Ranjan (actor)
Encyclopedia
Ranjan (c. 1918- d. September 12, 1983) was an Indian film actor, singer, journalist and writer. He debuted in the 1941 movie Ashok Kumar
but gained fame in S. S. Vasan
's 1948 magnum opus Chandralekha
.
, Madras in about 1918. His family hailed from the town of Srirangam
. Ranjan had his schooling in Madras and graduated in arts. While studying in college, he participated in a number of stageplays. Coincidentally, an employee of Gemini Studios
Veppattur Kittu was present at one of his plays. Impressed by Ranjan's performance, Kittu suggested his name to P. G. Raghavachari who cast him in the M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar
-starrer Ashok Kumar
in which he played the role of Gautama Buddha
. However, Ranjan did not have any dialogues to mouth in the film. Following the success of Ashok Kumar Ranjan was cast in Rishyasringar in which he played the title role of Rishyasringa
. In his early movies, Ranjan was credited as "R. Ramani, B. A." The screen name "Ranjan" was actually bestowed upon him by Jithen Banerjee of Newtone Studios.
at a New Jersey
hotel on September 12, 1983. He was sixty-five years old at that time.
Ashok Kumar (1941 film)
Ashok Kumar was a 1941 Tamil-language film directed by Raja Chandrasekhar. It starred M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, Chittor V. Nagaiah, P. Kannamba, N. S. Krishnan, T. A. Madhuram, M. G. Ramachandran and Ranjan.- Plot :...
but gained fame in S. S. Vasan
S. S. Vasan
Subramaniam Srinivasan , popularly known by his screen name S. S. Vasan, was anIndian journalist, writer, advertiser, film producer, director and business tycoon...
's 1948 magnum opus Chandralekha
Chandralekha (1948 film)
Chandralekha is a 1948 Tamil epic film directed and produced by S. S. Vasan. It features an ensemble cast consisting of M.K.Radha, Ranjan, T. R. Rajakumari, N. S. Krishnan and T. A. Madhuram...
.
Early life
Ranjan was born Ramnarayana Venkataramana Sarma in MylaporeMylapore
Mylapore is a cultural hub and neighborhood in the southern part of the city of Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, India. Earlier, Mylapore used to be called Vedapuri....
, Madras in about 1918. His family hailed from the town of Srirangam
Srirangam
Srirangam , Old name is Vellithirumutha gramam and Tamil name is Thiruvarangam , is an island and a part of the city of Tiruchirapalli , in South India....
. Ranjan had his schooling in Madras and graduated in arts. While studying in college, he participated in a number of stageplays. Coincidentally, an employee of Gemini Studios
Gemini Studios
Gemini Studios was launched when Thiruthuraipoondi Subramanian Srinivasan bought a film distribution concern at an auction and renamed it as Gemini Pictures also known as Gemini Studios. Gemini Studios served as a breeding ground for innumerable artists and technicians for the south Indian Film...
Veppattur Kittu was present at one of his plays. Impressed by Ranjan's performance, Kittu suggested his name to P. G. Raghavachari who cast him in the M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar
M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar
Mayavaram Krishnamurthy Thyagaraja Bhagavathar , also called M.K.T., was a Tamil film actor, producer and Carnatic music singer. He is considered to be one of the most successful Tamil film actors ever....
-starrer Ashok Kumar
Ashok Kumar (1941 film)
Ashok Kumar was a 1941 Tamil-language film directed by Raja Chandrasekhar. It starred M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, Chittor V. Nagaiah, P. Kannamba, N. S. Krishnan, T. A. Madhuram, M. G. Ramachandran and Ranjan.- Plot :...
in which he played the role of Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
. However, Ranjan did not have any dialogues to mouth in the film. Following the success of Ashok Kumar Ranjan was cast in Rishyasringar in which he played the title role of Rishyasringa
Rishyasringa
Rishyasringa or ' was a boy born with the horns of a deer in Hindu-Buddhist mythology, who became a seer and was seduced by a King's daughter, which had various results according to the variations in the story.-Hindu versions of the...
. In his early movies, Ranjan was credited as "R. Ramani, B. A." The screen name "Ranjan" was actually bestowed upon him by Jithen Banerjee of Newtone Studios.
Death
Ranjan died of cardiac arrestCardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
at a New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
hotel on September 12, 1983. He was sixty-five years old at that time.