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. 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. Koothara, directed by Srinath Rajendran, marked her comeback to acting after a hiatus of two decades.
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. 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.
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.People still call me Kalyani: Ranjini (Navamy Sudhish) 24 September 2013 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.
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.
Personal life She married Malayali businessman Pierre Kombara. 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. 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 Year Film CharacterNotes1985 Mudhal Mariyathai SevuliTamil debut1986Avalai Cholli KutramillaiKadalora KavithaigalGangammaAayiram Pookkal MalarattumSarasParu Paru Pattanam ParuNeedhana Andha KuyilNalellam PournamiMannukkul Vairam Chittu1987Kudumbam Oru KoyilAayusu NooruAzhagammalPaasam Oru VeshamMuthukkal MoondruMarieParisam PottachuArul Tharum AyyappanVelicham1988Thaimel AanaiMeenaUrimai Geetham Ganga1989Puthu MappillaiPoruthadhu Podhum RosyNeruppu NilaSariyana JodiDilli BabuSakalakala Sammandhi JhansiEllame En ThangachiSamsarame Saranam1990Kalyana RasiSulochana alias Myna1991Sir...I Love YouLalitha1991En Mamanukku Nalla Manasu
Malayalam films Year Film CharacterNotes1987 Swathi Thirunal Sugandhavalli Her debut film in Malayalam1988 Chithram Kalyani Mukunthetta Sumitra Vilikkunnu Sumitra Adholokam 1989 Varnam Ammu News Megha Kaalal PadaMaya Menon1990 Kauthuka Varthakal Rose Mary Rajavazhcha Mini Anantha Vruthantham Lateesha ProsecutionJyothi Orukkam Radha Mukham Usha Nanma Niranjavan Srinivasan Mary PavakkoothKrishna Thooval Sparsam Sujatha Khandakavyam Kashandikku Marumarunnu Vacation Sandram Police Officer's wife Sunday 7 PMDilip's stepmother/Dilip's lover Kottayam Kunjachan Mollykkutty VembanadAbused/Lead role1991 Agni Nilavu Rekha 1992 Kingini Nandhini2008 Twenty:20 (film) RanjiniArchive footage 2014 Ring MasterElizabethComeback film 2014 KootharaRam's mother 2016Pa VaLillykutty2018MohanlalHerselfPhoto only /Archive footage/Uncredited role2019Thankabhasmakuriyittu Thampuratti HerselfPhoto only /Archive footage/Uncredited role
Telugu
Year Film RoleNotes1986 Brahma RudruluJyothi1988 August 15 Raatri Sheela Maa Inti Maharaju1989 Police ReportLakshmi Paape Maa PranamMary
Kannada
Year Film Character1987 Agni Kanye
Television Shows Year Program Role ChannelLanguage2014Lunars Comedy ExpressJudge Asianet Plus MalayalamComedy Stars Season 2AsianetGruhalakshmiJaihind TVPatturumaalKairali TVVeruthey Alla BharyaMazhavil Manorama2015YuvatharamJaihind TV2017Malayali VeettammaFlowers TV2018 Makkal MandramPanelist Thanthi TV Tamil2019-2020Sharp ShootDebate Moderator Jaihind TVMalayalam2022Flowers Oru KodiParticipantFlowers TV2022Red CarpetMentorAmrita TV 2024Star MagicMentorFlowers TV2024News HourPanelistAsianet News
Soap Opera Year Program Role ChannelLanguage2023-2025Chandrikayilaliyunna Chandrakantham Arundhati Devi Amma Asianet Malayalam
Beauty pageants as judge Miss India/Kerala 2010 (Miss World-Femina) Miss South India 2012 (Miss Asia-Manappuram) Mrs. Malayali 2019
References
External links