Prasanna Puwanarajah

Prasanna Puwanarajah (Tamil: பிரசன்னா புவனராஜா; born 1981) is a versatile British actor, director, writer, and former junior medical doctor.

Born in Suffolk at Ipswich Hospital to Tamil Sri Lankan parents, Puwanarajah's mother was a psychiatrist, while his father practiced as a dentist. His early years were spent on Churchill Avenue in Ipswich before his family relocated to Hampshire when he was just four years old. Throughout his schooling, he was involved in various theatrical productions and even spent a season with the National Youth Theatre, initially viewing acting as a mere hobby rather than a viable career path.

Puwanarajah pursued a degree in Medicine at New College, Oxford, and subsequently worked as a junior doctor, focusing on reconstructive surgery for over three years. However, during a year-long sabbatical, he felt an undeniable urge to embrace the world of acting fully. He describes this shift not as a rejection of his medical profession but rather as a compelling attraction to a different calling. Since then, Puwanarajah has successfully transitioned into the performing arts, making a significant impact as both an actor and a director.