Prominent Figures of the Kerala Church-53 Jose Prakash

Prominent Figures of the Kerala Church-53
Jose Prakash

Jose Prakash, who earned the admiration of art lovers in his roles as a singer, film actor, stage actor, and director, was born on April 14, 1925, in Changanassery. His father was Kunnell K. J. Joseph and his mother was Eliyamma, a member of the Kadandott family in Changanassery. Among the eight children born to this couple, Jose Prakash was the eldest. His childhood name was Baby. The name Jose Prakash was given by actor Thikkurissi Sukumaran Nair when he entered the film industry. Although his childhood was in Changanassery, he grew up and completed his education in Kottayam. His father worked at the Kottayam Munsiff Court, so the family settled there. At the age of 17, in 1942, Jose Prakash joined the army. His first posting was in Ferozepur, which is now in Pakistan. During World War II, he served as a brave soldier in several places in Northern India. After India gained independence, he left the army in 1949 after seven years of service. During this period, he married Philomina from Kottayam. (His eldest daughter, Elamma, runs the Good Shepherd International School in Ooty.)

Though he did not formally study music, Baby had a passion for music from childhood. He made efforts to develop the talent he was naturally gifted with. With a desire to become a good singer, he entered the film industry. In 1952, he sang and acted in a minor role in the film “Alphons,” directed by O. J. Thottan. He continued to sing and act in films such as “Premalekha,” “Vishappinte Vili,” “Avakasi,” and “Shariyothu Thero.” Alongside, he was involved in theater in Kottayam, both as an actor and director. Due to the unpredictable income from being an artist, Jose Prakash also turned his attention to business. He moved to Ernakulam, where he started a ready-made dress shop and tailoring business. As the demands of the film industry increased, he completely left the theater. He acted in over 400 films in Malayalam and Tamil, including “Ariyappeduth,” “Kooduvare,” “Kani Kaana Neram,” “Swanthamevide,” and “Bandhamevide,” excelling in various roles such as villains, fathers, and priests. Apart from Malayalam, Jose Prakash was also fluent in English, Hindi, and Tamil.