Shalini Kumar

She retired from films soon after marrying Tamil actor Ajith Kumar in April 2000.

• Name — Shalini • Birth Name — Shalini Babu • Born — 20 November 1979 • Birthplace — Thiruvalla, Kerala, India • Occupation — Actress • Children — 2 • Relatives — Shamlee (sister) Richard Rishi (brother) • Years Active — 1983–1991 (child artist); 1997–2001

Shalini is a Pentecostal Christian. She was born to Babu and Alice on 20 November 1979. Her father, a Muslim originally from Kollam in Kerala, migrated to Madras with an ambition of becoming an actor and the family settled there. Alice is a Christian, whose parents are from Kerala. Shalini is the middle child. Her younger sister Shamili and her elder brother Richard are also film actors. Shalini attended Fatima Matriculation Higher Secondary School (K.G to 8th), and Adarsh Vidyalaya, Chennai (9th to 10th). She completed college at Annamalai University. Shalini has stated that she enjoys badminton and has played in a few state-level tournaments.

Shalini started her career as a child artist. She also played the lead character in the TV serial Amloo telecast in the late 1980s on Doordarshan. Her iconic hairstyle, a short bob with a front fringe, was popularly known as the “Baby Shalini hair cut”. Shalini and her siblings, 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. Like the Malayalam version, Kadhalukku Mariyadhai was also a blockbuster, and Shalini's performance was also praised, with Indolink.com recommending the film and stating that "Shalini returns in this film with a good performance". For the movie Amarkkalam (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. She was offered a role in Padayappa, 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). 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.

In 1999, during the shoot of Saran's Amarkkalam, Shalini began to date her co-star Ajith Kumar, who proposed to Shalini. They got married on 24 April 2000 at Chennai. Ajith Kumar is a practicing Hindu. After their marriage, Shalini retired as an actress following the completion of two of her unfinished projects. The couple have two children; a daughter Anoushka (born January 3, 2008) and a son Aadvik (born March 2, 2015).

• Year — Film — Role — Language — Notes • 1983 — Bezawada Bebbuli — Telugu • Aadyathe Anuraagam — Rajumon — Malayalam • Oomakkuyil • Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku — Mamattukuttiyama/Tintu — Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist • Apoorva Sahodarigal — Tamil • Aanandha Kummi • 1984 — Muthodu Muthu — Achimol — Malayalam • Oru Sumangaliyude Katha — Raji • Chakkarayumma — Shalu Mol • Onnum Mindatha Bharya — Achuthan Nair's daughter • Krishna Guruvayoorappa — Unnikrishnan • Amme Narayana • Sandarbham — Ravi's daughter • NH 47 — Mini • Mangalam Nerunnu — Usha • Koottinilamkili — Nandini/Rajimol — Dual Role • Osai — Baby Shalini — Tamil • Minimol Vathicanil — Minimol — Malayalam • Onnanu Nammal — Sonykutty • 1985 — Vannu Kandu Keezhadakki — Shalu • Bandham — Asha — Telugu • Bandham — Asha — Tamil • Pillai Nila — Shalini / Shalu — Dual Role • Amudha Gaanam — Meena • Jeevante Jeevan — Biju — Malayalam • Akkacheyude Kunjuvava — Chakkimol • Oru Nokku Kanan — Chinnukkutty/Unnimol — Dual Role • Kongumudi — 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 — Shalini — Tamil • Ente Entethu Mathrem — Sreemol, Bindu — Malayalam — Dual role • Ee Jeeva Ninagagi — Latha — Kannada — Also playback singer and only Kannada film till date • Nilave Malare — Priya — Tamil — Cinema Express Award for Best Child Artist • Aayiram Kannudayaal • Jailu Pakshi — Telugu • 1987 — Amme Bhagavathi — Durga — Malayalam • Sirai Paravai — Tamil • Shankar Guru — Devi • Chinnari Devatha — Devi — Telugu • Saradhamba • Michael Raj — Tamil • Rowdy Babai • 1988 — Brahma Puthrudu — Sridevi — Telugu • Chutti Poonai — Shalini — Tamil • August 15 Raatri — Telugu • 1989 — Varusham 16 — Tamil • Rakhwala — Mini — Hindi — Only Bollywood film till date • Raja Chinna Roja — Chitra — Tamil • Bhagavan — Baby — Telugu • 1990 — Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari — Pandu

• Year — Film — Role — Language — Notes • 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 • Amarkkalam — Mohana — Tamil — Also playback singer • Niram — Sona — Malayalam • 2000 — Kannukkul Nilavu — Hema — Tamil • Alai Payuthey — Shakti — Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize for Best Actress Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Tamil • 2001 — Piriyadha Varam Vendum — Nithiyakalyani — Remake of Niram

Shalini Kumar is recorded as actress.