Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1954-07-14
- Born Place: Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Also Known As:
Thanikella Bharani, Thanikirla Bharani
Tanikella Bharani
Tanikella Bharani is a highly prolific and multifaceted Indian artist, renowned predominantly for his work as an actor, screenwriter, poet, playwright, and director in the Telugu film industry (Tollywood). Born on July 14, 1954, in Secunderabad, Telangana, his career, which began with stage plays in the mid-70s, spans over four decades and includes appearances in well over 750 films across Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi languages. Bharani initially gained recognition as a writer, penning dialogues for 52 films, including the path-breaking Ladies Tailor (1985) and Ram Gopal Varma’s cult hit Shiva (1989), in which his role as 'Nanaji' also brought him significant fame as an actor. He is celebrated for his versatility, seamlessly shifting between comedic, villainous (winning a Nandi Award for Best Villain for Samudram), and mature character roles, notably in films like Nuvvu Nenu, Manmadhudu, Godavari, and the pan-Indian hit Baahubali: The Beginning. Beyond acting, he directed the critically acclaimed 2012 drama film Mithunam, which earned him the CineMAA Special Jury Award for Best Director. A devout Shaiva Hindu, he is also a respected literary figure, having written and sung devotional songs and authored several books and plays, and has been honored with multiple awards including three Nandi Awards and the prestigious Lok Nayak Foundation Sahitya Puraskar (Andhra Jnanpith).
