Kiran Raj (born 5 July) is an Indian actor and model who works in Kannada and Hindi television and cinema. He is best known for portraying Harsha Kumar in the drama series Kannadathi (2020âÂÂ2023). As of 2025, Raj is reported to be among the highest-paid actors in Kannada television.
As of June 2025, Raj is playing the titular character of a gynaecologist in Zee Kannada's Karna. The show gained the highest TRP ratings on Kannada television in the first three weeks.
Following the release of Ronny: The Ruler (2024), Raj received increased attention for his performance, which contributed to his growing presence in Kannada cinema. In interviews, he stated that the film marked an important phase in his career and expressed interest in exploring a wider range of roles across different genres.
In 2021, Raj became the first Kannada television actor to trend on Google Search in India, reflecting his popularity at the time among television audiences.
In 2025, Raj garnered further attention with the teaser of his upcoming film Jockey 42, which received significant online viewership shortly after its release. The teaser highlighted a restrained performance by the actor and generated anticipation for the film prior to its theatrical release.
During the same period, Raj continued his work in Kannada television with Karna, which recorded high viewership ratings during its initial weeks of broadcast.