Tharun Bhascker

Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam is an Indian film director, screenwriter, actor, and television host who predominantly works in Telugu cinema. Born on November 5, 1988, in Madras (present-day Chennai) and raised in Hyderabad, he studied mechanical engineering at the Swami Vivekananda Institute of Technology before earning a degree in filmmaking from the New York Film Academy. He initially made a mark with acclaimed independent short films like *Anukokunda* (which screened at the Cannes Film Festival) and *Sainma*.

He made his full-length directorial debut with the pathbreaking romantic comedy *Pelli Choopulu* (2016), which became a massive critical and commercial success. The film won two National Film Awards, including Best Screenplay (Dialogues) for Bhascker and Best Feature Film in Telugu, alongside the SIIMA Award for Best Debut Director. He followed it with the cult buddy comedy *Ee Nagaraniki Emaindhi* (2018), directed the "Ramula" segment in Netflix's anthology *Pitta Kathalu* (2021), and wrote and directed the crime comedy caper *Keedaa Cola* (2023).

Alongside filmmaking, Bhascker has built an active on-screen career as an actor, debuting in the biopic *Mahanati* (2018) as Singeetham Srinivasa Rao and playing the lead in the comedy *Meeku Maathrame Cheptha* (2019). His other notable acting roles include performances in *Falaknuma Das* (2019), *Middle Class Melodies* (2020), *Sita Ramam* (2022), *Keedaa Cola* (2023), and the investigative web series *Dhootha* (2023).