Harshika Poonacha mainly appears in Kannada language films and has also worked in Telugu, Kodava, Konkani and Tulu language films. She made her acting debut in 2008, for the film PUC.Harshika Poonacha was born in Ammathi, a small village in Kodagu district of Karnatakaas the only daughter to her parents.She acted in her first film PUC when she was 18 years old and doing her PUC at Christ College. In 2007, she finished her pre-university course. Poonacha spent the next two months working as a television show anchor, before beginning a professional course. She anchored programs like Nimmindha Nimagaagi, Hrudayadindaand the Sarigamapa television reality show.She joined Cambridge Institute of Technology, Bangalore's electronic engineering course and completed her BTech degree in 2011. During the time, she took a two-month break from her shooting assignments to attend her classes, complete assignments and prepare for exams. In 2012 she joined 'Maxpro' Software Company and agreed to work for five days in a month while working 21 days in films.[8] She said: ""Getting into films was an accident. I never dreamt of becoming an actress"". After PUC, she acted in a Kodava film Ponnamma, a Konkani film Kazar and a Telugu film Edukondalavada Venkataramana Andaru Bagundali. In 2010, Harshika acted in an important role in Jackie, which catapulted her to an instant celebrity status.She later appeared in Thamassu with Shivrajkumarfor which she won the Karnataka State Film Award for Best Supporting Actress,and played Ramya in Nariya Seere Kadha, in which Ravichandran played the lead role. She also acted in a film named Cycle opposite Shivarjun.She played the daughter of a crorepati who gets kidnapped for ransom in the comedy film 5 Idiots.