Shalini Ajith

Indian actress (born 1980) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Shalini Ajith

Shalini Ajith Kumar (formerly known as Baby Shalini; born 20 November 1979), known mononymously as Shalini is a former Indian actress and child artist who worked in Malayalam and Tamil films. During the 80s, Shalini was the most successful child artist in Malayalam and Tamil films.[2]

Quick Facts Born, Occupation ...
Shalini Ajith Kumar
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Shalini in 2023
Born
Shalini Babu[1]

(1979-11-20) 20 November 1979 (age 45)
OccupationActress
Years active1983–1991(child artist);
1997–2001
Spouse
(m. 2000)
Children2
RelativesShamlee (sister)
Richard Rishi (brother)
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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 before officially retiring from films.[3]

Early life

Shalini is a Pentecostal Christian. She was born to Muslim Malayali Babu and his Pentecostal Christian Malayali wife Alice on 20 November 1979.[4][5][6][7] Her father is from Kollam.[8] 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.[9] She is the middle child. Her younger sister Shamili and her elder brother Richard are also actors in the film industry. 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.[2] Shalini has stated that she enjoys badminton and has played in a few state-level tournaments.[10][11]

Career

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Perspective

Shalini started her career as a child artist in Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku under the direction of Fazil.[12] She also played the lead character in the TV serial Amloo telecast in the late 1980s on Doordarshan.[13] Her iconic hairstyle, a short bob with a front fringe, was popularly known as the “Baby Shalini hair cut”.[14]

Three of the siblings Shalini, Shamili and Richard Rishi acted as child artists in the 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) with Vijay. 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.[15] 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".[16]

For the movie Amarkalam (1999) with Ajith Kumar, 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.[17] She was offered a role in Padayappa,[18] which she rejected. The success of the film Kadhalukku Mariyadhai prompted Fazil to make another film with the lead pair, Vijay and Shalini, in Kannukkul Nilavu (2000).[19] She acted with R. Madhavan in the romantic drama Alai Payuthey (2000) directed by Mani Ratnam. She was last seen in the romantic comedy film Piriyadha Varam Vendum (2001) with Prashanth.[20]

Personal life

In 1999, during the shoot of Saran's Amarkalam, Shalini began to date her co-star Ajith Kumar. He proposed to Shalini.[21] They got married on 24 April 2000 at Chennai. Ajith Kumar is a Hindu. After their marriage, Shalini retired as an actress following the completion of two unfinished projects. The couple have two children - Anoushka and Aadvik. [22][23]

Filmography

As a Child Artist

More information Year, Film ...
Year Film Role Language Notes
1983 Ente MamattikkuttiyammakkuMamattukuttiyama/TintuMalayalamKerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist
Aadyathe AnuraagamRajumon
Bezawada Bebbuli Telugu Telugu Movie Debut
Oomakkuyil Malayalam
Aanandha KummiTamilTamil Movie Debut
1984 Muthodu MuthuAchimolMalayalam
Amme Narayana
Onnum Mindatha BharyaAchuthan Nair's daughter
SandarbhamRavi's daughter
NH 47Mini
Onnanu NammalSonykutty
Krishna GuruvayoorappaUnnikrishnan
Oru Sumangaliyude KathaRaji
Minimol VathicanilMinimol
ChakkarayummaShalu Mol
KoottinilamkiliNandini/RajimolDual Role
Mangalam NerunnuUsha
OsaiBaby ShaliniTamil
1985 Vannu Kandu KeezhadakkiShaluMalayalam
Bandham Asha Telugu
BandhamAshaTamil
Pillai NilaShalini / ShaluDual Role
Amudha GaanamMeena
Jeevante JeevanBijuMalayalam
Akkacheyude KunjuvavaChakkimol
Oru Nokku KananChinnukkutty/UnnimolDual Role
Kongumudi[24] Padma
Katha IthuvareRamyamol
Oru KudakeezhilBaby Sridevi
Aazhi
AanakkorummaBindu
Iniyum Kadha ThudarumRavindran's daughter
Ormikkaan Omanikkaan
Muhurtham Pathnonnu MuppathinuRaji or Rajee
1986 Prathyyekom ShradikkukaMinimol
Bharya Oru ManthriAnithamol
ViduthalaiShaliniTamil
Ente Entethu MathremSreemol, BinduMalayalamDual role
Ee Jeeva NinagagiLathaKannadaAlso playback singer and only Kannada film till date
Nilave MalarePriyaTamil
Aayiram Kannudayaal
Jailu PakshiTelugu
1987 Amme BhagavathiDurgaMalayalam
Sirai ParavaiTamil
Shankar GuruDevi
Chinnari DevathaDeviTelugu
Saradhamba
Michael RajTamil
Rowdy Babai
1988 Brahma PuthruduSrideviTelugu
Chutti PoonaiShaliniTamil
August 15 Rathri Telugu
1989 Raja Chinna RojaChitraTamil
RakhwalaMiniHindiOnly Bollywood film till date
Varusham 16 Tamil
BhagavanBabyTelugu
1990 Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka SundariPandu
1991 Keechu Raallu
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As a Lead Actress

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Awards

References

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