Tharlo (2015): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2015, Tharlo is a drama film directed by Pema Tseden, running about 138 minutes.

What it’s about. Tharlo is an orphan. Now grown up, he makes a living as a sheep herder in the village. He has grown a ponytail, so people simply call him “Ponytail”, since nobody remembers his real name anyway. Tharlo has a remarkable memory. He remembers so many things, except his own name. He is now in his forties, and he has yet to have his first woman. Now Tharlo goes to town to take a photo for his identity card. He meets a girl in the barber’s shop who changes the course of his life. He embarks on the journey to find his true self. He sells all his sheep and those entrusted by other villagers to him for care, and decides to use the money to go out into the world with the girl, only to find himself being deceived and cheated by her. Ironically, in his journey of self-discovery, Tharlo has lost his sense of self. As he witnesses in the mirror his ponytail being cut off and leaving him bald, he can no longer see himself as a man with a history that he recognizes.

Who’s in it. Tharlo stars Shide Nyima as Tharlo, Yangchuk Tso as Yangsto, Jinpa as Jinpa and Tsemdo Thar as Police Officer (in town).

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.4/10, Tharlo has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Tharlo page.

If you liked it. Fans of Tharlo tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.