# 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.
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.

## Early life

Shalini was born in a Protestant Malayali Christian family to Babu and Alice on 20 November 1979. Her father is from Kollam. 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. 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. Shalini has stated that she enjoys badminton and has played in a few state-level tournaments.

## Career

Shalini started her career as a child artist in Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku under the direction of Fazil. 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”.
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. 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".
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. 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.

## Personal life

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

## Filmography
### As a Child Artist

| Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes |
| 1983 | Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku | Mamattukuttiyama/Tintu | Malayalam | Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist |
| 1983 | Aadyathe Anuraagam | Rajumon | Malayalam | |
| 1983 | Bezawada Bebbuli | | Telugu | Telugu Movie Debut |
| 1983 | Oomakkuyil | | Malayalam | |
| 1983 | Aanandha Kummi | | Tamil | Tamil Movie Debut |
| 1984 | Muthodu Muthu | Achimol | Malayalam |
| 1984 | Amme Narayana | | Malayalam | |
| 1984 | Onnum Mindatha Bharya | Achuthan Nair's daughter | Malayalam | |
| 1984 | Sandarbham | Ravi's daughter | Malayalam | |
| 1984 | NH 47 | Mini | Malayalam | |
| 1984 | Onnanu Nammal | Sonykutty | Malayalam | |
| 1984 | Krishna Guruvayoorappa | Unnikrishnan | Malayalam | |
| 1984 | Oru Sumangaliyude Katha | Raji | Malayalam | |
| 1984 | Minimol Vathicanil | Minimol | Malayalam | |
| 1984 | Chakkarayumma | Shalu Mol | Malayalam | |
| 1984 | Koottinilamkili | Nandini/Rajimol | Malayalam | Dual Role |
| 1984 | Mangalam Nerunnu | Usha | Malayalam | |
| 1984 | Osai | Baby Shalini | Tamil | |
| 1985 | Vannu Kandu Keezhadakki | Shalu | Malayalam | |
| 1985 | Bandham | Asha | Telugu | |
| 1985 | Bandham | Asha | Tamil | |
| 1985 | Pillai Nila | Shalini / Shalu | Tamil | Dual Role |
| 1985 | Amudha Gaanam | Meena | Tamil | |
| 1985 | Jeevante Jeevan | Biju | Malayalam | |
| 1985 | Akkacheyude Kunjuvava | Chakkimol | Malayalam | |
| 1985 | Oru Nokku Kanan | Chinnukkutty/Unnimol | Malayalam | Dual Role |
| 1985 | Kongumudi | Padma | Malayalam | |
| 1985 | Katha Ithuvare | Ramyamol | Malayalam | |
| 1985 | Oru Kudakeezhil | Baby Sridevi | Malayalam | |
| 1985 | Aazhi | | Malayalam | |
| 1985 | Aanakkorumma | Bindu | Malayalam | |
| 1985 | Iniyum Kadha Thudarum | Ravindran's daughter | Malayalam | |
| 1985 | Ormikkaan Omanikkaan | | Malayalam | |
| 1985 | Muhurtham Pathnonnu Muppathinu | Raji or Rajee | Malayalam | |
| 1986 | Prathyyekom Shradikkuka | Minimol | Malayalam | |
| 1986 | Bharya Oru Manthri | Anithamol | Malayalam | |
| 1986 | Viduthalai | Shalini | Tamil | |
| 1986 | Ente Entethu Mathrem | Sreemol, Bindu | Malayalam | Dual role |
| 1986 | Ee Jeeva Ninagagi | Latha | Kannada | Also playback singer and only Kannada film till date |
| 1986 | Nilave Malare | Priya | Tamil | |
| 1986 | Aayiram Kannudayaal | | Tamil | |
| 1986 | Jailu Pakshi | | Telugu | |
| 1987 | Amme Bhagavathi | Durga | Malayalam | |
| 1987 | Sirai Paravai | | Tamil |
| 1987 | Shankar Guru | Devi | Tamil | |
| 1987 | Chinnari Devatha | Devi | Telugu | |
| 1987 | Saradhamba | | Telugu | |
| 1987 | Michael Raj | | Tamil |
| 1987 | Rowdy Babai | | Tamil | |
| 1988 | Brahma Puthrudu | Sridevi | Telugu | |
| 1988 | Chutti Poonai | Shalini | Tamil | |
| 1988 | August 15 Rathri | | Telugu | |
| 1989 | Raja Chinna Roja | Chitra | Tamil | |
| 1989 | Rakhwala | Mini | Hindi | Only Bollywood film till date |
| 1989 | Varusham 16 | | Tamil | |
| 1989 | Bhagavan | Baby | Telugu | |
| 1990 | Jagadeka Veerudu Atiloka Sundari | Pandu | Telugu | |
| 1991 | Keechu Raallu | | Telugu | |

### As a Lead Actress

| Year | Film | Role | Language | Notes |
| 1997 | Aniyathipraavu | Mini | Malayalam | |
| 1997 | Kaliyoonjal | Ammu | Malayalam | |
| 1997 | Kadhalukku Mariyadhai | Mini | Tamil | Remake of Aniyathipraavu |
| 1998 | Nakshatratharattu | Hema | Malayalam | |
| 1998 | Kaikudunna Nilavu | Veni | Malayalam | |
| 1998 | Sundarakilladi | Devayani | Malayalam | |
| 1999 | Prem Poojari | Hema | Malayalam | |
| 1999 | Amarkalam | Mohana | Tamil | Also playback singer |
| 1999 | Niram | Sona | Malayalam | |
| 2000 | Kannukkul Nilavu | Hema | Tamil | |
| 2000 | Alai Payuthey | Shakti | Tamil | Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize for Best Actress Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Tamil |
| 2001 | Piriyadha Varam Vendum | Nithi | Tamil | Remake of Niram |

### Awards

* Kerala State Film Award for Best Child Artist - Ente Mamattukkuttiyammakku (1983)
* Tamil Nadu State Film Award Special Prize for Best Actress - Alai Payuthey (2000)