A. Harsha

A. Harsha
Born	(1980-08-24) 24 August 1980 (age 44) Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Occupation(s)	Choreographer, Directorfilm actor
Years active	2000–present

A. Harsha (born 24 August 1980) is an Indian film director and choreographer who works in Kannada cinema.^[1] Harsha has choreographed many popular songs.^[2]

Early life

Harsha was born in Bengaluru, Karnataka, to Poornima and Ashok. He studied at Sri Kumaran Children's Home and Holy Saint English School. He did his Automobile diploma in Oxford College, Bengaluru.

Career

Harsha entered movie industry when he acted in movie Kashi from Village, as the brother of Kichha Sudeep and has since completed 300 dance sequences as choreographer.^[3] Harsha managed the entire event and choreographed the audio launch function of Nikhil Kumar's debut film, Jaguar.^[4][5]

Choreographer

Harsha debuted in KFI as a choreographer for the movie Ranga S.S.L.C in 2004. Harsha earned a lot of recognition when he choreographed the songs for Mungaaru Male. He has since choreographed for many popular movies, including Meravanige and Moggina Manasu, Rishi, Taj Mahal, Only Vishnuvardhana.

Director

Harsha made his directorial debut with Geleya in 2007, starring Prajwal Devraj and Tarun.^[6] involving the underworld. Harsha was appreciated for the freshness of the film, its making and was average at Box Office. Harsha took up direction again with Birugaali in 2009, this time including Chetan of Aa Dinagalu fame and casting his wife Sitara Vaidya.^[7] This movie opened to poor reviews despite melodious songs.^[8][9]

Harsha's 2012 film was Chingari starring Darshan was inspired from English movie Taken.^[10]

His 2013 film Bhajarangi featuring Shivarajkumar was a huge success at the box-office.^[11] He followed it up with similar script and same cast in Vajrakaya, which released in 2015 and was an average hit.^[12]

Released in 2016, Jai Maruti 800 was panned by critics for following same storyline as Bhajarangi or Vajrakaya.^[13] As per Deccan Chronicle, "Anyone who has so far seen this director's previous 'commercial' hits 'Bhajarangi' and 'Vajrakaya' can easily predict what 'Jai Maruti 800' is all about. With no creative mind set, and banking heavily upon his narrative style from the previous 'commercially' successful films and off course leaving it to his favourite God - the ingredients remains the same but packed with a new label - comedy."^[14]

In 2017, Harsha announced Kapicheshte starring his assistant Mohan, but the movie was never completed after initial shoots.^[15]

Harsha followed with two remakes Anjani Putra,^[16] which received mixed reviews even with Puneet Rajkumar in lead,^[17] and Seetharama Kalyana,^[18] which was a flop.^[19]

In October 2017, Harsha announced "Raana" with Yash amidst much fanfare.^[20] But Yash was not too happy with the script that Harsha had presented to him. Sources add that when Harsha presented the actor with the complete script, he wasn't too happy and had reportedly told the director to fine-tune it to meet his approval standards. Further, with the director's track record not being up to scratch, Yash's well-wishers reportedly advised him to put Raana in cold storage for the time being.^[21] Harsha replaced Yash with Shivrajkumar in the movie^[22][23] and eventually, renamed the movie as "Bhajarangi 2"

After release of the teaser, A Harsha confirmed that Bhajarangi 2 will be released in Telugu language and possibly in other languages as well.^[24]

Harsha has also announced release of his fourth movie with Shiva Raj kumar, which will be a departure from his usual title references and storyline.^[2][25] This movie will be Shiva Raj kumar's 125th movie and titled "Vedha".^[26]

Alongside Vedha, A Harsha and Dhruva Sarja are also in talks for a movie.^[27][28]

Filmography

As a director

Year	Film	Notes
2007	Geleya
2009	Birugaali
2012	Chingaari
2013	Bhajarangi
2015	Vajrakaya
2016	Jai Maruthi 800
2017	Anjani Putra
2019	Seetharama Kalyana
2021	Bhajarangi 2
2022	Vedha
2024	Bhimaa	Debut in Telugu cinema

Partial choreography

• Ranga SSLC (2004)
• Rishi (2005)
• Mungaru Male (2006)
• Geleya (2007)
• Meravanige (2008)
• Moggina Manasu (2008)
• Taj Mahal (2008)
• Vishnuvardhana (2011)
• Bahaddur (2014)
• Bengal Tiger (2015)^[29]
• Hebbuli (2017)
• Bharjari (2017)

As an actor

• Kashi from Village (2005)^[30]
• Jackpot (2006)^[31]

Television

Year	Show	Role	Notes
2021	Dance Dance	Judge	[32]

References

1. "chitraloka.com | Kannada Movie News, Reviews | Image - Home". www.chitraloka.com. Archived from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
2. "Title of fourth movie with Shivarajkumar will not have a Hanuman connect, says director A Harsha". Deccan Herald. 12 August 2020.
3. "Harsha completes 300 dance sequences". The Times of India.
4. "Mandya celebrates the audio launch of Nikhil Kumar's Jaguar in full force". The Times of India.
5. "Jaguar Audio Release Highlights / Mandya" – via www.youtube.com.
6. "Kirat Bhattal in Geleya". www.filmibeat.com. 2 June 2007.
7. "Underwater fight sequence in Birugaali". www.filmibeat.com. 5 January 2009.
8. "Birugali Movie Review {2.5/5}: Critic Review of Birugali by Times of India" – via timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
9. "Birugali". Sify. Archived from the original on 2 July 2020.
10. "Chingari was inspired by Taken - Darshan - chitraloka.com | Kannada Movie News, Reviews | Image". www.chitraloka.com. Archived from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
11. "Kannada Cinema News | Kannada Movie Reviews | Kannada Movie Trailers - IndiaGlitz Kannada". Archived from the original on 27 October 2012.
12. SM, Shashiprasad (13 June 2015). "Movie Review 'Vajrakaya': A film more 'natural' than 'supernatural'". Deccan Chronicle.
13. Nathan, Archana (10 April 2016). "Jai Maruthi 800: When even God can't save the day". The Hindu – via www.thehindu.com.
14. SM, Shashiprasad (10 April 2016). "Jai Maruti 800 movie review: Same old model!". Deccan Chronicle.
15. "Kapi Cheste Movie - Mohan - Harsha - Jayanna Combines".
16. "Ramya Krishnan is Puneeth's mother in Anjaniputra". The Times of India.
17. "Puneeth Rajkumar back with 'Anjani Putra' producer". The News Minute. 20 March 2018.
18. Pattikonda, Gautham. "Jacqueline Fernandez to make her debut in Kannada films? Read to know". Pinkvilla.
19. "Biggest Kannada Flop Movies Of 2019 | Kannada Flop Movies 2019 | Kannada Disaster Movies 2019 – FilmiBeat". www.filmibeat.com.
20. "Yash to play a cop for the first time with 'Raana'". The News Minute. 17 October 2017.
21. "Yash puts 'Raana' on hold". The News Minute. 14 March 2018.
22. "'Rana': Shivarajkumar replaces Yash in the Harsha directorial". The Times of India.
23. "Yash out, Shiva Rajkumar in for A Harsha's 'Raana'?". The News Minute. 15 February 2019.
24. "'Bhajarangi-2' teaser garners attention beyond Sandalwood". The New Indian Express.
25. "Hedarabedaa... Kshamisabedaa: Shivarajkumar and Harsha to collaborate for fourth time". The New Indian Express.
26. Balachandran, Logesh (11 March 2021). "Shivarajkumar's 125th film to be directed by A Harsha. First look poster out". India Today.
27. "Dhruva Sarja, A Harsha in talks for a film". Cinema Express.
28. "Pogaru actor Dhruva Sarja and A Harsha to join hands for a fresh project?". The Times of India.
29. "Ravi Teja gets a Kannada director". The Times of India.
30. "Every director must be his hero's biggest fan: 'Anjaniputra' director Harsha".
31. "Jackpot". Archived from the original on 4 May 2022.
32. "Haripriya, Prajwal Devraj, and Master Harsha to judge reality show 'Dance Dance'". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 August 2021.