Meet the actor who grabbed headlines for rivalry with her sister and breathed her last while shooting for film

Meet the legendary South actress who has appeared in over 300 films, made headlines for her rivalry with her sister, and passed away during the shooting.

Published on Jul 19, 2024  |  07:40 PM IST |  24.4K
Meet the National Award-winning actor who passed away while shooting for her film
Meet the National Award-winning actor who passed away while shooting for her film (PC: Pinkvilla)

Trigger Warning: The article contains information regarding an individual's death that might be triggering for some readers. 

She was not just an ordinary actress; she was an exceptional talent who captivated the audience with her versatile performances. She was beautiful, gorgeous, and extremely talented. This South superstar was popularly known for her work in the Malayalam Industry and even won the prestigious National Award. We are talking about Kalpana Ranjani. 

Who is Kalpana Ranjani?

Kalpana Ranjani was born on October 5 1965 as Kalpana Priyadarsini. She was one of the three daughters born to theatre artists Chavara VP Nair and Vijayalakshmi. 

Kalpana has two sisters, Kalaranjini and Urvashi, and two brothers, Prince Nair and Kamal Roy. She has acted in over 300 films in various South Indian languages. Kalpana won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Thanichalla Njan (2012). The talented actress began her career as a child artist with the film Vidarunna Mottukal in 1977.

Kalpana Ranjani

Kalpana Ranjani

Kalpana Ranjani

Her comic roles made her popular among audiences, even though she initially wanted to be a lead actress. In the 1980 film Pokkuveyil, directed by G. Aravindan, Kalpana made her mainstream acting debut and then went on to be a part of several superhit films. 

Kalpana Ranjani’s marriage

The popular actress was married to Malayalam film director Anil Kumar in 1998. However, the marriage was short-lived, as the couple got divorced in 2012. Kalpana and Anil have one daughter, Sreemayi.

Kalpana Ranjani’s rivalry with sister

Kalpana Ranjani was not on very good terms with her younger sister and actress Urvashi. 

“From childhood itself, she (Kalpana) used to make all the decisions for me. It was natural that we had our share of fights and reconciliations. As her younger sister, I used to obey her in everything. We drifted apart after I took the decision related to an issue in my personal life, all by myself. I took that decision ignoring her opinion in it,” revealed Urvashi in one of the throwback interviews.

Kalpana Ranjani with sisters

But if reports are to be believed, Urvashi’s rise in cinema impacted Kalpana’s prospects of becoming a heroine. Filmmakers began queueing up behind Urvashi since she fit the conventional beauty standards, leading to the sisters' rivalry. 

After Kalpana’s death, Urvashi revealed she regrets not settling a few issues with her late sister actress. Though she had hoped to meet and talk to her elder sister, Urvashi was devastated to know that Kalpana had passed away just a day before they had planned to meet.

Kalpana Ranjani’s death

Kalpana Ranjani passed away in an unfortunate and untimely death. She was just 50 at the time of her demise. On January 25, 2016, Kalpana was found unconscious in her hotel room and was immediately taken to the hospital by the crew members, but died of a heart attack on the way. She was in Hyderabad, shooting for the movie Oopiri / Thozha, which starred Karthi.

Although her death was tragic and unfortunate, it is worth mentioning that Kalpana breathed her last while doing what she loved the most- acting and performing. 

The actress is not with us physically, but her legacy shall continue forever. 

Disclaimer: If you or anyone you know is suffering from any health-related issues, do not hesitate to seek professional help. There are several helplines available.

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About The Author

Baisakhi Mishra, a Mass Communication and Journalism graduate from Bhubaneswar, Odisha has an insatiable thirst for traveling and movies.

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