Prasanna Puwanarajah

Prasanna Puwanarajah (; 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.

He trained in Medicine at New College, Oxford. 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.

Personal life , Puwanarajah was living in north-west London.

Filmography Film

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) 2018 Patrick Melrose Johnny Hall Miniseries 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 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 2011 Nightwatchman WriterPart of Double Feature at the Royal National Theatre, London 2013 Moth Director HighTide Festival, Aldeburgh / Bush Theatre, London 2013–2014 Henry V Montjoy Noël Coward Theatre, London 2014 Peddling 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 WINNER: Lustrum Award NOMINATED: Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award SHORTLISTED: Carol Tambor Award 2018 Absolute Hell Nigel Childs Royal National Theatre, London 2019 Venice Preserved Director Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon 2024 Twelfth Night Director Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon WINNER: UK Theatre Award Best Director 2025 Twelfth Night Director Barbican Theatre, London 2026 45 Years Director Minerva Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Production Result 2009 Ian Charleson Awards Actor Thyestes 2023 British Independent Film Awards Director Ballywalter 2023 Gold Derby Awards Drama Guest Actor The Crown 2025 UK Theatre Awards DirectorTwelfth Night