Shalini Ajith

Last updated

Shalini Ajith
ShaliniAjithKumar.jpg
Born
Shalini Babu [1]

(1979-11-20) 20 November 1979 (age 44)
Other namesShalini Ajith [2]
OccupationActress
Years active1983–1991 (as child artist), 1997–2001 (as leading actress)
Spouse
(m. 2000)
Children2
Relatives Shamili (sister)
Richard Rishi (brother)

Shalini Ajith (born 20 November 1979), formerly known as Baby Shalini, is an Indian former actress and child artist who predominantly worked in Malayalam and Tamil films. During the 80s, Shalini was the most successful child artist in both Malayalam and Tamil film industry and also in Telugu films. [3] After a brief hiatus from acting, Shalini made a come back in 1997 through Malayalam and Tamil language films as a lead heroine. She married popular Tamil actor Ajith Kumar, on April 24, 2000 and retired from films after her wedding. [4]

Contents

Early life

Shalini was born in a Protestant Malayali Christian family to Babu and Alice on 20 November 1979. [5] [6] [7] [8] Her father is from Kollam. [9] Her father migrated to Madras with an ambition of becoming an actor and the family settled there. Later, he fulfilled his ambition through his children. [10] Shalini attended Fatima Matriculation Higher Secondary School (K.G to 8th), Adarsh Vidyalaya, Chennai (9th to 10th) and Church Park, Chennai (11th and 12th). She completed college at Annamalai University. [3] She is the middle child. Her younger sister Shamili and her elder brother Richard are also actors in the film industry. Shalini has stated that she enjoys badminton and has played in a few state-level tournaments. [11] [12]

Career

Shalini started her career as a child artist in Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku and she acted in all the films under the direction of Fazil. [13] She also played the lead character in the TV serial Amloo telecast in the late 1980s on Doordarshan. [14] Her iconic hairstyle, a short bob with a front fringe, was popularly known as the “Baby Shalini hair cut”. [15]

Three of the siblings Shalini, Shamili and Richard Rishi were acted as child artists in 1990 Telugu language blockbuster film Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari.

Shalini soon went to study, and she returned to acting with Aniyathipravu , which was a blockbuster. In her next film Kaliyoonjal (1997), she co-starred with Mammootty and Dileep and it released to mixed reviews. After the success of the Malayalam Aniyathipravu , Fazil remade it in Tamil as Kadhalukku Mariyadhai (1997). Initially, Fazil was keen on casting a débutante in the lead female role, but Shalini insisted that she should also star in the Tamil version. [16] Like the Malayalam version, Kadhalukku Mariyadhai was also a blockbuster, and Shalini’s performance was also praised with Indolink.com recommending the film and citing that "Shalini returns in this film with a good performance". [17]

For the movie Amarkalam (1999), Saran initially approached Shalini, who was studying at the time and she refused, however, after a three-month pursuit, he finally got her to sign on as well. [18] She was offered a role in Padayappa , [19] which she rejected. The success of the film Kadhalukku Mariyadhai prompted Fazil to make another film with the lead pair, Vijay and Shalini, in 2000: Kannukkul Nilavu . [20] [21]

Personal life

In 1999, during the shoot of Saran's Amarkalam , Shalini began to date her co-star Ajith Kumar. He proposed to Shalini. [22] They got married on 24 April 2000 at Chennai. After their marriage, Shalini retired as an actress following the completion of two unfinished projects. The couple have two children. [23] [24]

Filmography

As a child artist

YearFilmRoleLanguageNotes
1983 Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku Mamattukuttiyama/Tintu Malayalam Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist
Aadyathe Anuraagam Rajumon
Bezawada BebbuliTeluguTelugu Movie Debut
Oomakkuyil Malayalam
Aanandha Kummi Tamil Tamil Movie Debut
1984Muthodu MuthuAchimol Malayalam
Amme Narayana
Onnum Mindatha Bharya Achuthan Nair's daughter
Sandarbham Ravi's daughter
NH 47 Mini
Onnanu Nammal Sonykutty
Krishna Guruvayoorappa Unnikrishnan
Oru Sumangaliyude Katha Raji
Minimol Vathicanil Minimol
Chakkarayumma Shalu Mol
Koottinilamkili Nandini/RajimolDual Role
Mangalam Nerunnu Usha
Osai Baby ShaliniTamil
1985 Vannu Kandu Keezhadakki ShaluMalayalam
Bandham AshaTamil
Pillai Nila Shalini / ShaluDual Role
Amudha Gaanam
Jeevante Jeevan BijuMalayalam

& Telugu

Akkacheyude Kunjuvava Chakkimol
Oru Nokku Kanan Chinnukkutty/UnnimolDual Role
Kongumudi [25] Padma
Katha Ithuvare Ramyamol
Oru Kudakeezhil Baby Sridevi
Aazhi
Aanakkorumma Bindu
Iniyum Kadha Thudarum Ravindran's daughter
Ormikkaan Omanikkaan
Muhurtham Pathnonnu Muppathinu Raji or Rajee
1986 Prathyyekom Shradikkuka Minimol
Bharya Oru Manthri Anithamol
Viduthalai ShaliniTamil
Ente Entethu Mathrem Sreemol, BinduMalayalamDual role
Ee Jeeva Ninagagi Latha Kannada Also playback singer and only Kannada film till date
Nilave Malare PriyaTamil
Aayiram Kannudayaal
Jailu Pakshi Telugu
1987 Amme Bhagavathi DurgaMalayalam
Sirai Paravai Tamil
Shankar Guru Devi
Chinnari Devatha DeviTelugu
Saradhamba
Michael Raj Tamil
Rowdy Babai
1988 Brahma Puthrudu SrideviTelugu
Chutti PoonaiShaliniTamil
August 15 RathriTelugu
1989 Raja Chinna Roja ChitraTamil
Rakhwala Mini Hindi Only Bollywood film till date
Varusham 16 Tamil
BhagavanBabyTelugu
1990 Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari Pandu
1991Keechu Raallu

As a leading actress

YearFilmRoleLanguageNotes
1997 Aniyathipraavu Mini Malayalam
Kaliyoonjal Ammu
Kadhalukku Mariyadhai Mini Tamil Remake of Aniyathipraavu
1998 Nakshatratharattu Hema Malayalam
Kaikudunna Nilavu Veni
Sundarakilladi Devayani
1999 Prem Poojari Hema
Amarkalam MohanaTamilAlso playback singer
Niram SonaMalayalam
2000 Kannukkul Nilavu HemaTamil
Alai Payuthey Shakti Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize for Best Actress
Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Tamil
2001 Piriyadha Varam Vendum NithiRemake of Niram

Awards

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