# Kalpana (Malayalam actress)
**Kalpana** (കൽപ്പന), born Kalpana Ranjani, was an Indian film actress who worked mainly in [Malayalam cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/malayalam-cinema) and became one of its best-known comic performers, winning the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress late in her career for *Thanichalla Njan* (2012)[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/malayalam-actress-kalpana-passes-away-at-51/lite/). She died suddenly in [Hyderabad](https://www.edgepedia.org/hyderabad) on 25 January 2016 at the age of 51[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/malayalam-actress-kalpana-passes-away-at-51/lite/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Kalpana Ranjani, known on screen as Kalpana[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/malayalam-actress-kalpana-passes-away-at-51/lite/) |
| Born / died | Born 1965 to theater artists Chavara V P Nair and Vijayalakshmi[2](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2016/Jan/26/after-essaying-heart-winning-roles-kalpana-departs-873644.html); died 25 January 2016 in Hyderabad of a heart attack[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/malayalam-actress-kalpana-passes-away-at-51/lite/) |
| Family | Sister of actresses Kala Ranjini and Urvashi[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/malayalam-actress-kalpana-passes-away-at-51/lite/); survived by her daughter Sreemayi[2](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2016/Jan/26/after-essaying-heart-winning-roles-kalpana-departs-873644.html) |
| Career span | Debut as a child artist in *Vidarunna Mottukal* (1977); over 300 films in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/remembering-kalpana-on-her-fifth-death-anniversary-lesser-known-facts-about-the-late-actress/articleshow/80443091.cms) |
| Signature role | D C Kumari in *Dr Pasupathy* (1990), a young woman in yellow with a matching umbrella, one of her most-remembered comic characters[4](https://www.thenewsminute.com/kerala/six-years-without-kalpana-why-malayalam-actor-can-never-be-replaced-160193) |
| National honor | National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 60th National Film Awards, for *Thanichalla Njan* (2012)[5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eck_fo-NSDY) |
| Final films | Last released film *Charlie* (2015) as "Queen" Mary; she had completed her part in the Tamil-Telugu bilingual *Oopiri* before her death[2](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2016/Jan/26/after-essaying-heart-winning-roles-kalpana-departs-873644.html) |
## Early life and family
Kalpana grew up in an acting family. Her parents, Chavara V P Nair and Vijayalakshmi, were theater artists, and her sisters Kala Ranjini and Kavitha Manoranjini, the latter better known by her stage name [Urvashi](https://www.edgepedia.org/urvashi-actress), also became actresses[6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/kalpana-gave-legends-run-for-money-eclipsed-by-sister-urvashi-9456721/). She made her screen debut as a child artist in *Vidarunna Mottukal* (1977), a film that featured Madhu and [Kaviyoor Ponnamma](https://www.edgepedia.org/kaviyoor-ponnamma) in the lead[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/remembering-kalpana-on-her-fifth-death-anniversary-lesser-known-facts-about-the-late-actress/articleshow/80443091.cms).
Her first significant adult role came in G Aravindan's *Pokkuveyil*, in which she played Nisha, a serious character far removed from the comic parts she later became known for[6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/kalpana-gave-legends-run-for-money-eclipsed-by-sister-urvashi-9456721/). Sources date this film differently: the New Indian Express obituary places it in 1981, while an Indian Express profile gives 1982[2](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2016/Jan/26/after-essaying-heart-winning-roles-kalpana-departs-873644.html) • [6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/kalpana-gave-legends-run-for-money-eclipsed-by-sister-urvashi-9456721/).
## From aspiring heroine to comedian
Kalpana entered the industry wanting to work as a heroine, but ended up in comedy[5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eck_fo-NSDY). Her sister Urvashi's rapid rise to stardom, propelled by Tamil successes such as *Mundhanai Mudichu* and *Apoorva Sahodarigal*, affected Kalpana's own prospects as a lead, since filmmakers queued behind Urvashi, who fitted conventional beauty standards[6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/kalpana-gave-legends-run-for-money-eclipsed-by-sister-urvashi-9456721/). Instead, her characters in *Panchavadi Palam* and *Ithu Nalla Thamasha* showed that she was a natural comic performer, able to draw laughs with gestures and dialogue delivery without apparent effort[6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/kalpana-gave-legends-run-for-money-eclipsed-by-sister-urvashi-9456721/).
In an interview with Malayalam television, [Kalpana](https://www.edgepedia.org/kalpana-kannada-actress) recalled that after playing heroine roles in two or three Tamil films, she was called to act as a supporting actress in *Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal*. The turn hurt her at first; she later said in another old interview that when she realized she had been "stamped" as a comedienne, it troubled her deeply[7](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/features/actress-kalpana-opens-up-about-her-experience-in-malayalam-cinema-083891.html) • [8](https://malayalam.oneindia.com/entertainment/when-kalpana-shares-transition-from-heroine-to-comedy-role-old-interview-goes-viral-again-458267.html). She said her mother persuaded her to take the part, arguing that proving her ability in any role would earn her a name, and that she then went on to act as a supporting actress in around 110 films, all comic characters, taking care that none of them turned vulgar[7](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/features/actress-kalpana-opens-up-about-her-experience-in-malayalam-cinema-083891.html). The News Minute dates her first humor-laced role, as Mohini in *Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal*, to the end of the 1980s[4](https://www.thenewsminute.com/kerala/six-years-without-kalpana-why-malayalam-actor-can-never-be-replaced-160193).
**Star value and comic partnerships.** In an interview to a Malayalam news channel, Kalpana said it was her role as Sub-Inspector Dakshayani in the 1991 film *Inspector Balram* that gave her star value[9](https://www.thenewsminute.com/kerala/malayali-s-all-time-favourite-comic-roles-kalpana-38133). Her characters in [Shaji Kailas](https://www.edgepedia.org/shaji-kailas)'s *Dr Pasupathy* (1990) consolidated her reputation as a comedienne of unusual skill, and she became the go-to performer when filmmakers needed female comedic talent capable of nuanced supporting work, alongside figures such as KPAC Lalitha, Sukumari and Philomina[6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/kalpana-gave-legends-run-for-money-eclipsed-by-sister-urvashi-9456721/).
She paired frequently with the comic actor [Jagathy Sreekumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/jagathy-sreekumar). The two veterans appeared together in more than 50 films between the 1980s and the 2010s; in an interview on 'Nere Chowe', Kalpana said she was always afraid to act alongside Jagathy because he was so perfect and expected the same of his co-actors[4](https://www.thenewsminute.com/kerala/six-years-without-kalpana-why-malayalam-actor-can-never-be-replaced-160193).
## Work outside Malayalam
Kalpana built a substantial Tamil career. She entered [Tamil cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-cinema) through Bhagyaraj's *Chinna Veedu*, and was later remembered for her diverse roles in [Kamal Haasan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kamal-haasan) films such as *Sathi Leelavathy* and *Pammal K Sambandam*[2](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2016/Jan/26/after-essaying-heart-winning-roles-kalpana-departs-873644.html). She also acted in Kannada and [Telugu cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/telugu-cinema)[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/remembering-kalpana-on-her-fifth-death-anniversary-lesser-known-facts-about-the-late-actress/articleshow/80443091.cms), and in Malayalam she deliberately varied her roles to avoid further typecasting, taking on heavy, unhumorous characters in films like *Oru Sayahnathinte Swapnam*[6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/kalpana-gave-legends-run-for-money-eclipsed-by-sister-urvashi-9456721/).
## Recognition and later career
After years of being labeled a comic actor, Kalpana began exploring performance-oriented roles later in her career[4](https://www.thenewsminute.com/kerala/six-years-without-kalpana-why-malayalam-actor-can-never-be-replaced-160193). Director Babu Thiruvalla approached her for *Thanichalla Njan*, and Kalpana suggested he consider her sister Urvashi for the part; the director insisted she take it, and she played Razia[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/remembering-kalpana-on-her-fifth-death-anniversary-lesser-known-facts-about-the-late-actress/articleshow/80443091.cms). The performance won her the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress, announced at the 60th [National Film Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-film-awards) for the 2012 film[5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eck_fo-NSDY).
Her last released film was Charlie (2015), in which her portrayal of "Queen" Mary was widely praised and marked one of her finest final performances; in the film her character jumps from a boat into the water, and she died a month after the release[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/remembering-kalpana-on-her-fifth-death-anniversary-lesser-known-facts-about-the-late-actress/articleshow/80443091.cms) • [6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/kalpana-gave-legends-run-for-money-eclipsed-by-sister-urvashi-9456721/). She had also completed her part in the Tamil-Telugu bilingual *Oopiri*, produced by PVP Cinemas, whose entire unit, including [Nagarjuna](https://www.edgepedia.org/nagarjuna) and Karthi, paid tribute to her[2](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2016/Jan/26/after-essaying-heart-winning-roles-kalpana-departs-873644.html). Other well-remembered roles include Shanthedathi in *Bangalore Days*, Pankajam in *Spirit*, and D C Kumari in *Dr Pasupathy*[10](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/mollywood-bids-adieu-to-kalpana/articleshow/50719405.cms).
She also published a memoir, *Njan Kalpana*, a humorous account of her life from childhood to her marriage[10](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/mollywood-bids-adieu-to-kalpana/articleshow/50719405.cms), and worked in a music album with the pop singer [Usha Uthup](https://www.edgepedia.org/usha-uthup)[11](https://en.msidb.org/displayProfile.php?artist=Kalpana&category=actors).
## Death and legacy
Kalpana died in the early hours of Monday, 25 January 2016, in Hyderabad, where she had gone for work; sources describe her as there to attend the inaugural IIFA Utsavam awards or for the shooting of the Tamil-Telugu bilingual *Thozha*, released as *Oopiri*[2](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2016/Jan/26/after-essaying-heart-winning-roles-kalpana-departs-873644.html) • [10](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/mollywood-bids-adieu-to-kalpana/articleshow/50719405.cms). She was found unconscious in her hotel room and rushed to Apollo Hospital, where doctors declared her brought dead; hospital sources said she had suffered a massive heart attack in her sleep[2](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2016/Jan/26/after-essaying-heart-winning-roles-kalpana-departs-873644.html). The Times of India reported that she had reportedly been suffering from a heart-valve related ailment and had recently undergone a liver transplant[10](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/mollywood-bids-adieu-to-kalpana/articleshow/50719405.cms).
Her death drew extensive tributes, and observers have since argued that her space, a character actress who could carry comedy as well as anyone, has remained unfilled in Malayalam cinema[4](https://www.thenewsminute.com/kerala/six-years-without-kalpana-why-malayalam-actor-can-never-be-replaced-160193). In a 2025 interview, Urvashi said Kalpana never received the recognition she deserved from cinema, and pointed to her final role in *Charlie* as evidence that she could have done many more good roles, perhaps even a role like the one Urvashi herself played in *Ullozhukku*[12](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/kalpana-never-got-the-recognition-she-deserved-from-cinema-says-urvashi-9998521/lite/).
## References
1. [Malayalam actress Kalpana passes away in Hyderabad, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/regional/malayalam-actress-kalpana-passes-away-at-51/lite/)
2. [After Essaying Heart-winning Roles, Kalpana Departs, The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2016/Jan/26/after-essaying-heart-winning-roles-kalpana-departs-873644.html)
3. [Remembering Kalpana on her fifth death anniversary; lesser-known facts about the late actress, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/remembering-kalpana-on-her-fifth-death-anniversary-lesser-known-facts-about-the-late-actress/articleshow/80443091.cms)
4. [Six years without Kalpana: Why the Malayalam actor can never be replaced, The News Minute](https://www.thenewsminute.com/kerala/six-years-without-kalpana-why-malayalam-actor-can-never-be-replaced-160193)
5. [Malayalam Actress Kalpana Passes Away, Manorama Online (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eck_fo-NSDY)
6. [Kalpana: The unmatched Malayalam actor who gave even legends a run for their money, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/kalpana-gave-legends-run-for-money-eclipsed-by-sister-urvashi-9456721/)
7. [Actress Kalpana opens up about her experience in Malayalam Cinema, Filmibeat Malayalam](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/features/actress-kalpana-opens-up-about-her-experience-in-malayalam-cinema-083891.html)
8. [When Kalpana Shares Transition From Heroine To Comedy Role, Oneindia Malayalam](https://malayalam.oneindia.com/entertainment/when-kalpana-shares-transition-from-heroine-to-comedy-role-old-interview-goes-viral-again-458267.html)
9. [A Malayali's all-time favourite comic roles of Kalpana, The News Minute](https://www.thenewsminute.com/kerala/malayali-s-all-time-favourite-comic-roles-kalpana-38133)
10. [Mollywood bids adieu to Kalpana, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/mollywood-bids-adieu-to-kalpana/articleshow/50719405.cms)
11. [Kalpana profile, MalayalaSangeetham.Info](https://en.msidb.org/displayProfile.php?artist=Kalpana&category=actors)
12. ['Kalpana never got the recognition she deserved from cinema,' says sister Urvashi, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/kalpana-never-got-the-recognition-she-deserved-from-cinema-says-urvashi-9998521/lite/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Malayalam film actors › Surnames symbols to K*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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