Raasi (actress)

Raasi
Born
Vijaya Venkatesh

(1980-07-29) 29 July 1980 (age 46)
West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, India
Other namesManthra (Tamil and Malayalam)
OccupationActress
Years active1988–2006
2013–present
Spouse
Sri Muni
​
(m. 2004)​
Children1

Raasi (born Vijaya) is an Indian actress known for her work in Telugu and Tamil cinema, with appearances in a few Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam films. She is credited as Manthra in Tamil and Malayalam films. Raasi gained recognition for her performances in notable films such as Subhakankshalu (1997), Gokulamlo Seeta (1997), and Pelli Pandiri (1998). She transitioned to television with Telugu soap operas, debuting in Girija Kalyanam (2020) and later appearing in Janaki Kalaganaledu (2021).

Personal life

Raasi was born as Vijaya on 1982 in West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, India. She married film director Sri Muni.

Film career

She started her career as a child artiste has grown to a level of heroine.

She also worked in the Hindi movies Angaara (1996), Rangbaaz (1996), Jodidar (1997) and Suraj (1997) with Mithun Chakraborty.

In Telugu, Raasi rose to fame with Subhakankshalu (1997). She was labelled "traditional" after Gokulamlo Seeta (1997). Later, hits like Snehithulu (1998), Pandaga (1998), Gilli Kajjalu (1998), Devullu (2000) and proved her mettle as an actress. When Raasi's career started taking a nosedive, she took to doing item numbers in Telugu films like Samudram (1999). In her prime, Raasi was one of the most sought-after actresses in the Telugu film industry.

She debuted her first Tamil film Priyam. Following a prolific year 1996, she received offers including the Vijay-starrer Love Today (1997) and the Ajith Kumar-starrer Rettai Jadai Vayasu (1997). Some of her other movies in Tamil are Periya Idathu Mappillai (1997), Ganga Gowri (1997), Thedinen Vanthathu (1997), Kondattam (1998), Kalyana Galatta (1998), Pudhu Kudithanam (1999), Kannan Varuvaan (2000), Kuberan (2000) and Simmasanam (2000). She played a negative character in Telugu movie Nijam (2003), which was directed by Teja.

After her marriage, the actress did only one film titled Suyetchai MLA before taking a long break from the cinema industry in 2006. She made a comeback with the film Onbadhule Guru after 7 years.

She is with a Telegu thriller film Lanka (2017) where she plays the central character.

She made her television debut in the Telugu soap operas Girija Kalyanam and Janaki Kalaganaledu.

In 2025, Raasi plays a pivotal role in the Tamil film Usurae.

Filmography

Film

YearFilmRoleLanguageNotes
1988Kakkothikkavile Appooppan ThaadikalYoung LakshmiMalayalamChild Actress
Rao Gari IlluChittiTelugu
1989Chettu Kinda PleaderNani
Mamatala KovelaHero's daughter
Bala GopaluduLakshmi
AgniBaby
1990Pachai_KodiMeenu (Nassar's daughter)Tamil
1991Aditya 369Kishore's friendTelugu
1993AnkuramSindhura's sister
1994Palnati PourushamRaja Rao's daughter, Vijaya
Puttinilla MettinillaLakshmi
1996Oho Naa Pellantain a song
PriyamPreethaTamilDebut in a lead role
AngaaraChutkiHindicredited as Vijaya
Rangbaazcredited as Vijaya
1997Evandi Pelli ChesukondiGeethaTelugu
SubhakankshaluNandiniDebut in Telugu as a lead
SurajHindicredited as Vijaya
JodidarLandlord's daughtercredited as Manthra
Love TodayPreethiTamil
Gokulamlo SeethaSirishaTelugu
Periya Idathu MappillaiPriyaTamil
Ganga GowriGanga
Thedinen VanthathuJanaki
Rettai Jadai VayasuAnjali
Pelli PandiriKasthuriTelugu
1998KondattamVidhyaTamil
PandagaPrameelaTelugu
VasanthaVasantha
SuprabhatamVasundhara
Kalyana GalattaPoojaTamil
Gilli KajjaluSruthiTelugu
SnehithuluMahalakshmi
Manasichi ChooduYamuna
Kalavari Chellelu Kanaka Maha LakshmiRoopa
Daddy DaddySubadhra
1999Neti GandhiBharthi
SwapnalokamSwapna
HarischandraaNandini
Veedu Samanyudu KadhuMythili/Pooja
SeenuHerself
Krishna BabuShilpa
SamudramHerselfItem number
Pudhu KudithanamNilaTamil
Preyasi RaveMahalakshmiTeluguNominated-Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu
Pallavur DevanarayananSeethalakshmiMalayalamcredited as Mantra
AK-47Telugu
SnehaMahalakshmiKannadaDebut film
2000PostmanSirishaTelugu
Manasu Paddanu KaaniSwati
Balaram
Kannan VaruvaanRajeshwariTamil
Oke MaataTelugu
Shivaji
KuberanChandraTamil
SimmasanamManju
Moodu MukkalataAliveniTelugu
Ammo! Okato TareekhuGayatri
DevulluNirmala
2001Maa Aavida Meeda Ottu Mee Aavida Chala ManchidiSubhadra
DeevinchandiLakshmi
Cheppalani VundiVani / Rani
Akka Bavekkada?Sowmya
2002Naga PratistaNaga Lakshmi
RajaHerselfTamilItem number
Police SistersRamyaTelugu
2 MuchGeeta
TrinetramVijaya
JamindaruKannada
Sandade SandadiVasundharaTelugu
Coolie
Ninne PreethisuveMeghamalaKannada
2003NijamMalliTelugu
Aalukkoru AasaiManthraTamil
Raja NarasimhaMahalakshmiKannada
SriramachandruluSailajaTelugu
2004VenkyHerselfSpecial appearance
Oka Pellam Muddu Rendo Pellam VadduSatya
2005Devi AbhayamLakshmi
2006Suyetchai MLATamil
2013Onbadhule GuruNeelambari
Man of the Match Telugu
2015VaaluMrs. StephenTamil
2016Kalyana VaibhogameParimala DeviTelugu
Kavalai VendamDivya's motherTamil
PadesaveSwathi's motherTelugu
2017AakatayiVikranth's mother
LankaRebecca
2025UsuraeAnasuyaTamil
2026 Papam Prathap Prathap's Mother Telugu
As dubbing artiste

Television

References

  1. ↑ Prakash, BVS (28 July 2000). "Raasi: An award for Preyasi Raave?". Screen Magazine. Indian Express Group. Archived from the original on 28 April 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  2. ↑ "ఓహో… అభినయ'రాశి'". NTV (in Telugu). 28 June 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  3. ↑ kavirayani, suresh (23 April 2017). "Lanka movie review: Raasi's return not a good one!". Deccan Chronicle. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  4. ↑ "Sexy Raasi ready to do for money". Cine Josh. Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  5. ↑ "Raasi plays vamp, rockets to the top". Rediff. Archived from the original on 14 December 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  6. ↑ "Today's actresses are lucky, says Raasi". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  7. ↑ "Raasi plays vamp, rockets to the top". Rediff. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  8. ↑ "Here's How Veteran South Actress Raasi Found Love". News18. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  9. ↑ "Raasi plays lead in thriller Lanka". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  10. ↑ "Remember Former South Actress Raasi? Here's What She Is Doing Now". News18. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  11. ↑ "Rural love story 'Usurae' locks release date". Pynr. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  12. ↑ "Vasantha film review" (PDF). Zamin Ryot. 1 May 1998. p. 11. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  13. ↑ "Raasi is as charming as ever". The Hindu. Retrieved 13 October 2015.