How a short film at Cannes launched a new era of Telugu cinema
In short: Before winning National Film Awards, Tharun Bhascker was making short films that caught the eye of the Cannes Film Festival. From Madras to New York, his journey reflects a modern, globalized approach to Indian storytelling that has redefined the romantic comedy genre.
Born on 5 November 1988 in Madras, Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam represents a new generation of Telugu filmmakers. Raised in Hyderabad, his academic path took him from The Hyderabad Public School and Swami Vivekananda Institute of Technology to the New York Film Academy. This international training likely informed the sensibilities found in his early work, which began with short films like Anukokunda and Sainma. The former even achieved the prestige of being screened at the Cannes Film Festival.
Bhascker's breakthrough came in 2016 with his first full-length feature, Pelli Choopulu. Both critical acclaim and box-office success met the rom-com, which garnered the Telugu-language National Film Award for Best Feature Film alongside Bhascker's win for Best Screenplay – Dialogues. The film's impact was so significant that it prompted several linguistic remakes, including the Hindi film Mitron in 2018, the Malayalam Vijay Superum Pournamiyum in 2019, and the Tamil Oh Manapenne.
His career has since expanded into acting and writing for digital platforms. In 2018, he appeared in the biopic Mahanati, and in 2019, he took on a lead role in Meeku Maathrame Cheptha. He also contributed to the ZEE5 web series B. Tech later that same year. While his family history is rooted in the industry—his mother, Geetha Bhaskar, is an actress and entrepreneur—Bhascker has carved his own path through works like the 2023 release Keedaa Cola. Looking forward, his upcoming lead role in Gaayapadda Simham is slated for a May 2026 theatrical release.
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