Sanjjanaa Galrani (also known as Mahira;[1] born Archana Galrani) is an Indian actress who made her film debut in the 2005 Telugu film Soggadu. She is known for her role in the Kannada film Ganda Hendathi (2006). She played a supporting role in the 2008 Telugu film Bujjigadu starring Prabhas.[2][3] In 2017, she played Chandri in the Kannada crime drama Dandupalya 2.[4]

Sanjjanaa Galrani
Sanjjanaa at the CCL match
Born
Archana Galrani

NationalityIndian
Other namesMahira
Occupation
  • Actress
Years active2005–present
Spouse
Azeez Pasha
(m. 2021)
Children1
RelativesNikki Galrani (sister)
Aadhi Pinisetty (brother-in-law)

Early life

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Brought up in Bangalore, Galrani is of Sindhi origin.[5] She appeared a Fastrack advertisement with John Abraham.[5] She has a sister, Nikki Galrani, who is also an actress.[6]

Career

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Debut (2005)

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After appearing in advertisements and as child artist in roles in the films Soggadu and Panduranga Vittala,[7] she got her first starring role in Ganda Hendathi.[citation needed]

Her first release, however, was the Tamil feature film, Oru Kadhal Seiveer. S R Ashok Kumar of The Hindu noted that Galrani, then credited under her birth name, was "very beautiful but has to work on her acting".[8]

Ganda Hendathi, a Kannada remake of the Hindi film Murder (2004), itself an adaptation of the Hollywood film Unfaithful (2002).[9][10] The film was released in Telugu as Mogudu Pellam O Boy Friend. While Sify wrote, "Sanjjanaa has made a decent debut and she is extremely daring and does justice to her role".[9]

In 2008, she made her official Telugu film debut in Puri Jagannadh's Bujjigadu, in which she played the role of Kangana alongside Prabhas and Trisha Krishnan. Although this was a supporting role, it gained her considerable attention and popularity.[citation needed] In 2010, she was seen in the Telugu film Police Police, which was followed by a cameo role in Huduga Hudugi. Her final release of that year was Mylari with Shivrajkumar, in which she played a journalist and was featured in a special song opposite Shivrajkumar. The film's success gained her offers in Kannada cinema. She won the Bangalore Times Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role Female in 2012 for I Am Sorry Mathe Banni Preethsona.[11][12]

In January 2012, she played one of the lead female roles in Casanova, her maiden Malayalam venture. Reportedly the costliest Malayalam production of all time,[5] and co-starring Mohanlal and Shriya Saran, the film saw Galrani portray a salsa dancer.[13] Director Rosshan Andrrews signed her for the particular role, since she was trained in salsa.[5] Her last release is her second Malayalam film, the Shaji Kailas directed The King & the Commissioner, co-starring Mammooty and Suresh Gopi. Later in 2012 she appeared in films including Narasimha, Ondu Kshanadalli, Sagar, all of which being Kannada projects, and Yamaho Yama.

In 2013 she appeared in Jagan Nirdoshi in Telugu which was made under Padmalaya Films and in Mahanadhi in Kannada, which was her first heroine-centric film. She was then seen in Nenem…Chinna Pillana?[14] She is currently filming for a Telugu film, Saradha, directed by RP Patnaik.[15][16]

Controversy

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Galrani was arrested by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Karnataka Police on 8 September 2020 in connection with the investigation into the drug racket involving the Kannada film industry. She is the second actor to be arrested by the CCB after Ragini Dwivedi.[17][18] Her bail application was denied several times by the courts, with the CCB claiming that she has admitted to being part of the drug racket.[19][20][21] She was later granted bail after spending 3 months in prison.[22]

Personal life

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Galrani converted to Islam and secretly married a Bangalore-based vascular surgeon Azeez Pasha in intimate function.[23] Together, they have a baby boy.[24] She performed her first Umrah at Mecca in 2023.[1][25]

Filmography

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Film

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List of film credits
Year Title Role Language Notes
2005 Soggadu Anu Telugu Uncredited role[citation needed]
2006 Oru Kadhal Seiveer Subha Tamil
Ganda Hendathi Sanjana Kannada
Jackpot Herself Cameo
2007 Autograph Please Herself
2008 Arjun Arjun's girlfriend
Varasdhaara Sanjana
Bujjigadu Kangana Telugu
2009 Satyameva Jeyathe Sanjana
Mast Maja Maadi Herself Kannada Cameo
Samardhudu Nandhini Telugu
2010 Police Police Sandhya
Huduga Hudugi Sachin's friend Kannada Special appearance
Mylari Swathi
2011 Ee Sanje Anu
Rangappa Hogbitna Sneha
Dushasana Kajal Telugu
I Am Sorry Mathe Banni Preethsona Sinchana Kannada
Take It Easy Herself Cameo
Mugguru Yamini Telugu
2012 Ko Ko Kannada Special appearance
Casanovva Nidhi Malayalam
The King & the Commissioner Nitha Rathore [26]
Narasimha Rani Kannada
Ondu Kshanadalli Shilpa
Sagar Jenny
Yamaho Yama Nisha Telugu
2013 Mahanadi Meenakshi Kannada
Nenem…Chinna Pillana? Telugu
Jagan Nirdoshi
2014 Love You Bangaram Herself Special appearance[27]
Agraja Herself Kannada
2015 Rebel Laila
Ram-Leela Pooja
Bangalore 560023 Swathi [28]
Ring Road
Avunu 2 Sanjana Telugu
2016 Sardaar Gabbar Singh Gayathri [29]
Just Akasmika Aarohi Kannada [30]
Santheyalli Nintha Kabira Sanjana
Mandya to Mumbai [31]
2017 Dandupalya 2 Chandri [32][33]
2 Countries Tamannah Telugu
2018 Rajasimha Sanju Kannada
Dandupalya 3 Chandri
2022 Choran Malayalam [34]
2024 Matthe Matthe Kannada [35]
Poda Mundam TBA Tamil Filming[36]

Web series

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  • 2020 : Shit Happens (Telugu)
  • 2019: Aivar (Tamil)

Television

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Awards

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  • Best Actor in a Negative Role Female for Mathe Banni Preethsona – The Bangalore Times Film Awards 2011[38]
  • In 2015, she entered into the Limca Book of World Records by cycling for 104 hours.[39]
  • She was given the Celebrity Social Media Icon 2016 award by GMASA.[40]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Actress Sanjjanaa Galrani Leaves For Mecca With Her Family, Shares Video". News18. 16 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Sanjana hopes to make a mark". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013.
  3. ^ "Sanjana on a roll". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013.
  4. ^ Upadhyaya, Prakash (10 June 2016). "Hot Sanjjjanaa turns cold-blooded murderer in 'Dandupalya 2' [PHOTOS]". International Business Times, India Edition. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d "Sanjjanaa dancing her way into Mollywood". Archived from the original on 30 January 2012.
  6. ^ "Nikki Galrani sister Sanjana Galrani says she was not fully nude while shooting for the scene in Dandupalyam 2 – Tamil Movie News – IndiaGlitz". IndiaGlitz.com. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  7. ^ Joy, Prathibha. "Sanjjanaa reunites with Sogadu director". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 30 October 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Sordid affair – Oru Kadhal Seiveer". The Hindu. 10 March 2006. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  9. ^ a b "Review : Ganda Hendathi". Sify. Archived from the original on 16 September 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  10. ^ "Ganda Hendathi review. Ganda Hendathi Kannada movie review, story, rating". IndiaGlitz. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  11. ^ "The Times of India: Latest News India, World & Business News, Cricket & Sports, Bollywood". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013.
  12. ^ "Sanjjanaa took home the Best Actor in a Negative Role Female award". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  13. ^ "A season of releases for Sanjjanaa". dna. 24 January 2012. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  14. ^ "Sweden calling for Sanjjanaa's next Telugu film". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013.
  15. ^ "Three men for Sanjjanaa". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013.
  16. ^ Features, Express. "Sanjjanaa lives her dreams". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  17. ^ Gowhar, Imran (8 September 2020). "Kannada cinema drug racket probe: actor Sanjjanaa Galrani arrested". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  18. ^ "Actor Sanjana Galrani arrested in Bengaluru drugs case". The News Minute. 8 September 2020. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  19. ^ "Actress Sanjjanaa Galrani admits she's part of drug ring: CCB". The New Indian Express. 26 September 2020. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  20. ^ "Kannada cinema drugs case | HC declines to grant bail to actors Ragini, Sanjana and others". The Hindu. 3 November 2020. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  21. ^ "Special court rejects bail plea of Sanjana Galrani, Ragini Dwivedi in drugs case". Hindustan Times. 28 September 2020. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  22. ^ "Sandalwood drug case: Actor Sanjjanaa Galrani gets bail after 3 months". The News Minute. 11 December 2020. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  23. ^ "Sanjjanaa Galrani Pens Heartwarming Note For Husband On National Doctor's Day". News18. 2 July 2021.
  24. ^ "Kannada actress Sanjjanaa Galrani and her husband Azeez Pasha blessed with a baby boy; See PIC". PINKVILLA. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  25. ^ "Sanjjanaa Galrani set to perform her first Umrah in Mecca: 'I don't want to be judged by people who are not secular'". indianexpress.com. 17 May 2023.
  26. ^ "'Malayalam industry is very professional'". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  27. ^ "Sanjjanaa's wait continues". Deccan Chronicle. 18 January 2014. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  28. ^ "Sanjjanaa enjoying 'spicy' song shoot for Bangalore 23". The Times of India. 7 May 2014. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  29. ^ Nayak, Elina Priyadarshini. "Elated to act with Pawan Kalyan: Sanjjanaa". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 25 November 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  30. ^ "Sanjjana recommends Tilak for Just Akasmika". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  31. ^ "Sanjjana in 'Life In a Metro'". Sify. 28 February 2014. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  32. ^ Nayak, Elina Priyadarshini. "Sanjana goes de-glam to play a cold-blooded murderer". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 21 February 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  33. ^ Nayak, Elina Priyadarshini. "Sanjjana goes de glam to play cold blooded murderer". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  34. ^ "ChoranUA". The Times of India.
  35. ^ "Matthe Matthe Review: Arun Hosakoppa's Film is Neither Suspenseful nor Hilarious". 19 January 2024.
  36. ^ "விஜய் டிவி ராமருக்கு ஜோடியாக நடிக்கும் பிரபல நடிகையின் தங்கை..." nakkheeran. 7 September 2019. Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  37. ^ "Sanjjanaa turns producer". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 6 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  38. ^ "The Bangalore Times Film Awards 2011". The Times of India. 21 June 2012. Archived from the original on 10 December 2012.
  39. ^ "Sanjjanaa's in the Limca Book of Records". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 26 November 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  40. ^ "GMASA 2016 Wraps Up With A Bang". TechTree.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
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