Rohini

Biography

Rohini Molleti (born December 15, 1969), known simply as Rohini, is a highly acclaimed Indian actress, dubbing artist, and lyricist who works predominantly in Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam cinema. Born in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, and raised in Chennai, she began her acting career at the young age of five as a child artist in the Telugu film *Yashoda Krishna* (1976). Transitioning to lead roles in the early 1980s, she made significant impressions with performances in films like the Tamil actioner *Kakka* (1982) and the Malayalam drama *Parannu Parannu Parannu* (1984). She was married to the legendary late actor Raghuvaran from 1996 to 2004, with whom she has a son, Rishi Varan.

Throughout the 1990s, Rohini established herself as a versatile powerhouse, taking on substantial character-driven roles. She garnered massive critical acclaim and won the National Film Award – Special Mention for her powerful, nuanced performance in the Telugu drama *Stri* (1995). She also proved her brilliant comedic timing in the Tamil cult-classic feminist comedy *Magalir Mattum* (1994) alongside Revathi and Urvashi. Beyond her acting prowess, Rohini is one of the most successful and prolific dubbing artists in South Indian cinematic history. She has lent her voice to several prominent leading ladies, most notably dubbing for Girija Shettar in *Geethanjali*, Manisha Koirala in *Bombay*, and Aishwarya Rai in *Iruvar* and *Raavanan*. Her extraordinary vocal talent and ability to convey complex emotions made her an indispensable asset behind the scenes.

In her later career, Rohini seamlessly transitioned into playing prominent maternal and supporting characters, earning widespread appreciation for her emotional depth. She gained massive pan-Indian recognition portraying Sanga, the fierce adoptive mother of Mahendra Baahubali, in S. S. Rajamouli's global blockbusters *Baahubali: The Beginning* (2015) and *Baahubali 2: The Conclusion* (2017). She continued to deliver standout performances in critically and commercially acclaimed films like the Tamil thriller *Witness* (2022), the Telugu romantic comedies *Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo* (2020) and *Ante Sundaraniki* (2022), and the Malayalam fantasy-adventure *Ajayante Randam Moshanam* (2024).

Staying highly active across multiple industries, Rohini maintains a robust slate of theatrical projects. In 2024, she appeared in the Rajinikanth-starrer *Vettaiyan*, the Telugu blockbuster comedy *Mathu Vadalara 2*, and the rural drama *Bachhala Malli*. Her upcoming slate extending through 2025 and 2026 includes a diverse array of projects such as the Telugu courtroom drama *COURT - State vs A Nobody* (2025), *The Girlfriend* (2025), and *Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi* (2025). She is also set to feature in the Tamil films *Kaadhal Enbadhu Podhu Udamai* (2025) and *Dude* (2025), along with the Telugu comedy *Raja The Raja* (2026). With a career spanning over four decades, Rohini remains a deeply respected, remarkably versatile, and integral figure in Indian cinema.