Tamannaah Bhatia

Tamannaah Bhatia
Tamanna Bhatia (credited as Tamannaah Bhatia; born 21 December 1989), is an Indian actress who primarily works in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi cinema. With a filmography of over 75 films, she has garnered many accolades, including the Kalaimamani and SIIMA Awards, along with eight nominations for Filmfare Awards South and one nomination for the Saturn Awards.
Tamannaah began her acting career with the Hindi film Chand Sa Roshan Chehra (2005). She then made her debut in Telugu cinema with Sree (2005) and Tamil cinema with Kedi (2006). Her notable Telugu films include Happy Days (2007), Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam (2009), 100% Love (2011), Oosaravelli (2011), Racha (2012), Tadakha (2013), Aagadu (2014), Baahubali: The Beginning (2015), Bengal Tiger (2015), Oopiri (2016), Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017), F2: Fun and Frustration (2019), Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy (2019) and F3: Fun and Frustration (2022). Notable Tamil films in her career include Ayan (2009), Paiyaa (2010), Sura (2010), Siruthai (2011), Veeram (2014), Devi (2016), Sketch (2018) and Jailer (2023).
Additionally, Tamannaah has starred in several streaming projects, including 11th Hour (2021), November Story (2021), Jee Karda (2023) and Aakhri Sach (2023).
Early life
Tamanna Bhatia was born on 21 December 1989 in Bombay, Maharashtra. Her parents are Santosh and Rajni Bhatia. She has an elder brother named Anand Bhatia. She is of Sindhi Hindu descent and attended Maneckji Cooper Education Trust School in Mumbai for her schooling. At the age of 13, she began learning acting and joined Prithvi Theatre for a year, where she participated in stage performances. After gaining initial experience in the film industry, she changed her screen name to "Tamannaah" for numerological reasons.
Career
2005–2015: Debut to Stardom
In 2005, Tamannaah began her journey in the entertainment industry by starring in the music video Lafzo Mein from Abhijeet Sawant's album. She later made her acting debut as the female lead in the Hindi film Chand Sa Roshan Chehra, which unfortunately didn't perform well at the box office. That same year, she entered Telugu cinema with Sree and Tamil cinema with Kedi in 2006. Her first release in 2007 was Viyabari, and, despite the film's struggles at the box office, her performances garnered critical acclaim. She achieved a career breakthrough with her subsequent releases Happy Days and Kalloori. Her role as a college student in both films was well-received, and both films achieved financial success. This success led to her becoming a leading actress in both Telugu and Tamil cinema.
In 2008, she continued to make an impact in Telugu cinema with Kalidasu and made a notable cameo appearance in Ready and Netru Indru Naalai. The year 2009 saw her appearing in the Tamil film Padikkadavan, receiving praise despite mixed reviews. She also starred in Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam, a film that garnered critical acclaim but achieved only moderate success at the box office. Ayan with Suriya was a commercial hit, further cementing her status in the industry. However, Ananda Thandavam marked her only commercial setback during this period, even though her performance earned acclaim. Kanden Kadhalai, a remake of the Bollywood hit Jab We Met, brought her praise and a South Scope award. During this phase, she was established as an undisputed top actress in Tamil cinema.
In 2010, she starred in the Tamil road movie Paiyaa, receiving positive reviews and commercial success.
However, Sura and Thillalangadi proved to be box office disappointments. The year 2011 saw her starring in the Tamil film Siruthai, and while her role faced criticism, the film was a commercial success. She made a cameo appearance in Ko and made a triumphant Telugu comeback with blockbuster 100% Love, earning accolades and awards. Badrinath received mixed reviews but fared well at the box office. Venghai showcased her in a role with mixed critical reception, while Oosaravelli was a box office hit, and her performance garnered critical acclaim.
In 2012, she featured prominently in four Telugu films. Racha emerged as a commercial hit, with her performance receiving praise. Endukante... Premanta! and Rebel may have faltered at the box office, but her acting was lauded. Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu saw her in a tomboyish role, displaying her versatility. Continuing into 2013, she starred in the flop Himmatwala, but found success with the Telugu film Tadakha. She made her return to Tamil cinema in 2014 with the hit Veeram. However, her comedy film Humshakals was a huge disappointment. She also showcased her dancing skills in the special song "Labbar Bomma" in Alludu Seenu. Entertainment achieved moderate success, while Aagadu struggled commercially.
In 2015, she made a cameo appearance as herself in Nannbenda and provided her own voice for the character. Her career reached new heights with the highly successful Baahubali: The Beginning, where her portrayal of Avanthika earned her praise. It became the third highest grossing Telugu film ever, consolidating her position as a leading actress.
However, Vasuvum Saravananum Onna Padichavanga received negative reviews. She continued to make cameo appearances in Size Zero, and Bengal Tiger highlighted her captivating presence.
2016–2020 : Back to back Telugu and Tamil films
In 2016, she kicked off the year with her captivating performance in the special song "Bachelor Babu" in Bhimaneni Srinivasa Rao's Speedunnodu. Her subsequent release was Vamsi's Oopiri, a remake of The Intouchables (2011), co-starring Karthi and Nagarjuna. The film received positive reviews. Following that, she appeared in the Tamil film Dharma Durai, where she portrayed a doctor and opted for a makeup-free look. The film also earned positive reviews and performed well at the box office. Her next venture was a short film titled Ranveer Ching Returns with Ranveer Singh, directed by Rohit Shetty, which garnered positive feedback. In October, she performed another special song titled "Sampige" in the Telugu-Kannada bilingual film Jaguar. She then starred in the trilingual horror film Devi, where she played a double role and received praise for her acting. The film garnered positive reviews and was a box office hit. Her final release in 2016 was Kaththi Sandai, co-starring Vishal. It received mixed reviews and failed to make a mark commercially.
In 2017, Tamannaah made an appearance in Baahubali 2: The Conclusion as Avanthika. The film garnered highly positive reviews and achieved remarkable box office success, becoming the highest-grossing Indian film at the time. Her subsequent release in Tamil was Anbanavan Asaradhavan Adangadhavan with Silambarasan. The film received mixed reviews and faced commercial failure. The year concluded with her performance in the special song "Swing Zara" in Jai Lava Kusa, alongside Jr. NTR, directed by K. S. Ravindra.
Her first release in 2018 was Vikram'''s Sketch, directed by Vijay Chander. It received a mixed response from both critics and audiences. However, Tamannaah earned praise for her portrayal of Amuthavali, a south Indian Brahmin girl in the film. Following this, she appeared in the Marathi film Aa Bb Kk, which garnered positive reviews. Her subsequent releases, the Telugu films Naa Nuvve and Next Enti?, both received mixed reviews from critics and failed to perform well at boxoffice. Additionally, she performed at the IPL 2018 opening ceremony, showcasing the linguistic diversity of the region through her captivating act. The year concluded with her appearance in the Kannada film KGF: Chapter 1, in which she performed a special song for the Kannada, Tamil and Telugu releases.
Tamannaah first release of 2019 was F2: Fun and Frustration a Telugu language comedy film, along with Venkatesh, Varun Tej and Mehreen Pirzada. It became a blockbuster. Her next release was Kanne Kalaimaane a Tamil-language drama film directed by Seenu Ramasamy, with Udhayanidhi Stalin. Although the film received mixed reviews, her performance was praised for its sincerity and emotional depth. In May end, Devi 2 a Tamil horror comedy film directed by A. L. Vijay along with Prabhu Deva was released.While the film had a lukewarm reception, her acting stood out as she brought a unique blend of humour and horror to her character. She was then featured in Khamoshi a Hindi-language slasher film directed by Chakri Toleti. Despite receiving poor reviews for the film, her portrayal of a deaf and mute girl received appreciation. Next, she starred in Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy, a Telugu-language biographical epic action film directed by Surender Reddy, co-starring Chiranjeevi. Her portrayal added depth and substance to the film, contributing to its positive reception. Her next release was Petromax, a Tamil-language comedy horror film directed by Rohin Venkatesan. Her comedic timing and engaging on-screen presence were appreciated. Her last release in 2019 was a Tamil film Action, directed by Sundar C. in which she paired opposite Vishal and it opened to mixed reviews but her role was highly praised by critics. In 2020, her sole on-screen appearance was in the special song "Daang Daang" in the Telugu film Sarileru Neekevvaru along with Mahesh Babu.
2021–Present : OTT (Over-the-Top) debut and diverse roles
In April 2021, Tamannaah made her debut in the web series arena with 11th Hour, which received mixed reviews from critics. The show revolves around Aratrika Reddy, played by Tamannaah, a successful businesswoman who finds herself in a race against time to save her company. While her performance was praised for its intensity and commitment, some reviewers felt that the storyline failed to do justice to her talent. The following month, she starred in the web series November Story, which garnered a fair share of attention. Although her performance was widely appreciated for its depth and versatility, some critics felt that the series suffered from excessive dialogue and a lack of impactful action sequences. In August, Tamannaah assumed the role of the host for MasterChef India – Telugu, which debuted on Gemini TV. This represented a noteworthy expansion of her career, allowing her to demonstrate her versatility by transitioning into the realm of television hosting. In September, her Telugu sports masala film Seetimaarr written and directed by Sampath Nandi, co-starring Gopichand was released. Her portrayal of a strong-willed coach was lauded by the audience, who appreciated her dedication to the role and her chemistry with Gopichand. Following this Maestro was released, a Telugu black comedy thriller film directed by Merlapaka Gandhi. The film received positive reviews for its engaging storyline and brilliant performances. Her portrayal of a pivotal character added depth and intrigue to the narrative, further solidifying her reputation as a versatile actor capable of tackling diverse roles.
Her first appearance in 2022 was in "Kodthe", the special song in the Telugu film Ghani along with Varun Tej. In May, her Telugu comedy film F3: Fun and Frustration , co-starring Venkatesh, Varun Tej and Mehreen Pirzada was released. The film struck a chord with audiences and proved to be a commercial success. Tamannaah's energetic performance and impeccable comic timing added an extra dose of laughter to the film. In September, Tamannaah took on the challenging role of a lady bouncer in Babli Bouncer, directed by Madhur Bhandarkar. The film, which was released on Disney+ Hotstar, showcased her versatility as an actress. However, the film received a mixed response from viewers and critics alike. Next up, Tamannaah starred in the romantic comedy film Plan A Plan B, alongside Riteish Deshmukh. The film, which premiered on Netflix, offered a delightful and light-hearted love story. While the chemistry between the lead actors was appreciated, some found the plot to be predictable. Tamannaah's charisma and on-screen presence shone through in her performance. Towards the end of the year, Tamannaah appeared in the romantic drama Gurthunda Seethakalam, opposite Satyadev. The film explored themes of love and life but received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. Although Tamannaah's sincere portrayal garnered praise, the overall execution of the film fell short of expectations.
In 2023, she began the year with a performance at the IPL 2023 opening ceremony, where she impressed the audience with her captivating act, highlighting the linguistic diversity of the region. Following this, her first release was Jee Karda, a romantic drama series on Amazon Prime Video directed by Arunima Sharma. It premiered on 15 June and received praise from the audience. In the series, Tamannaah portrayed Lavanya, a young woman embarking on a journey of self-discovery and grappling with the concept of marriage. Subsequently, she appeared in the Netflix anthology Lust Stories 2, which was released on 29 June. In the segment titled Sex with Ex, she played the role of Shanti, a woman who had mysteriously disappeared a decade earlier. Her performance alongside Vijay Varma garnered appreciation and their chemistry resonated with the audience. In her subsequent release, she assumed a supporting role in the movie Jailer, where she portrayed the character of an actress alongside Rajinikanth. The film was released on 10 August and garnered highly positive reviews, achieving blockbuster status. As a result, it became the third highest-grossing Tamil film ever created. Following that, she starred alongside Chiranjeevi in the Telugu action film Bhola Shankar, which premiered on 11 August. Unfortunately, the film received negative reviews and performed poorly at the box office. Her subsequent release was the crime investigative thriller series Aakhri Sach which aired on Disney+ Hotstar starting 25 August. The series was fictionally based on the Burari deaths. In Aakhri Sach, she portrayed the lead investigative officer, Anya. The series garnered a positive response from the audience and her portrayal was highly praised.
Additionally, Tamannaah is set to make her debut in Malayalam cinema with Bandra, where she will be starring opposite Dileep. She will also be featured in the Tamil-language horror-comedy film Aranmanai 4'', sharing the screen with Sundar C. and Raashii Khanna.
Filmography
Awards
Other works
Apart from her acting career, Tamannaah has pursued various other endeavours. She has worked as a model, appearing in television commercials for brands like Fanta and Chandrika Ayurvedic soap. In March 2015, she took on the role of brand ambassador for Zee Telugu and introduced her jewellery brand, "Wite & Gold", in the same month. In January 2016, she became associated with the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign. She authored her first book, "Back To The Roots", which was published by Penguin Random House India in August 2021. Tamannaah became an equity partner in Sugar Cosmetics in September 2022. She continued to expand her portfolio by taking on the role of brand ambassador for IIFL Finance in January and VLCC in July 2023. In October 2023, Tamannaah became the inaugural Indian ambassador for Shiseido, the Japanese beauty and cosmetics brand.
Notes
References
External links
1989 births
Actresses in Tamil cinema
Living people
Sindhi people
Indian Hindus
Indian people of Sindhi descent
Actresses in Telugu cinema
Actresses in Hindi cinema
Indian film actresses
21st-century Indian actresses
Actresses from Mumbai
Female models from Mumbai
CineMAA Awards winners
Santosham Film Awards winners
Sindhi Hindus