Ranya Rao originally hails from the Chikmagalur district of the Indian state of Karnataka. She is an Indian actress and model who appears in South Indian films. She made her debut with the 2014 Kannada film, Maanikya. She was first signed by actor and director Sudeep in April 2014 for his directorial Kannada film, Maanikya. She was cast as Varalakshmi in a supporting role, portraying a girl belonging to a rich Indian family and Sudeep's love interest. Her performance received mixed reviews from critics.