# Tharun Bhascker
**Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam** (తరుణ్ భాస్కర్ ధాస్యం; born 1988) is an Indian film director, writer, dialogue writer, and actor who works primarily in [Telugu cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/telugu-cinema). He made his feature directorial debut with the 2016 romantic comedy *Pelli Choopulu*, which won two [National Film Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-film-awards) and is widely credited as an early film of the new wave of Telugu filmmaking.[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/tharun-bhascker/1071799) • [2](https://starsunfolded.com/tharun-bhascker/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / birth | Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam, born 1988 in Warangal district (Hanamkonda), Telangana[3](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/telugu/director/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam) |
| Occupations | Director, writer, screenplay and dialogue writer, actor, television presenter[2](https://starsunfolded.com/tharun-bhascker/) |
| Feature debut | *Pelli Choopulu* (2016), a Telugu romantic comedy starring Vijay Deverakonda and Ritu Varma[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/tharun-bhascker/1071799) |
| National honors | National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu and Best Screenplay for Dialogues, both for *Pelli Choopulu* (2017)[2](https://starsunfolded.com/tharun-bhascker/) |
| Other awards | SIIMA Best Debut Director, Telugu (2017); the 2017 Filmfare Award South for Best Director (Telugu) went instead to Vamsi Paidipally for *Oopiri*[2](https://starsunfolded.com/tharun-bhascker/) • [14](https://www.filmfare.com/awards/filmfare-awards-south-2017/telugu/winners) |
| Forthcoming | *Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi* (30 Jan 2026), *Gaayapadda Simham* (1 May 2026), *ENE Repeat* (19 Nov 2026)[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam/upcoming-movies.html) |
## Early life and education
Tharun Bhascker was born in 1988 in Hanamkonda, Warangal district of [Telangana](https://www.edgepedia.org/telangana), and was brought up in Marredpally in [Hyderabad](https://www.edgepedia.org/hyderabad).[3](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/telugu/director/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam) He is an alumnus of Hyderabad Public School and a mechanical engineering graduate of Swami Vivekananda Institute of Technology; he has said he took up engineering under peer pressure.[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/tharun-bhascker/1071799) • [3](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/telugu/director/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam)
His route into filmmaking began at school: in his 12th grade year (2006), his mother got him a video camera, and a clip he made for the school farewell function was shown on graduation day by his principal.[5](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2018/Jun/18/i-want-to-leave-no-genre-untouched-tharun-bhascker-6562.html) He later trained at the [New York Film Academy](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-york-film-academy); sources differ on the extent of the training, with one describing a one-month filmmaking course conducted by the academy in Mumbai and another describing a graduation in filmmaking there.[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/tharun-bhascker/1071799) • [3](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/telugu/director/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam) He is also a certified tabla artist.[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/tharun-bhascker/1071799)
## Short films and feature debut
Tharun first participated in the 48-hour Film Project in 2012, making the romantic short film *Anukokunda* (meaning "unexpectedly") with friends Upendra Varma, Ranjit Kumar, and Hari Varun.[1](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/tharun-bhascker/1071799) His short-film period also included writing and directing *Highderabad* (2011),[6](https://wikibio.in/tharun-bhascker/) and *Anukokunda* (2012) and *Sainma* (2015) made in association with Vinoothna Geetha Media; the shorts drew critical praise and accumulated millions of views on YouTube, and *The Journey* was selected for the Imphal Film Festival in 2015.[3](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/telugu/director/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam)
His first feature, *Pelli Choopulu* (2016), a small-budget romantic comedy, became a commercial success in India and the United States, where it was reported to be crossing the million-dollar mark.[3](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/telugu/director/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam) • [7](https://www.idlebrain.com/movie/postmortem/pellichoopulu.html) [Pelli Choopulu](https://www.edgepedia.org/pelli-choopulu) won the [National Film Award for Best Feature Film](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-film-award-for-best-feature-film) in Telugu and the National Film Award for Best Screenplay for Dialogues, and Tharun received the SIIMA award for Best Debut Director (Telugu).[2](https://starsunfolded.com/tharun-bhascker/) Directors including S.S. Rajamouli and Sukumar publicly appreciated the work.[3](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/telugu/director/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam) In an interview, Tharun said he used the character arcs of [Judd Apatow](https://www.edgepedia.org/judd-apatow)'s *Knocked Up* as references for the film.[8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxJfyRH_ZRY)
## Directing career after the debut
His second feature, the buddy comedy *Ee Nagaraniki Emaindi*, released on 29 June 2018.[9](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Tharun-Bhascker/movies) His next theatrical feature as director, the comedy *Keedaa Cola*, was released on 3 November 2023.[10](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam/filmography.html)
Describing his writing method in a 2019 interview, Tharun said he writes from the perspective of his characters and keeps dialogue as colloquial as possible, and that his films have been slice-of-life and realistic rather than staged and theatrical in their dialogue.[11](https://www.voxspace.in/2019/09/22/voxtalks-with-tharun-bhascker/) He has also framed the director's job commercially: "As a filmmaker, my job is to make a good film and protect my producer's money."
## Acting and other work
Subsequent acting credits include Saidulu in *[Falaknuma Das](https://www.edgepedia.org/falaknuma-das)* (2019), Rakesh in *Meeku Maathrame Cheptha* (2019), a cameo in *[Middle Class Melodies](https://www.edgepedia.org/middle-class-melodies)* (2020), a scientist in *Skylab* (2021), Balaji in *Sita Ramam* (2022), and the Blue Jaguar guy in *Das Ka Dhamki* (2023).[10](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam/filmography.html) In 2018 he also wrote the screenplay for the ZEE5 web series *B. Tech*.[12](https://tollywooddesk.com/person/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam/)
## Personal life and family
Tharun married Latha Naidu on 20 November 2013.[2](https://starsunfolded.com/tharun-bhascker/) His mother, Geetha Bhascker, is an actress and educational entrepreneur who made her screen debut in *Fidaa* (2017).[12](https://tollywooddesk.com/person/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam/)
## Recent and upcoming films
Tharun has continued to work mainly as an actor in Telugu films while directing occasionally. Recent releases include *[Santhana Prapthirasthu](https://www.edgepedia.org/santhana-prapthirasthu)* (14 November 2025), *[Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi](https://www.edgepedia.org/om-shanti-shanti-shantihi)* (30 January 2026), a Telugu remake of the Malayalam film *Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey* starring Tharun and Eesha Rebba, and *[Gaayapadda Simham](https://www.edgepedia.org/gaayapadda-simham)* (1 May 2026), a comedy in which Tharun stars with Faria Abdullah and Maanasa Choudhary.[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam/upcoming-movies.html) • [13](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/om-shanti-shanti-shantihi-review-tharun-bhascker-film-is-same-same-but-different-2860392-2026-01-30) • [9](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Tharun-Bhascker/movies) On file at Tollywood Desk he has Telugu films dated 2016 to 2026, counted as 13 appearances as actor, four as writer, and three as director, with *ENE Repeat* scheduled for 19 November 2026 as his next directing project.[4](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam/upcoming-movies.html) • [12](https://tollywooddesk.com/person/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam/)
## References
1. [Tharun Bhascker: Movies, Biography, News, Age & Photos, BookMyShow](https://in.bookmyshow.com/person/tharun-bhascker/1071799)
2. [Tharun Bhascker Age, Wife, Family, Biography & More, StarsUnfolded](https://starsunfolded.com/tharun-bhascker/)
3. [Telugu Director Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam Biography, News, Photos, Videos, NETTV4U](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/telugu/director/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam)
4. [Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam Upcoming Movies (2026, 2027), FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam/upcoming-movies.html)
5. [I want to leave no genre untouched: Tharun Bhascker, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/interviews/2018/Jun/18/i-want-to-leave-no-genre-untouched-tharun-bhascker-6562.html)
6. [Tharun Bhascker Wiki, Age, Girlfriend, Wife, Family, Biography & More, WikiBio](https://wikibio.in/tharun-bhascker/)
7. [Post mortem: Pelli Choopulu by Tharun Bhascker, Idlebrain](https://www.idlebrain.com/movie/postmortem/pellichoopulu.html)
8. [Tharun Bhascker Real Life Story (Biography), YOYO Cine Talkies, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxJfyRH_ZRY)
9. [Tharun Bhascker Movies: Latest and Upcoming Films, Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Tharun-Bhascker/movies)
10. [తరుణ్ భాస్కర్ ధాస్యం ఫిల్మోగ్రఫీ, Filmibeat Telugu](https://telugu.filmibeat.com/celebs/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam/filmography.html)
11. [VoxTalks With Tharun Bhascker, VoxSpace](https://www.voxspace.in/2019/09/22/voxtalks-with-tharun-bhascker/)
12. [Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam Movies List: 17 Telugu Films (2016–2026), Tollywood Desk](https://tollywooddesk.com/person/tharun-bhascker-dhaassyam/)
13. [Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi review, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/om-shanti-shanti-shantihi-review-tharun-bhascker-film-is-same-same-but-different-2860392-2026-01-30)
14. [Telugu Winners: Filmfare Award South 2017, List of Telugu Filmfare Award Winners, Filmfare.com](https://www.filmfare.com/awards/filmfare-awards-south-2017/telugu/winners)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Directors, producers, and screenwriters › Indian and South Asian film directors › Telugu cinema directors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license