Birth Day: 1954-07-14
Place of birth: Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Tanikella Bharani (born 14 July 1954) is an Indian actor, screenwriter, poet, playwright, and director who primarily works in Telugu cinema, with appearances in Tamil and Hindi films. He began his career as a stage actor and playwright in the mid-1970s before entering the film industry. Bharani made his film debut as a dialogue writer for *Kanchu Kavacham* (1984). He wrote dialogues for films including *Ladies Tailor* (1985), *Sri Kanaka Mahalakshmi Recording Dance Troupe* (1987), and Ram Gopal Varma's gangster drama *Shiva* (1989), in which he also played Nanaji. He later appeared in villainous, comedic, and supporting roles. He won the Nandi Award for Best Villain for *Samudram* (1999) and the Nandi Award for Best Character Actor for *Nuvvu Nenu* (2001). Bharani has acted in more than 750 films and has written books, plays, and devotional songs dedicated to Lord Shiva. He made his directorial debut with the Telugu drama *Mithunam* (2012), starring S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and Lakshmi, and received the CineMAA Special Jury Award for Best Direction. He played the priest Swamyji in S. S. Rajamouli's *Baahubali: The Beginning* (2015) and *Baahubali 2: The Conclusion* (2017). His Tamil film roles include appearances in *Ghilli* (2004) and *Vaathi* (2023). His 2024 releases include the political thriller *Prathinidhi 2*, the action film *Bhaje Vaayu Vegam*, Harish Shankar's *Mr. Bachchan*, the thriller *Kalinga*, and *Nindha*. His 2025 credits include Krish Jagarlamudi's period film *Hari Hara Veera Mallu*, Mohan Krishna Indraganti's comedy *Sarangapani Jathakam*, *Kishkindhapuri*, and Mani Ratnam's Tamil action-drama *Thug Life*. He has received three Nandi Awards and the Sahitya Puraskar for his literary work.
Credits
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As Chari -
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As Ahobila Rao -
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As Bhushan Verma -
As Sivaguru -
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As Swami -
As Mahendra -
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As Bala -
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As Satyanand -
As Spiritual Preacher -
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As Sarpanch -
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As Ramgarh Thakur -
As Thanigachalam -
As Singinadham -
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As Rameshwar Kodathi -
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As (Voice Only) -
As Subhash and Jai's father -
As Appa Rao -
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As Vasudeva Rao -
As Police Officer -
As The Priest -
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As Master -
As Sreenu's Father -
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As Ramu, Sanjana's Father -
As Priest -
As MLA -
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As Appayya Panthulu / Outdated Priest -
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As Govindu -
As Producer of Movie -
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As Vinay Chandra -
As Sadasivam, Anand's Grandfather -
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As Ganapthi -
As Vashishta's Uncle -
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As Venkateshwar Anandaraju -
As IG Y. V. Narendra -
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As Rama Sharma -
As Varaha Murthy -
As Anjaneya Prasad -
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As Govindayya Sharma -
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As Ravi's father -
As C.M. -
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As Trust chairman Tilak -
As Shyam Prasad -
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As Abhi's uncle -
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As Jai's Dad -
As Janardhan -
As Swami (voice) (uncredited) -
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As Duvvada Subrahmanya Sastry -
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As Murthy -
As Rama's Father -
As Deva Dattudu -
As Gundappa Naidu -
As Chief Minister -
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As Waiter -
As A.K.Ganapathi Sastry -
As Chalaram (Cameo) -
As Radhakrishnan's Father -
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As Mailaramgadda -
As Dr. Anjeneyulu -
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As Sathyaraj's Friend -
As Gabbar Singh's Guardian -
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As Anu's would-be father in law -
As Amala's Father -
As Sathya's father -
As Sudoku Murthy -
As Kaalidasu -
As Mohan -
As Makrandam -
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As Swamiji -
As Ramarao -
As Ersam -
As Ravi's Father and Rama Chandra Rao's Big Brother -
As Venkatratnam -
As RMP Doctor -
As Doctor -
As Orphanage Principal -
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As Venkata Rao -
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As Dasaradh Prasad -
As Vedam -
As Adi Moolam
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As Lawyer -
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As Narasimha's friend -
As Adi Keshava -
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As Jailor -
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As Valli's Father -
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As judge -
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As Ammullu's Father -
As Pilli Gopi Krishna Simha -
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As Shankarabharanam -
As Kondala Rao -
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As Narayana Murthy -
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As Mavayya -
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As Bhooti -
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As Badri's Father -
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As Ramachandra -
As Viswanath -
As Chandu's Father -
As Voice Over -
As Kaksheera -
As Guruvayya -
As Y. Venkat -
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As Rakesh's Father -
As Preethi's Father -
As Narayanan -
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As Ram Murthy -
As Ram Murthy -
As Ajay's Father -
As Sharma C.S. -
As Chari's Adoptive Father -
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As Lawyer Saab -
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As Durga Prasad -
As Nanaji -
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As Varun's Father -
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As Devudu Babu -
As Telugu Teacher -
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As Veeraiah -
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As Sarva Sarma -
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As Principal of College -
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As School Teacher -
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As Raghava /"Dallas" Nageswara Rao -
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As Deiva's Father -
As Bulli reddy -
As Bommana brothers' father -
As School Teacher -
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As Guru's Father -
As Anjali's father -
As Raja's Father -
As RBI Official -
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As Forest officer -
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As Corporator Krishna -
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As Paparao -
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As Paala Pullayya -
As Mallika's father -
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As Captain Chintamani -
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As Lallu -
As Criminal Lawyer Sachidanandam -
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As Gajapati -
As Gopi's father -
As Subba Rao -
As Aravind's Friend -
As Vithal's uncle -
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As Kantepudi Srinivasa Rao -
As Raju's father -
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As Suryakantam's Father -
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As Naidu -
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As Roopa's father -
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As Murthy -
As Narayana Swamy -
As Muthupandi's Father -
As Prudhvi's Father -
As Father of Nandu -
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As Nandu's father
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As Venky's Father -
As Farah's father -
As Minister Rajendran -
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As Nanda Gopal's neighbor -
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As Subramanyam -
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As Anjaneya Shastri -
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As Naidu -
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As Chakradhar -
As Kamesh's Father -
As Preeti's Father (Telugu version) -
As Shyam Prasad -
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As Narayana Murthy -
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As Doobey -
As Prasad -
As Abu, Vishwanath's friend -
As Swapna's Father -
As Anil's Maternal Uncle -
As Valmiki -
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As Papanashanam -
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As Ashok -
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As Fishing Inspector -
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As Bhrungi -
As Jailor -
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As Ganesh's father -
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As TV Anchor -
As Ramana's father -
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As Kanaka Raju -
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As Chepala Krishna -
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As G. K. Naidu -
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As Tatabbai -
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As Sai Babu -
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As Simhachalam -
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As Sub Inspector Gottam Gopala Krishna
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As Inspector Extra Venkat Rao
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As Psychologist -
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As Sattipandu -
As Inspector Prem Chand -
As Pakir Dada -
As Thota Ramudu -
As Manikyam -
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As Khan -
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As Inspector Sennimalai
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As Thota Ramudu -
As Doctor -
As Pattabhi -
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As Bank Manager -
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As Harichandra -
As Lawyer Saab -
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As Manikyam -
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As Raja Varma's Henchman -
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As Dasu -
As Nanaji -
As Nanaji -
As Paata Samanlavaadu -
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As Dorababu -
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As Police -
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