Thanuja Gowda is a popular South Indian television and film actress widely recognised for her work across Telugu, Kannada, and Tamil serials. Born Thanuja Puttaswamy, she rose to stardom playing Parvati in the Zee Telugu daily soap Mudda Mandaram. Her recent stint as a finalist on Bigg Boss Telugu 9 has pushed her name into national conversation, drawing fresh attention to her age, relationship status, and earnings.
Thanuja Gowda Biography
| Field | Details |
| Full name | Thanuja Puttaswamy |
| Stage name | Thanuja Gowda |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 5 March 1992 |
| Age | 34 years (as of May 2026) |
| Place of birth | Bangalore, Karnataka, India |
| Current residence | Bengaluru, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Ethnicity | South Indian (Kannadiga) |
| Zodiac sign | Pisces |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Height | Approximately 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) |
| Weight | Around 55 kg (121 lbs) |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Marital status | Unmarried |
| Spouse | N/A |
| Children | None |
| Father | Puttaswamy (businessman) |
| Mother | Savithri (homemaker) |
| Siblings | Anuja and Pooja (elder sisters) |
| Alma mater | Bangalore University |
| Languages | Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, English |
| Profession | Television actress, reality TV personality |
| Years active | 2013 – present |
| Net worth | ₹1.5–2 crore (estimated) |
| @thanuja_puttaswamy_ |
Who is Thanuja Gowda?
Thanuja Gowda, whose real name is Thanuja Puttaswamy, is an Indian television and film actress from Bengaluru. She built her name through long-running daily soaps in the Telugu industry while keeping a parallel foothold in Kannada and Tamil productions.
Her breakout role as Parvati in Mudda Mandaram on Zee Telugu made her a household face across South India.
She has carved a reputation for emotionally rich, restrained performances. In late 2025 she joined Bigg Boss Telugu 9 hosted on Star Maa and Disney+ Hotstar, where her grounded personality earned her a place among the show’s finalists.
How old is Thanuja Gowda? Age and birthday
Thanuja Gowda is 34 years old as of May 2026. She was born on 5 March 1992 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India, making her zodiac sign Pisces. She celebrated her 34th birthday in March 2026 during the post-Bigg Boss leg of her career.
A handful of fan-run sites once listed conflicting birth years between 1992 and 1997, but mainstream profiles and her own publicists confirm the 1992 birthdate.
Thanuja Gowda height, weight, and body measurements
Thanuja stands approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall, which is around 163 centimetres. She weighs around 55 kilograms, or about 121 pounds. Her body measurements are reported to be roughly 32-28-34 inches, with black hair and dark brown eyes.
She maintains a slim, fit frame through dance practice and travel, both of which she has cited as personal hobbies in interviews. All measurements quoted are approximate and based on publicly available fan profiles.
Education and early life
Thanuja grew up in a middle-class Kannada household in Bengaluru along with her two elder sisters, Anuja and Pooja. She finished her schooling within Bengaluru city limits and went on to complete her graduation from Bangalore University.
Her early interest in stage performance, classical dance, and storytelling pulled her toward acting once she completed college.
Career
Film debut
Thanuja made her acting debut in 2013 with the Kannada horror film 6-5=2, which was later dubbed in Telugu as Chitram Kadu Nizam and remade in Hindi.
She followed this with the Kannada drama Dhande Boys, which gave her early on-screen experience before she pivoted to television.
Television breakthrough
She entered Telugu television with Andala Rakshasi, but her real breakthrough arrived with Mudda Mandaram on Zee Telugu, where she played Parvati opposite actor Pawan Sai.
The serial crossed 1,500 episodes and turned the on-screen pair into a fan favourite. She later took on Tamil television with Siva Manasula Sakthi on Vijay TV and returned to Telugu screens with Agnipariksha on Zee Telugu.
Reality television and recent projects
Thanuja was a finalist on the cooking-comedy reality format Cooku with Jathiratnalu, where her warm personality drew strong viewer support.
She then entered Bigg Boss Telugu 9 in late 2025 and finished the season as one of the second-place finalists, broadening her appeal beyond serial audiences.
Awards and recognition
She has picked up several Zee Kutumbam Awards for her television work, including Favourite Heroine and Evergreen Couple alongside Pawan Sai.
What is Thanuja Gowda’s net worth and salary?
As of 2026, Thanuja Gowda’s net worth is estimated at around ₹1.5–2 crore (roughly USD 180,000–240,000). The estimate is drawn from public entertainment trackers covering her television fees, reality-show pay packet, and endorsement deals.
Income sources
Her primary income streams include daily soap salaries, the contestant fee from Bigg Boss Telugu 9, brand promotions on Instagram, public event appearances, and photoshoots for South Indian magazines.
Industry trackers peg established Telugu serial leads in the ₹25,000 to ₹50,000 per-episode range, which forms the bulk of her annual earnings.
Is Thanuja Gowda married? Husband, boyfriend, and relationship status
Thanuja Gowda is unmarried as of May 2026 and has no publicly confirmed boyfriend or spouse. She has spoken openly about choosing to keep her personal life away from cameras while she focuses on her career.
Pawan Sai link-up rumours
Fans have long linked her with her Mudda Mandaram co-star Pawan Sai due to their on-screen chemistry. During Family Week on Bigg Boss Telugu 9, Pawan Sai and actress Haritha visited her on stage in an emotional reunion. Thanuja later clarified that Pawan is a close friend and mentor, not a romantic partner.
She has no children.
Family background
Thanuja’s father, Puttaswamy, runs his own business in Bengaluru, while her late mother, Savithri, was a homemaker who shaped her cultural roots.
Her two elder sisters, Anuja and Pooja, have remained outside the entertainment industry. She frequently credits her parents and sisters for backing her decision to pursue acting at a time when South Indian middle-class families rarely encouraged the choice.
Social media presence
As of May 2026, Thanuja has approximately 795,000 followers on her verified Instagram handle @thanuja_puttaswamy_, where she posts a mix of behind-the-scenes serial clips, Bigg Boss moments, family photographs, and brand collaborations.
Her follower count climbed sharply during and after her Bigg Boss run. She is also active on X with the handle @ThanujaP123 and engages mostly with regional fan pages.
Fast facts about Thanuja Gowda
- She is fluent in four languages: Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and English.
- Her stage surname Gowda is a popular Kannada community title rather than a legal surname.
- Her debut film 6-5=2 was India’s first found-footage horror film.
- Mudda Mandaram ran for over 1,500 episodes, one of Zee Telugu’s longest-running soaps.
- She lists dancing, travelling, and reading as her favourite hobbies.
- She does not yet have an official Wikipedia entry despite her household-name status.
- She finished as a runner-up zone finalist on Bigg Boss Telugu 9.
- Her father, Puttaswamy, manages a small business in Bengaluru.
- She has won multiple Zee Kutumbam Awards, including Favourite Heroine.
- She actively avoids paparazzi spaces and prefers staged shoots for promotions.
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Wrapping up
Thanuja Gowda’s path from a Bengaluru graduate to a pan-South-Indian television fixture reflects a steady mix of regional grounding and patient career building.
At 34, she balances a busy schedule of daily soaps, reality formats, and brand work while keeping her family and relationship matters out of the spotlight. With fresh post-Bigg Boss offers reportedly on the table for 2026, her fans can expect a more visible film return shortly.
References
- Pinkvilla. “Who is Thanuja Puttaswamy? Meet viral 33-year-old Bigg Boss Telugu 9 contestant”.
- The Times of India. “Bigg Boss Telugu 9 Contestant Thanuja Gowda: Here’s Everything About the Mudda Mandaram Actress”.
- Instagram. “Thanuja Puttaswamy Official Profile”.
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