# Raasi (actress)
**Raasi** (రాశి; born 1980) is an Indian actress active mainly in Telugu and Tamil films, who has also appeared in Hindi, Kannada, and [Malayalam cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/malayalam-cinema). She began as a child artist, became a leading heroine in [Telugu cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/telugu-cinema) in the late 1990s, and after a career setback in the early 2000s returned to acting on television and in supporting film roles.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0704682/) • [2](https://jephmann.com/movies/name.php?id=584128)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1980, West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0704682/) |
| Screen names | Credited as Mantra in Tamil; the name Raasi was given by director Bhimaneni Srinivasa Rao; her birth name is Vijayalakshmi[3](https://www.ap7am.com/tn/844807/raasi-interview) |
| Lead debuts | Tamil: *Priyam* (1996); Telugu: *Subhakankshalu* (1997)[2](https://jephmann.com/movies/name.php?id=584128) |
| Known for | *Devullu* (2000), *Nijam* (2003), and *The Red Bag* (2026)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0704682/) |
| Spouse | Shrinivas (SS Nivas), an associate director whom she proposed to and married[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0704682/) • [3](https://www.ap7am.com/tn/844807/raasi-interview) |
| Television | Played a lead in the serial *Janaki Kalaganaledu*, 662 episodes, 2021–2023[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0704682/) |
## Early career
Raasi entered films as a child artist in productions such as *Mamatala Kovela* (1989) and *Aditya 369* (1991).[2](https://jephmann.com/movies/name.php?id=584128) She made her debut in a lead role with the Tamil film *Priyam* (1996), opposite [Arun Vijay](https://www.edgepedia.org/arun-vijay), and then entered Telugu cinema as a leading actress with *Subhakankshalu* (1997).[2](https://jephmann.com/movies/name.php?id=584128) • [3](https://www.ap7am.com/tn/844807/raasi-interview) In interviews she has said her father and grandfather had connections to the film industry, and that her first Telugu film was a hit that brought her immediate recognition.[3](https://www.ap7am.com/tn/844807/raasi-interview)
Through the late 1990s she worked steadily in Telugu and Tamil. Films that brought her recognition include *Subhakankshalu*, *Gokulamlo Seeta*, *Itha Oru Snehagatha*, *Love Today*, *Preyasi Raave*, and *Devullu*.[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP58kg6WtZU) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0704682/) She also acted in Kannada and Hindi films.[2](https://jephmann.com/movies/name.php?id=584128)
## The Nijam controversy and career decline
**Nijam (2003).** Raasi has repeatedly said that director Teja misrepresented her role in [Mahesh Babu](https://www.edgepedia.org/mahesh-babu)'s *Nijam*. According to her account, Teja described a character with love scenes opposite Gopichand during the narration, never said the role was negative, and changed the script once shooting began; she continued because she had already taken an advance and did not want to leave the project midway.[5](https://indiaglitz.com/teja-deceived-me-raasi-telugu-news-247699) She has described the experience as the biggest negative point of her career and said she nearly stopped working in films afterward.[6](https://hindi.oneindia.com/news/entertainment/raasi-on-director-teja-45-age-actress-said-dirty-scene-shoot-without-asking-ruined-my-career-1565691.html) She later dubbed for some of Teja's films, such as *[Keka](https://www.edgepedia.org/keka-film)* and *Lakshmi Kalyanam*, and has said Teja apologized to her, though she considers the episode's effect on her career long-lasting.[6](https://hindi.oneindia.com/news/entertainment/raasi-on-director-teja-45-age-actress-said-dirty-scene-shoot-without-asking-ruined-my-career-1565691.html)
After *Nijam* she appeared in fewer notable films and took item numbers and vamp-style supporting roles, including a song cameo in *Venky* (2004).[7](https://www.filmibeat.com/telugu/news/2008/raasi-srirams-mothers-role-220508.html) Around 2008 she invested heavily to co-produce the film *Maharajasri*, which introduced her husband Nivas as director, and suffered a large financial loss.[7](https://www.filmibeat.com/telugu/news/2008/raasi-srirams-mothers-role-220508.html)
## Marriage and second innings
Raasi is married to Shrinivas (SS Nivas). She has said that as an associate director he treated her respectfully, and that she herself raised the marriage proposal; the couple have a daughter, Ridhima.[3](https://www.ap7am.com/tn/844807/raasi-interview) • [4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP58kg6WtZU) After marriage she stayed away from films for a long period before re-entering through serials and films.[8](https://tv9telugu.com/entertainment/tollywood/heroine-raasi-reveals-her-diet-and-fitness-secrets-at-age-of-45-1722663.html)
Her recent work includes the long-running serial *Janaki Kalaganaledu* (2021–2023) and film roles such as Anasuya in *Usurae* (2025) and Savitri in *The Red Bag* (2026), with further films in production.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0704682/) In interviews she has described a daily routine centered on family responsibilities, school work for her children, and fitness, saying she wakes at 4 a.m.[8](https://tv9telugu.com/entertainment/tollywood/heroine-raasi-reveals-her-diet-and-fitness-secrets-at-age-of-45-1722663.html) • [9](https://tv9telugu.com/entertainment/tollywood/actress-raasi-actress-raasi-movies-actress-raasi-news-actress-raasi-films-soundarya-soundarya-movies-1798813.html)
In 2025 the television anchor and actress [Anasuya Bharadwaj](https://www.edgepedia.org/anasuya-bharadwaj) issued a public apology to Raasi after a comedy-show skit from several years earlier, containing a double-meaning dialogue about her character from *Preyasi Raave*, resurfaced on social media; Raasi had said in an interview that she had been approached to perform the skit herself and declined.[10](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/pushpa-2s-anasuya-bharadwaj-apologises-to-actress-raasi-over-objectionable-remarks-in-old-skit-i-cant-go-back-and-fix-it-now-10356827/amp/1)
## References
1. [Raasi – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0704682/)
2. [Raasi (b. 1980) – biography from TheMovieDB, Jeffrey Hartmann](https://jephmann.com/movies/name.php?id=584128)
3. [అప్పటికి ఆయన అసోసియేట్ డైరెక్టర్ ... నేను స్టార్ హీరోయిన్: రాశి – ap7am](https://www.ap7am.com/tn/844807/raasi-interview)
4. [Actress Raasi Sensational Comments On Director Teja & Pawan Kalyan – NTV Telugu, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP58kg6WtZU)
5. [Teja deceived me: Raasi – IndiaGlitz](https://indiaglitz.com/teja-deceived-me-raasi-telugu-news-247699)
6. [Raasi on director Teja – Hindi Oneindia](https://hindi.oneindia.com/news/entertainment/raasi-on-director-teja-45-age-actress-said-dirty-scene-shoot-without-asking-ruined-my-career-1565691.html)
7. [Actress Raasi | Sriram's Mother's Role | Item Numbers | Teja's Nijam – Filmibeat (2008)](https://www.filmibeat.com/telugu/news/2008/raasi-srirams-mothers-role-220508.html)
8. [Actress Raasi reveals her diet and fitness secrets at age of 45 – TV9 Telugu](https://tv9telugu.com/entertainment/tollywood/heroine-raasi-reveals-her-diet-and-fitness-secrets-at-age-of-45-1722663.html)
9. [Actress Raasi interesting comments about late heroine Soundarya – TV9 Telugu](https://tv9telugu.com/entertainment/tollywood/actress-raasi-actress-raasi-movies-actress-raasi-news-actress-raasi-films-soundarya-soundarya-movies-1798813.html)
10. [Anasuya Bharadwaj apologises to actress Raasi over objectionable remarks in old skit – NDTV](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/pushpa-2s-anasuya-bharadwaj-apologises-to-actress-raasi-over-objectionable-remarks-in-old-skit-i-cant-go-back-and-fix-it-now-10356827/amp/1)
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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 › Telugu film actors › Surnames H to R*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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