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Harshika Poonacha Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth1 May 1993

Age30 Years (as of 2023)

BirthplaceAmmathi, Kodagu, Karnataka

ProfessionActor

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyMother: Uddapanda Shambavi Poonacha; Father: Uddapanda Poonacha (died 2019)

Harshika Poonacha Biography

Harshika Poonacha is an Indian actress from Kodagu, Karnataka, who has worked across several South Indian film industries. Trained as an electrical-enginee

Early life and background

Harshika Poonacha was born on 1 May 1993 in Ammathi, Kodagu, Karnataka. Raised in Kodagu, she completed her pre-university studies in Bangalore and went on to earn a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical. During her college years she was active in extracurricular activities and served as a cultural coordinator, a role that kept her involved in performing and event work while she completed her studies.

Her family includes her mother, Uddapanda Shambavi Poonacha, and her father, Uddapanda Poonacha, who passed away in 2019. Harshika has no siblings and remains unmarried.

Career

Harshika began her on-screen career as a television host during the summer after class 12. While working on TV she was noticed by a film director and accepted an offer to act after consulting with her parents. She balanced acting with her engineering studies and later worked at a software company named Maxpro while continuing to take film assignments.

Her screen debut came in 2009 with regional films: the Kodava-language movie Ponnamma, the Konkani film Kazar, and a Telugu release titled Edukondalavada Venkataramana Andaru Bagundali. In Kannada cinema she has appeared in a variety of roles across the 2010s, with notable credits including Thamassu (2010), 5 Idiots (2011), Case No. 18/9 (2013), Bhale Jodi (2016), and Udgharsha (2019). She has also worked in Malayalam cinema, appearing as Nanda in Charminar (2018). As of 2021 she had projects listed in other languages, including a Tamil film titled Un Kadhal Irundhal and a Bhojpuri film Hum Hai Raahi Pyar Ke, which were reported as under production.

Harshika’s work has been recognized with several awards. Early in her career she earned state and television honors: the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Suvarna Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2010. Later accolades include a Chittara Award naming her a Star of the Decade, a DS Max National Award acknowledging excellence in movies and social work, a SIMA award for Jackie, and a Women’s Achiever Award.

Public profile

Harshika is known for her versatility across different languages and film industries. She has also walked ramps for fashion shows, worked as a director at a fashion, modelling, and casting agency called Gl Amgod Fashions & Events, and made guest appearances at showroom inaugurations. Magazine covers and public appearances have been part of her profile as a public figure.

She describes herself as religious with a devotion to Sai Ram, enjoys music, and values time with family and friends. Harshika is an animal lover and keeps a pet dog named Rambo. Public interviews reflect personal tastes: she has said she prefers a simple, down-to-earth partner and has expressed admiration for actors she counts among her favorites.

Physical characteristics and public persona

Harshika’s reported height is about 168 cm (5 ft 6 in). She has brown eyes and brown hair. Her nickname is Kunji and she has a visible social media presence noted in public sources.

Latest updates

As of the most recent available information Harshika remained active in film and public appearances, with multiple regional projects and awards spanning her career. Projects listed as under production in 2021 included films in Tamil and Bhojpuri; her earlier multilingual debuts and continued Kannada film work illustrate an ongoing career across several Indian film industries.
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Recent Work

Charminar

Malayalam film in which she played the role of Nanda (2018)

2018
Udgharsha

Kannada film release (2019)

2019
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Career Highlights

  1. Debuted in 2009 across Kodava, Konkani and Telugu films
  2. Won Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actor (2010)
  3. Suvarna Award for Best Supporting Actress (2010)
  4. Chittara Award – Star of the Decade (2019)
  5. DS Max National Award for excellence in movies and social work (2019)
  6. SIMA award for Jackie (2021)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Harshika Poonacha born?

1 May 1993

What is Harshika Poonacha known for?

Actor

What is Harshika Poonacha’s marital status?

Unmarried