
As Swami (voice) (uncredited)
TMDb 7.5 / 10

Born
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.

As Swami (voice) (uncredited)
TMDb 7.5 / 10

As Swami
TMDb 6.4 / 10

As Swamiji
TMDb 7.6 / 10

TMDb 6.2 / 10

TMDb 3.0 / 10





As Murthy
TMDb 6.3 / 10


As Prudhvi's Father
TMDb 6.4 / 10

As Producer of Movie
TMDb 6.0 / 10


As Chief Minister
TMDb 6.3 / 10

TMDb 5.2 / 10

As Mailaramgadda
TMDb 5.9 / 10

TMDb 5.1 / 10

TMDb 3.7 / 10

TMDb 7.0 / 10

As Lawyer Saab
TMDb 7.3 / 10

TMDb 6.0 / 10

As Shyam Prasad
TMDb 6.8 / 10

As Rakesh's Father
TMDb 5.3 / 10


As Subramanyam
TMDb 3.5 / 10

TMDb 9.0 / 10

As Anjaneya Prasad
TMDb 6.6 / 10


As Janardhan
TMDb 4.0 / 10

As Guru's Father
TMDb 5.4 / 10


TMDb 6.5 / 10

As Lawyer Saab
TMDb 5.0 / 10

TMDb 6.2 / 10

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As Badri's Father
TMDb 3.8 / 10

As Anjali's father
TMDb 5.0 / 10

TMDb 4.7 / 10
TMDb 6.3 / 10

As Shyam Prasad
TMDb 5.3 / 10

As TV Anchor
TMDb 8.3 / 10

As Vashishta's Uncle
TMDb 4.0 / 10


As Y. Venkat
TMDb 4.2 / 10

As Sivaguru
TMDb 5.0 / 10

As judge
TMDb 4.8 / 10

As Deva Dattudu
TMDb 5.3 / 10

TMDb 3.0 / 10

TMDb 9.0 / 10

As Makrandam
TMDb 6.0 / 10

As Amala's Father
TMDb 6.2 / 10

As Radhakrishnan's Father
TMDb 5.2 / 10

TMDb 10.0 / 10

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As Inspector Prem Chand

TMDb 5.5 / 10

TMDb 5.6 / 10

As Venkateshwar Anandaraju
TMDb 6.0 / 10

TMDb 10.0 / 10

TMDb 6.5 / 10

As Rama's Father
TMDb 4.5 / 10

As Sadasivam, Anand's Grandfather
TMDb 8.2 / 10

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As Jailor
TMDb 4.4 / 10

As Ravi's Father and Rama Chandra Rao's Big Brother
TMDb 5.9 / 10


TMDb 4.7 / 10

TMDb 9.0 / 10

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As Thota Ramudu
TMDb 7.0 / 10

As Doctor
TMDb 8.5 / 10

TMDb 5.0 / 10

As Valmiki
TMDb 6.6 / 10

As Govindayya Sharma
TMDb 6.3 / 10

As Bhushan Verma
TMDb 6.1 / 10

As Gundappa Naidu
TMDb 4.5 / 10

As MLA
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As Prasad
TMDb 7.5 / 10

As Subba Rao
TMDb 6.3 / 10

As Vasudeva Rao
TMDb 4.3 / 10

As Kondala Rao
TMDb 7.1 / 10


As Chandu's Father
TMDb 6.3 / 10

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As Paala Pullayya
TMDb 4.5 / 10

TMDb 9.0 / 10

As Thanigachalam
TMDb 6.8 / 10

As Rameshwar Kodathi
TMDb 5.1 / 10

As Murthy
TMDb 7.1 / 10
TMDb 4.5 / 10

As Master
TMDb 5.1 / 10

As Dasaradh Prasad
TMDb 6.9 / 10

TMDb 3.0 / 10

As Minister Rajendran
TMDb 5.0 / 10

TMDb 7.2 / 10

As IG Y. V. Narendra
TMDb 6.6 / 10
As Adi Moolam

As Ashok
TMDb 7.5 / 10


TMDb 7.5 / 10

As Naidu
TMDb 7.8 / 10

TMDb 6.0 / 10

As Guruvayya
TMDb 5.8 / 10

TMDb 4.0 / 10

As Sai Babu

As Singinadham
TMDb 6.3 / 10

As Narayana Murthy
TMDb 6.5 / 10


As Roopa's father
TMDb 5.7 / 10

As Kantepudi Srinivasa Rao
TMDb 6.9 / 10

TMDb 6.2 / 10

TMDb 6.2 / 10

TMDb 9.0 / 10

TMDb 7.0 / 10

TMDb 8.0 / 10

As Appayya Panthulu / Outdated Priest
TMDb 7.2 / 10

As Aravind's Friend
TMDb 6.6 / 10

TMDb 6.0 / 10

TMDb 5.0 / 10

As Duvvada Subrahmanya Sastry
TMDb 5.8 / 10

TMDb 7.3 / 10

TMDb 5.0 / 10

As Jailor
TMDb 5.3 / 10

TMDb 5.5 / 10

As Abhi's uncle
TMDb 3.8 / 10

As Venkata Rao
TMDb 6.4 / 10

TMDb 3.8 / 10

TMDb 2.0 / 10

As Psychologist
TMDb 5.5 / 10

TMDb 5.8 / 10

As Voice Over
TMDb 3.4 / 10

As Kaalidasu
TMDb 7.2 / 10

As Venkatratnam
TMDb 4.2 / 10

As Muthupandi's Father
TMDb 7.1 / 10

As Lawyer
TMDb 4.7 / 10

As Ravi's father
TMDb 6.6 / 10

As Criminal Lawyer Sachidanandam
TMDb 5.4 / 10

As Priest
TMDb 3.9 / 10

TMDb 4.4 / 10

As Varun's Father
TMDb 4.0 / 10

As Chari's Adoptive Father
TMDb 6.1 / 10

As Trust chairman Tilak
TMDb 5.5 / 10

As Nanaji
TMDb 6.5 / 10

TMDb 3.5 / 10

As Govindu
TMDb 7.1 / 10

As Subhash and Jai's father
TMDb 5.0 / 10

As Bulli reddy
TMDb 7.0 / 10

As Ersam
TMDb 6.5 / 10

As Tatabbai

As Mahendra


TMDb 3.0 / 10

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TMDb 7.2 / 10



As Venky's Father
TMDb 6.6 / 10

As Ram Murthy
TMDb 6.9 / 10

As Ramu, Sanjana's Father
TMDb 6.8 / 10

As Police Officer
TMDb 4.2 / 10

As Ajay's Father
TMDb 6.5 / 10

As Ramachandra
TMDb 6.8 / 10

As The Priest
TMDb 5.6 / 10

TMDb 7.0 / 10

As Gabbar Singh's Guardian
TMDb 4.2 / 10

TMDb 7.0 / 10


TMDb 6.4 / 10

As Bhooti
TMDb 4.8 / 10

As Telugu Teacher
TMDb 6.4 / 10

As Naidu
TMDb 5.4 / 10

As Simhachalam

As RBI Official
TMDb 7.0 / 10

As Adi Keshava
TMDb 4.7 / 10

As Sarva Sarma
TMDb 5.9 / 10

As Abu, Vishwanath's friend
TMDb 6.7 / 10

As RMP Doctor
TMDb 4.7 / 10

As School Teacher
TMDb 5.2 / 10

As Durga Prasad
TMDb 7.4 / 10

As Raghava /"Dallas" Nageswara Rao
TMDb 5.8 / 10

As Nanaji
TMDb 6.5 / 10

As Vinay Chandra
TMDb 7.3 / 10

As Viswanath
TMDb 7.2 / 10

TMDb 6.2 / 10

As Ram Murthy
TMDb 6.4 / 10

TMDb 5.6 / 10

TMDb 5.3 / 10


As Father of Nandu, Nandu's father
TMDb 4.6 / 10

TMDb 4.8 / 10

As Lallu
TMDb 4.8 / 10

TMDb 8.5 / 10

As Bommana brothers' father
TMDb 5.0 / 10

As Sathyaraj's Friend
TMDb 4.5 / 10

As Kaksheera
TMDb 6.0 / 10

As Deiva's Father
TMDb 6.2 / 10

TMDb 7.0 / 10

TMDb 5.7 / 10

As Ramana's father
TMDb 6.7 / 10

As Preeti's Father (Telugu version)
TMDb 5.5 / 10


TMDb 5.6 / 10

TMDb 6.2 / 10

As Satyanand

As Anu's would-be father in law
TMDb 4.3 / 10

As Shankarabharanam
TMDb 5.5 / 10

TMDb 5.3 / 10

TMDb 6.0 / 10

TMDb 6.0 / 10

TMDb 6.2 / 10

As Ammullu's Father
TMDb 4.0 / 10

TMDb 3.9 / 10

As A.K.Ganapathi Sastry
TMDb 5.3 / 10

As Captain Chintamani
TMDb 6.9 / 10

TMDb 5.6 / 10

TMDb 6.3 / 10

As Khan

As Kanaka Raju
TMDb 5.9 / 10

TMDb 6.0 / 10

As Raja Varma's Henchman
TMDb 7.4 / 10

As Narayana Murthy
TMDb 7.7 / 10



TMDb 7.6 / 10

As Sharma C.S.
TMDb 6.6 / 10

As Mallika's father
TMDb 5.7 / 10

As Bala
TMDb 4.0 / 10


As Anjaneya Shastri
TMDb 4.3 / 10

TMDb 5.7 / 10

As Raja's Father
TMDb 6.0 / 10

TMDb 7.5 / 10

TMDb 5.3 / 10

TMDb 2.0 / 10

As Doctor
TMDb 5.3 / 10

As Pilli Gopi Krishna Simha
TMDb 5.5 / 10

As Swapna's Father

As Nanaji
TMDb 4.0 / 10

As Waiter
TMDb 6.4 / 10


TMDb 3.0 / 10

As Dasu
TMDb 8.0 / 10

As Doobey
TMDb 6.5 / 10

TMDb 4.7 / 10

TMDb 4.0 / 10

TMDb 7.5 / 10

As Valli's Father
TMDb 6.2 / 10

TMDb 5.5 / 10

As Chalaram (Cameo)
TMDb 6.3 / 10

As Fishing Inspector
TMDb 8.0 / 10

As Appa Rao

As Chakradhar
TMDb 6.8 / 10

TMDb 4.6 / 10
TMDb 6.5 / 10

TMDb 4.2 / 10

As School Teacher

As Raju's father
TMDb 4.2 / 10

As Mavayya
TMDb 6.0 / 10

TMDb 4.0 / 10

As Preethi's Father
TMDb 3.7 / 10

TMDb 5.5 / 10

As Kamesh's Father

TMDb 10.0 / 10

TMDb 5.2 / 10

TMDb 4.1 / 10

As Farah's father

As Bhrungi
TMDb 6.8 / 10

As Veeraiah
TMDb 5.1 / 10

As Orphanage Principal
TMDb 3.5 / 10

As Rama Sharma
TMDb 5.4 / 10

TMDb 7.1 / 10

TMDb 5.5 / 10



As Manikyam
TMDb 8.4 / 10


As Bank Manager
TMDb 8.0 / 10

As Sreenu's Father
TMDb 4.3 / 10

As Narayana Swamy
TMDb 8.0 / 10

As Forest officer
TMDb 6.0 / 10

As Paparao
TMDb 5.0 / 10

As Pakir Dada
TMDb 9.0 / 10

As Pattabhi
TMDb 8.0 / 10

As Principal of College
TMDb 3.0 / 10

TMDb 3.3 / 10

As Ganapthi
TMDb 7.3 / 10

As Harichandra
TMDb 6.5 / 10

TMDb 5.5 / 10


TMDb 6.7 / 10

As Paata Samanlavaadu
TMDb 6.8 / 10

As Police
TMDb 7.3 / 10



TMDb 5.3 / 10



TMDb 7.0 / 10

As Corporator Krishna
TMDb 6.9 / 10
As Inspector Sennimalai

As Narayanan
TMDb 5.9 / 10

As Gajapati

TMDb 5.7 / 10

As C.M.
TMDb 4.4 / 10

TMDb 10.0 / 10

TMDb 5.5 / 10

As Ahobila Rao
TMDb 5.7 / 10

TMDb 5.5 / 10

As Ganesh's father
TMDb 6.5 / 10


As Thota Ramudu
TMDb 7.6 / 10
As Sub Inspector Gottam Gopala Krishna

As Spiritual Preacher

As Mohan
TMDb 6.9 / 10

As Vedam
TMDb 5.0 / 10
TMDb 2.0 / 10

TMDb 6.0 / 10

TMDb 6.3 / 10


TMDb 10.0 / 10

TMDb 7.2 / 10

TMDb 3.0 / 10

As Sathya's father
TMDb 5.4 / 10

TMDb 7.0 / 10

As Dorababu
TMDb 10.0 / 10

TMDb 4.5 / 10

TMDb 5.0 / 10
TMDb 7.0 / 10

As Narasimha's friend
TMDb 5.5 / 10
TMDb 7.0 / 10

As Anil's Maternal Uncle
TMDb 7.3 / 10

TMDb 5.9 / 10


TMDb 7.0 / 10

As Manikyam
TMDb 7.8 / 10

As Ramarao
TMDb 3.0 / 10

TMDb 5.5 / 10


TMDb 6.0 / 10

TMDb 4.5 / 10

As Sattipandu
TMDb 9.0 / 10

TMDb 3.0 / 10


TMDb 9.0 / 10


As Varaha Murthy
TMDb 6.0 / 10


TMDb 7.0 / 10



TMDb 5.0 / 10

TMDb 6.5 / 10

TMDb 8.0 / 10

TMDb 6.0 / 10

TMDb 5.1 / 10

TMDb 4.4 / 10


TMDb 2.0 / 10


TMDb 3.7 / 10

As G. K. Naidu


TMDb 3.0 / 10

TMDb 4.5 / 10

As Suryakantam's Father
TMDb 3.0 / 10

As Dr. Anjeneyulu



As Papanashanam
TMDb 7.0 / 10

As Sudoku Murthy
TMDb 7.1 / 10

As Sarpanch
TMDb 7.0 / 10


As Chepala Krishna
TMDb 5.3 / 10

As Jai's Dad

TMDb 4.4 / 10


As Devudu Babu

TMDb 5.0 / 10

TMDb 5.8 / 10
TMDb 5.8 / 10

TMDb 7.0 / 10

As Nanda Gopal's neighbor
TMDb 8.0 / 10


TMDb 7.0 / 10

As (Voice Only)
TMDb 5.0 / 10

Filmography and biography: TMDb