A well-known name in the Kannada film industry, Prem Jogi is a director, actor, producer, occasional singer and lyricist. Prem made his debut in 2003 as a director of Kannada film Kariya. After Kariya, Prem went on to direct two more successful films and earned the title of the `Hat-trick Director`. He made his acting debut in the 2008 romantic film Ee Preethi Yeke Bhoomi Melide.

EARLY LIFE
Prem Jogi was born Kiran Kumar on 22nd October 1976 in Maddur, Karnataka.

PERSONAL LIFE
Prem is married to South-Indian actress Rakshita with whom he has a son named Surya.

CAREER
As an Actor
In 2008, Prem decided to try his hand at acting after having delivered three back-to-back super hits as a director. His first film as an actor, Ee Preethi Yeke Bhoomi Melide, was introduced to the public with great fanfare and expectation during its pre-release promotion. The film was expected to soar and even became popular for its exceptional soundtracks. However, the film was lacking in every other department and turned out to be a huge flop.

In 2012, Prem Jogi, went on to play the lead role in a film (which for the first time wasn`t a self-directed project). The film, titled Prem Adda (2012), was the remake of a Tamil blockbuster (Subramaniapuram) and received a mixed reaction from the masses. He then starred in his home production DK (2015). It was the first Kannada film to feature a 7.1 surround sound.

As a Director
Prem started his career as a director with the 2003 gangster-romance film titled Kariya. The film was well received by audiences and was critically acclaimed. In the same year, he went on to direct Excuse Me, an easy-watching comedy which turned out to be a hit.

In 2005, Prem went on to not only direct but also sing and provide the lyrics for his biggest film at the time - Jogi. At the box office, Jogi went on to do exceptionally well. After acting in the flop 2008 film Ee Preethi Yeke Bhoomi Melide, Prem reverted to direction with the film Raaj the Showman (2010), which became famous for its exceptional cinematography. This was followed by the action drama Jogayya (2011), which was a sequel to his 2005 blockbuster Jogi and featured Shiva Rajkumar in the titular role. However, the movie opened to mixed reviews.

After a seven-year hiatus from filmmaking, Prem returned to direction with the multi-starrer The Villain (2018), which he also wrote. Touted as one of the most anticipated Kannada films in recent times, the action thriller featured Shiva Rajkumar and Kiccha Sudeep in the lead, with Amy Jackson and Mithun Chakraborty essaying pivotal roles. Besides serving as the writer-director, Prem also crooned a couple of well-received songs in the film.