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Harish Shankar

Harish-shankar-01
Harish-shankar-01 Image: Wikimedia Commons. Kasturiabap / CC BY-SA 3.0

Overview

Sanganabhatla Harish Shankar (born 31 March 1979) is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works primarily in Telugu cinema and Telugu theatre. He is known for directing commercially successful action and mass entertainers, including Gabbar Singh (2012) and DJ: Duvvada Jagannadham (2017).

Key facts

Full name Sanganabhatla Harish Shankar
Born 31 March 1979
Nationality Indian
Occupation Film director, screenwriter
Industry Telugu cinema, Telugu theatre
Directorial debut Shock (2006)
Notable awards SIIMA Award for Best Director; CineMAA Award for Best Director (both for Gabbar Singh)

Background

Harish Shankar began his career in Telugu theatre before transitioning to cinema as a screenwriter and director. His early break came through an association with filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who produced his first film as director.

Career

Directorial debut

He made his directorial debut with Shock (2006), produced by Ram Gopal Varma.

Breakthrough and commercial success

He directed Mirapakay (2011), followed by Gabbar Singh (2012), a remake-styled mass entertainer that grossed approximately ₹150 crore (US$16 million) worldwide and was, at the time of its release, among the highest-grossing Telugu films. The film earned him the SIIMA Award for Best Director and the CineMAA Award for Best Director.

Subsequent films

He went on to direct Ramayya Vasthavayya (2013), which recorded a worldwide share of ₹309 million (US$3.2 million), and DJ: Duvvada Jagannadham (2017), which grossed about ₹150 crore.

Timeline of directed films

  • 2006 – Shock (debut; produced by Ram Gopal Varma)
  • 2011 – Mirapakay
  • 2012 – Gabbar Singh
  • 2013 – Ramayya Vasthavayya
  • 2017 – DJ: Duvvada Jagannadham

Significance

Harish Shankar is regarded as one of the directors associated with the commercial mass-entertainer genre in Telugu cinema during the 2010s. The success of Gabbar Singh in particular established him as a bankable director, and his films have generally featured leading stars of the Telugu industry.

References