Malashri

Malashri began her career in films as a child actor after being roped in by the directors of her mother's films. She appeared in 34 films as a child actor, out of which she played the role of a boy in 26 of them.[3] In a talk show, Majaa Talkies, she said that as a child, she was a fan of actor Amitabh Bachchan and would dress up like him, appearing as boy, which prompted directors to cast her in their films. Among them include the 1979 films, Imayam and Neela Malargal.[4]

Writer and lyricist Chi. Udaya Shankar first introduced Malashri to Rajkumar family who were on the look out for a fresh face. In a lead role, she was introduced first by the Parvathamma Rajkumar, and cast her opposite her son Raghavendra Rajkumar for the film Nanjundi Kalyana (1989), who also rechristened her name as Malashri. She went on to act in two other films from Vajreshwari Combines, namely, Gajapathi Garvabhanga opposite Raghavendra again, and Mruthyunjaya with Shiva Rajkumar.

She took on the famous double role in Rani Maharani (immortalized earlier by Vanisri in Ganga Manga/Rani Vani and Sridevi in Chaalbaaz). With this film, she silenced her critics once and for all with a powerhouse performance. But it was not until her next film Hrudaya Haadithu that she openly won all praises from the masses, elite and critics alike. Her portrayal of a young girl inflicted with heart problem and her simple desires in life won her the Filmfare Best actress award in the year 1991. As she churned out hit after hit. Even director V. Ravichandran, who till then believed only in importing heroines from the film industries of other states, cashed in hugely on her popularity by casting her in Ramachaari (a remake of Tamil Hit Chinna Thambi). This enabled him to come out of the financial crisis he was facing due to the debacle of Shanti Kranti during that time.

However, in the mid-90s, Malashri had a string of less successful films like Prema Khaidi, Snehada Kadalalli, Megha Mandara, Arishina Kumkuma, and Solillada Saradara. She had a few comeback hits in the new millennium with "angry woman" roles in Chamundi, Durgi and Kannada Kiran Bedi.