo Jose Pellissery's 2022 film Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam. In 2025, he made his acting debut with Thudarum, playing CI George Mathan, for which he received widespread critical acclaim.

Varma married Sneha Iype, whom he met when the two were working in V. K. Prakash's Trends in Bangalore. The couple has twin sons. In 2001, they founded the production company Nirvana Films. He resides in Whitefield, Bengaluru.{{cite news |title=Meet the Zoozoo creator |url=https://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/opinion/sunday-read/meet-the-zoozoo-creator/articleshow/22149502.cms |access-date=2 May 2025 |work=Bangalore Mirror |date=9 May 2009}}

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Category:Living people

Category:Indian filmmakers

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• {{IMDB name|12551052}}

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