Ranjini (actress)

Last updated

Ranjini
Born
Sasha Selvaraj

Nationality Singaporean
Occupations
Years active1985–1992
2014–present
SpousePierre Kombara

Sasha Selvaraj, better known by her stage name Ranjini, is a Singaporean actress known for her roles in Indian cinema, specifically Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam films. Ranjini made her debut in the 1985 Tamil film Muthal Mariyathai directed by Bharathiraja. [1] In 1987, she acted in Lenin Rajendran's Swathi Thirunal , a biopic on the Travancore ruler of the same name. Her third Malayalam film Chithram (1988), written and directed by Priyadarshan, went on to become a huge box office success which is still holding the records for numerous feats in the Malayalam movie industry. [2] Koothara , directed by Srinath Rajendran, marked her comeback to acting after a hiatus of two decades.

Contents

Career

Ranjini was born in Singapore as Sasha to Selvaraj and Lilly, belonging to fourth generation residents of Singapore, with roots from Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. [3] She was introduced to films by famous director Bharathiraja, a friend of her father. Bharathiraja gave her the screen name of "Ranjini" for his 1985 film Muthal Mariyathai . Ranjini, whose family was in Singapore then had flown down to Chennai taking a break from studies with the hope that the shooting would get over within two weeks. [4]

Her first Malayalam film was Swathi Thirunal in 1987, a National Film Awards feature directed by Lenin Rajendran. The film was a critical success and she won The Cinema Express Award for Best Actress. She went on to act in Malayalam films like Chithram , Mukunthetta Sumitra Vilikkunnu (1988) and Kottayam Kunjachan (1990). Ranjini quit acting in films at the peak of her career to move to London, where she continued her studies. [5] Her last film was Customs Diary (1993), directed by TS Suresh Babu.

Ranjini was in the committee of "Nirbhaya-Kochi", an initiative of district administration under Ernakulam District Collector, M. G. Rajamanickam IAS (The Welfare for Women & Children Safety) in 2014. She was also in the founding committee of "Stree", a project for Women and Health under Maradu municipality in 2016. She regularly appears as a panelist on TV debates for various social topics on National, Malayalam and Tamil channels. In 2018, she was one of 12 elite panelists invited by The National Commission for Women to a discussion on sexual harassment in the workplace and she head of Hema Committee report.

Ranjini is known for her voice against the Supreme Court verdict on women-entry at Sabarimala. She was also instrumental in stopping TV counselling shows i.e. Nijangal & Solvathellam Unmai.

In 2023, she made her debut in television series through Chandrikayilaliyunna Chandrakantham airing on Asianet. [6]

Ranjini moves High Court of Kerala against the order to release Hema Committee report stating that there is an infringement of hers and others who appeared before the committee of their confidentiality and privacy and they have the legal right to see this report and asking to give their consent for the publication. [7] [8]

Personal life

She married Malayali businessman Pierre Kombara. [4] In London, she also did a degree in credit management and later acquired a law degree. She also worked for the BBC for a short time. [4] She is a graduate lawyer and is currently working as a joint director in an overseas education institution in Kochi, Kerala.

Ranjini is also an avid wildlife and environmental activist.

Filmography


Tamil films

YearFilmCharacterNotes
1985 Mudhal Mariyathai SevuliTamil debut
1986 Avalai Cholli Kutramillai
Kadalora Kavithaigal Gangamma
Aayiram Pookkal Malarattum Saras
Paru Paru Pattanam Paru
Needhana Andha Kuyil
Nalellam Pournami
Mannukkul Vairam Chittu
1987 Kudumbam Oru Koyil
Aayusu Nooru Azhagammal
Paasam Oru Vesham
Muthukkal Moondru
Parisam Pottachu
Arul Tharum Ayyappan
Velicham
1988 Thaimel Aanai Meena
Urimai Geetham Ganga
1989 Puthu Mappillai
Poruthadhu Podhum Rosy
Neruppu Nila
Sariyana Jodi
Dilli Babu
Sakalakala Sammandhi Jhansi
Ellame En Thangachi
Samsarame Saranam
1990 Kalyana Rasi
1991 Sir...I Love You Lalitha
1991En Mamanukku Nalla Manasu

Malayalam films

YearFilmCharacterNotes
1987 Swathi Thirunal SugandhavalliHer debut film in Malayalam
1988 Chithram Kalyani
Mukunthetta Sumitra Vilikkunnu Sumitra
Adholokam
1989 Varnam Ammu
News Megha
Kaalal Pada Maya Menon
1990 Kauthuka Varthakal Rose Mary
Rajavazhcha Mini
Anantha Vruthantham Lateesha
Prosecution Jyothi
Orukkam Radha
Mukham Usha
Nanma Niranjavan SrinivasanMary
Pavakkooth Krishna
Thooval Sparsam Sujatha
Khandakavyam
Kashandikku Marumarunnu
Vacation
Sandram Police Officer's wife
Sunday 7 PM Dilip's stepmother/Dilip's lover
Kottayam Kunjachan Mollykkutty
Vembanad Abused/Lead role
1991Agni NilavuRekha
1992 Kingini Nandhini
1993 Customs Diary Priya
2008 Twenty:20 (film) RanjiniArchive footage
2014 Ring Master ElizabethComeback film
2014 Koothara Ram's mother
2016 Pa Va Lillykutty
2018 Mohanlal HerselfPhoto only /Archive footage/Uncredited role
2019Thankabhasmakuriyittu ThampurattiHerselfPhoto only /Archive footage/Uncredited role

Telugu

YearFilmCharacter
1986 Brahma Rudrulu Jyothi
1988 August 15 Rathri Sheela
Maa Inti Maharaju
1989Police ReportLakshmi
Paape Maa PranamMary

Kannada

YearFilmCharacter
1987Agni Kanye

Television

Shows

YearProgramRoleChannelLanguage
2014 Lunars Comedy Express Judge Asianet Plus Malayalam
Comedy Stars Season 2 Asianet
Gruhalakshmi Jaihind TV
Patturumaal Kairali TV
Veruthey Alla Bharya Mazhavil Manorama
2015Yuvatharam Jaihind TV
2017Malayali Veettamma Flowers TV
2018Makkal Mandram Panelist Thanthi TV Tamil
2019-2020Sharp ShootDebate Moderator Jaihind TV Malayalam
2022Flowers Oru KodiParticipant Flowers TV
2022Red CarpetMentor Amrita TV
2024Star MagicMentor Flowers TV
2024News Hour'"Panelist Asianet News

Soap Opera

YearProgramRoleChannelLanguage
2023-2025Chandrikayilaliyunna ChandrakanthamArundhati Devi Amma Asianet Malayalam

Beauty pageants as judge

References

  1. "Interview with Ranjini". Vanitha (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  2. "People still call me Kalyani: Ranjini". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  3. "Ranjini - Mangalam Varika". Mangalam. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 "Will she? Won't she?". Deccan Chronicle. 10 January 2012. Archived from the original on 10 January 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  5. People still call me Kalyani: Ranjini (Navamy Sudhish) 24 September 2013
  6. "Ranjini makes Malayalam TV debut with 'Chandrikayilaliyunna Chandrakantham'". The Times of India . 25 November 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  7. "Women working in Malayalam cinema face sexual harassment, discrimination, lack of safety at workplace: Hema Committee report". The Indian Express. 19 August 2024.
  8. "After division bench dismissal, HC's single bench rejects Ranjini's appeal to stay Hema Commission report's release". Onmanorama.