Prasad Oak

Prasad Oak (Marathi pronunciation: [pɾəsaːd̪ oːk]; born 17 February 1975) is an Indian actor and film director who works in Marathi films, television and theatre. In a career spanning around three decades, he has received several accolades, including two Filmfare Awards Marathi, two Maharashtra State Film Award and a National Film Award.

Oak began his career in theatre before establishing himself on Marathi television, most notably with the long-running serial Avaghachi Sansar (2006) and won the celebrity edition of the singing competition Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Marathi. He went on to become a prominent film actor, with performances in Tee Ratra (2010), Rama Madhav (2014) and Balkadu (2015), and appeared in commercially successful films including Farzand and Ani... Dr. Kashinath Ghanekar (both 2018), Ye Re Ye Re Paisa 2 (2019) and Dhurala (2020), as well as the critically acclaimed Picasso (2019). His portrayal of Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe in Dharmaveer (2022) earned him widespread recognition, a role he reprised in its sequel Dharmaveer 2 (2024), both becoming commercial success.

As a director, Oak achieved critical recognition with the drama Kaccha Limbu (2018), which won the National Film Award and Filmfare Award. He subsequently directed Hirkani (2019) and Chandramukhi (2022), both commercial successes, followed by SuSheela SuJeet (2025).

Early life Prasad Prabhakar Oak was born on 17 February 1975 at Pune, Maharashtra, into a Marathi-speaking family. He was raised in Pune, where he completed his schooling at Bhave High School before graduating from the Brihan Maharashtra College of Commerce (BMCC). During his initial years in the city, he experienced financial hardship and was briefly without accommodation, spending several nights sleeping outdoors near Chitra Talkies in Dadar, before being taken in by a relative.

Career

Beginnings and television career (1990s–2011) Oak began his career in theatre in the mid-1990s as an assistant director on the Marathi play Premachi Goshta, working alongside the veteran actors Shriram Lagoo and Nilu Phule.

He made his television debut in Shri Adhikari Brothers' serial Bandini, opposite Mrinal Kulkarni, and drew early notice for his role in Andharyachya Parambya, a serial adapted from the play Barrister. During this period he also took supporting roles in Marathi television serials and films, including Damini, Aabhalmaya and Char Divas Sasuche. In 2004, Oak made his debut as a lead actor in the drama Kunku Lavte Mahercha, opposite Alka Kubal, portraying a wealthy man whose alcoholism and infidelity strain his family. During casting, Kubal was initially reluctant to work with Oak, as he was a newcomer and younger than her, but he remained in the role following discussions with the production team. After the film's release, he appeared in prominent roles in Marathi films such as Kalubaichya Naavan Changbhala (2005), Full 3 Dhamaal, Doghat Tisra Aata Sagala Visara and Ek Daav Dhobi Pachhad (all three released in 2008).

Oak gained wider recognition on television with Avaghachi Sansar, which aired on Zee Marathi in 2006 and became one of the channel's early long-running soap operas. His portrayal of the grey-shaded businessman Harshvardhan Bhosle, opposite Amruta Subhash, made him a household name, and the serial was among the highest-rated shows on Marathi television in 2008. In 2007, he won the celebrity edition of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Marathi, earning the title Ajinkyatara.

Transition to film and direction (2012–2016) In 2013, he co-directed, co-produced and acted in the ensemble comedy Hay Kay Nay Kay alongside Pushkar Shrotri under the banner Pops Entertainments; the film was a commercial failure. After the setback, Oak continued his acting career, appearing in Viju Mane's thriller Tee Ratra as a psychiatrist who poses as a serial killer to uncover a woman's hidden past, a performance that earned him the Special Jury Award at the Maharashtra State Film Awards. Over the following years he worked across a range of genres, in films including the critically acclaimed Khel Mandala (2012) and Aamhi Chamakate Taare (2013). He also continued in television, notably the family drama Honar Soon Mi Hya Gharchi from 2013, and made a brief appearance in the Hindi serial Diya Aur Baati Hum. Reviewing the film for The Indian Express, Namita Nivas described Oak's performance as Raghobadada, stating that he "exudes the perfect angst and hatred towards the system" He next played the antagonist in the political drama Balkadu (2015), loosely based on the ideology of politician Bal Thackeray. Mihir Bhanage of The Times of India remarked, " Oak has a great grip on his villainous role." In Anant Mahadevan's biographical drama Doctor Rakhmabai, he played Sakharam Arjun, the stepfather of Rukhmabai, an eminent physician and social activist. The film was screened at several film festivals but has not had a general release.

Critical recognition (2018–2021) Oak returned to direction as sole director with the black-and-white drama Kaccha Limbu (2018), starring Ravi Jadhav, Manmeet Pem and Sonali Kulkarni. Adapted from Jaywant Dalvi's acclaimed novel Runanubandh, the film about a couple raising a child with special needs, marked his critical breakthrough. Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in wrote, "Oak sensitively handles unthinkable realities of the household", while the reviewer Abhay Salvi praised his decision to cast Jadhav and to shoot much of the film in black and white, writing that "Prasad Oak has hit a six!" The film won the National Film Award for Best Marathi Feature Film and the Filmfare Awards Marathi for Best Film and Best Director. Oak was increasingly cast in prominent film roles. In 2018 he played the spy Bahirji Naik in the historical film Farzand, the first entry in Digpal Lanjekar's Shri Shivraj Ashtak series and the stage actor Prabhakar Panshikar in the biographical drama Ani... Dr. Kashinath Ghanekar.

In 2019 he directed and starred in the period film Hirkani, appearing as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj opposite Sonalee Kulkarni in the title role. Although the film earned ₹14 crore and was a commercial success, critics were less receptive to his direction. Ajay Parchure of Lokmat commented, "Oak has failed to fulfill the expectations raised about this film to a large extent." He received a Filmfare nomination for Best Director and won the MFK Award for Favourite Supporting Actor. It is the first Marathi film to document Dashavatara, one of the earliest forms of folk theatre in its original format. Reviewing the film, Jaydeep Pathakji of Maharashtra Times felt that "Oak succeeds in expressing the abstract pain of an artist who fills life with countless colours." Before its digital release on Amazon Prime Video in 2021, it premiered at the 10th Jagran Film Festival and the 7th Brahmaputra Valley Film Festival. The same year he had acting roles in Smile Please and Ye Re Ye Re Paisa 2, followed by Dhurala (2020).

Established actor and director (2022–present) The year 2022 marked a significant period in Oak's career as both a director and actor. As a director, he helmed Chandramukhi, a musical romance adapted from Vishwas Patil's novel, a project he had sought to adapt for over a decade. Starring Amruta Khanvilkar and Adinath Kothare, the film grossed ₹24 crore in its thetherical run. Shubham Kulkarni of Koimoi described it as Oak's "earnest attempt" and wrote, "He knows which scenes will manipulate emotions and what is to be catered to whom." Oak received several Best Director nominations, including at the Filmfare Marathi Awards and the Fakt Marathi Cine Sanman. As an actor, Oak portrayed Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe in Pravin Tarde's biographical film Dharmaveer. Reviewing the film for Maharashtra Times, Kalpeshraj Kubal wrote, "Dharmaveer wins half the battle with Prasad Oak's look and his behavior on screen." The film grossed ₹26 crore worldwide and earned him the Filmfare Award Marathi for Best Actor and the Maharashtra State Film Awards for Best Actor. In January 2026, his performance was recognized by the Global Book of Excellence (England) and the India Book of Records for receiving 15 acting awards for a single Marathi film.

He reprised the role of Anand Dighe in the sequel Dharmaveer 2 (2024), and the same year appeared in the period drama Phullwanti as the moneylender Bakhre Savkar Naik. In 2025 he took acting roles in the thriller Jilabi and in the comedy Gulkand.

Oak directed two films in 2025; the first, the suspense drama SuSheela SuJeet, which he also wrote and co-produced, starred Swapnil Joshi and Sonali Kulkarni in the title roles as two strangers thrown together over the course of a few hours; it opened to mixed-to-positive reviews. Both Gulkand and SuSheela SuJeet earned ₹8 crores at the box office becoming the third highest grossing Marathi film of the year. He then directed and played the lead in the family drama Vadapav, portraying a widowed single father who runs a vada pav franchise in London whose intended marriage to a much younger woman complicates his family's relationships. The film received a mixed response from critics and failed commercially.

Personal life Oak is married to actress and entrepreneur Manjiri Oak, who has also been associated with his directorial ventures The couple have two sons, Sarthak and Mayank. Their younger son, Mayank, made a cameo appearance as Krishna in Oak's directorial film Chandramukhi (2022).

Filmography +Key Denotes projects that have not yet been released Films

Television Theater Premachi Goshta (assistant director) Bhramacha Bhopala Adhantar Usna Navra Ya Ghar Apalach Ahe Lahanapan Dega Deva Nandee Ranangan Altun Paltun Wada Chirebandi Bechki Magna Talyakathi Aamcha Private Limited Maza Pati Krorepati Tu Mhanshil Tasa

Awards and recognition