# Priyanka Jawalkar
**Priyanka Jawalkar** (ప్రియాంక జవాల్కర్; born 1992) is an Indian actress who works mainly in [Telugu cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/telugu-cinema). She is known for *Taxiwala* (2018), *SR Kalyanamandapam* and *Thimmarusu* (both 2021), *Gamanam* (2021), *Bhagavanth Kesari* (2023), and *Mad Square* (2025).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9571894) • [2](https://www.nowrunning.com/celebrity/80440/priyanka-jawalkar/index.htm)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1992, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, India[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9571894) |
| Industry | Telugu film industry (Tollywood)[3](https://in.bookmyshow.com/amp/person/priyanka-jawalkar/1083941) |
| First film | *Kala Varam Aaye* (2017), directed by Sampath V. Kumar[3](https://in.bookmyshow.com/amp/person/priyanka-jawalkar/1083941) |
| Breakthrough | *Taxiwala* (2018), opposite Vijay Deverakonda, as Anu[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9571894) |
| Education | Computer Science engineering in Anantapur; fashion diploma at NIFT Hyderabad; an eight-month statistics course at Harvard[4](https://indiaglitz.com/vijay-helped-me-improve-acting-basics-priyanka-jawalkar-telugu-news-224054) |
| Background | Born into a Marathi family settled in Anantapur; speaks Telugu fluently[4](https://indiaglitz.com/vijay-helped-me-improve-acting-basics-priyanka-jawalkar-telugu-news-224054) |
| Recent films | *Tillu Square* (2024) as the Girl in Pub; *Mad Square* (2025) as Laila[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9571894) |
## Early life and education
Jawalkar was born in 1992 in [Anantapur](https://www.edgepedia.org/anantapur), Andhra Pradesh, into a Marathi family that had settled in the town; her parents grew up there, and she was born and brought up in Anantapur, completing her engineering degree in Computer Science there.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9571894) • [4](https://indiaglitz.com/vijay-helped-me-improve-acting-basics-priyanka-jawalkar-telugu-news-224054) • [5](https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/tollywood/141118/telugu-girl-priyanka-jawalkars-big-debut.html) She has said she reads, writes, and speaks Telugu, and that her family was pleased that she established herself as a heroine from Anantapur.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/anantapur-girl-priyanka-jawalkar-to-romance-vijay-deverakonda/articleshow/61090291.cms) • [4](https://indiaglitz.com/vijay-helped-me-improve-acting-basics-priyanka-jawalkar-telugu-news-224054)
**Education before acting.** After engineering, she moved to [Hyderabad](https://www.edgepedia.org/hyderabad) and completed a diploma in fashion clothing and technology at NIFT (the [National Institute of Fashion Technology](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-institute-of-fashion-technology)).[4](https://indiaglitz.com/vijay-helped-me-improve-acting-basics-priyanka-jawalkar-telugu-news-224054) • [6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/anantapur-girl-priyanka-jawalkar-to-romance-vijay-deverakonda/articleshow/61090291.cms) Acting was on her mind from childhood, but she did not tell people about it fearing a backlash.[4](https://indiaglitz.com/vijay-helped-me-improve-acting-basics-priyanka-jawalkar-telugu-news-224054) She acted in short films, of which the first, *Possessiveness*, went viral; Telugu speakers in the United States recognized her from it.[5](https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/tollywood/141118/telugu-girl-priyanka-jawalkars-big-debut.html) • [4](https://indiaglitz.com/vijay-helped-me-improve-acting-basics-priyanka-jawalkar-telugu-news-224054) She then took a year's break, gave the GRE and TOEFL with the aim of studying data analytics, and completed an eight-month statistics course at Harvard.[4](https://indiaglitz.com/vijay-helped-me-improve-acting-basics-priyanka-jawalkar-telugu-news-224054)
## Career
**Debut and Taxiwala.** BookMyShow records her film debut as *Kala Varam Aaye* (2017), directed by Sampath V. Kumar.[3](https://in.bookmyshow.com/amp/person/priyanka-jawalkar/1083941) Her first major release was the supernatural comic thriller *Taxiwala* (released 17 November 2018), directed by Rahul Sankrityan, in which she played Anu, the female lead opposite [Vijay Deverakonda](https://www.edgepedia.org/vijay-deverakonda); the story revolves around a cab, a cabbie, and an experiment that goes wrong.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/anantapur-girl-priyanka-jawalkar-to-romance-vijay-deverakonda/articleshow/61090291.cms) • [7](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/priyanka-jawalkar/filmography.html) She auditioned multiple times over almost three months before being cast.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/anantapur-girl-priyanka-jawalkar-to-romance-vijay-deverakonda/articleshow/61090291.cms) The makers liked her dress sense and asked her to style herself in the film, and she dubbed for her own lines.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/anantapur-girl-priyanka-jawalkar-to-romance-vijay-deverakonda/articleshow/61090291.cms) She has credited Deverakonda with tips that improved her acting basics and boosted her confidence.[4](https://indiaglitz.com/vijay-helped-me-improve-acting-basics-priyanka-jawalkar-telugu-news-224054) The film's release was delayed, and she has said that during the delay she at times questioned her decision to become an actor.[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/priyanka-jawalkar-taxiwaala-5445912/lite/)
**2021 releases.** Three of her films released in 2021: *Thimmarusu: Assignment Vali* (30 July 2021, directed by Sharan Koppishetty), *SR Kalyanamandapam* (6 August 2021, directed by Sridhar Gade), and *Gamanam* (10 December 2021), the debut film of director Sujana Rao, in which she played Zara.[7](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/priyanka-jawalkar/filmography.html) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9571894) • [9](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2021/epaper/december/hyderabad-english-edition-2021-12-06.pdf) In interviews around *Gamanam*, she said the role gave her scope to act and would show audiences she could do off-beat films as well as commercial ones.[10](https://www.123telugu.com/interviews/interview-priyanka-jawalkar-i-got-a-great-scope-to-act-in-gamanam.html)
**Later work.** Her subsequent credits include *Bhagavanth Kesari* (2023), *Tillu Square* (2024), in which she played the Girl in Pub, and *Mad Square* (2025), in which she played Laila.[2](https://www.nowrunning.com/celebrity/80440/priyanka-jawalkar/index.htm) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9571894) She also appeared in the 2019 [Sid Sriram](https://www.edgepedia.org/sid-sriram) music video *Maate Vinadhuga*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9571894)
## Language and identity
Jawalkar's Telugu fluency and her identity as an "Anantapur pilla" (girl from Anantapur) have set her apart from female actors in Telugu cinema who come from non-Telugu states, according to *The Indian Express*.[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/priyanka-jawalkar-taxiwaala-5445912/lite/) She has said it would be good if more Telugu girls got to act in Telugu movies.[4](https://indiaglitz.com/vijay-helped-me-improve-acting-basics-priyanka-jawalkar-telugu-news-224054)
## References
1. [Priyanka Jawalkar, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9571894)
2. [Priyanka Jawalkar profile, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/celebrity/80440/priyanka-jawalkar/index.htm)
3. [Priyanka Jawalkar, BookMyShow](https://in.bookmyshow.com/amp/person/priyanka-jawalkar/1083941)
4. [Vijay helped me improve acting basics: Priyanka Jawalkar, IndiaGlitz](https://indiaglitz.com/vijay-helped-me-improve-acting-basics-priyanka-jawalkar-telugu-news-224054)
5. [Telugu girl Priyanka Jawalkar's big debut!, Deccan Chronicle](https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/tollywood/141118/telugu-girl-priyanka-jawalkars-big-debut.html)
6. [Anantapur girl Priyanka Jawalkar to romance Vijay Deverakonda, Times of India (16 October 2017)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/anantapur-girl-priyanka-jawalkar-to-romance-vijay-deverakonda/articleshow/61090291.cms)
7. [Priyanka Jawalkar filmography, Filmibeat Telugu](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/priyanka-jawalkar/filmography.html)
8. [It's not easy for non-Telugu actors to survive in Tollywood: Taxiwaala star Priyanka Jawalkar, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/telugu/priyanka-jawalkar-taxiwaala-5445912/lite/)
9. [The Pioneer, Hyderabad edition, 6 December 2021](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2021/epaper/december/hyderabad-english-edition-2021-12-06.pdf)
10. [Interview: Priyanka Jawalkar – I got a great scope to act in Gamanam, 123telugu](https://www.123telugu.com/interviews/interview-priyanka-jawalkar-i-got-a-great-scope-to-act-in-gamanam.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Telugu film actors › Surnames H to R*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license