Ranya Rao is an Indian actress known for Kannada and Tamil films like Maanikya, Wagah, and Pataki. Daughter of IPS officer Ramachandra Rao, she married architect Jatin Hukkeri in 2024. In 2025, she was arrested for allegedly smuggling 15 kg of gold from Dubai.
Early Life and Education
Ranya Rao was born on May 28, 1993, in Chikmagalur, Karnataka. She is the daughter of Ramachandra Rao, an IPS officer and Additional Director General of Police (ADGP). She grew up in Bangalore, completed her schooling, and later studied engineering at Dayananda Sagar College. However, she was passionate about acting and entered the film industry.
Acting Career
Ranya started as a model before making her film debut in 2014 with the Kannada movie Maanikya as Manasa, where she played a supporting role. In 2016, she acted in her first Tamil film, Wagah as Khanum aka Kajal, opposite Vikram Prabhu. In 2017, she starred in the Kannada film Pataki as a journalist. Though she appeared in a few movies, she remained a well-known actress in the South Indian film industry.
Personal Life
Ranya was active on social media, describing herself as a "seeker, traveler, and star gazer." In November 2024, she married Jatin Hukkeri, an architect. Their wedding was widely covered in the media due to her high-profile background as the daughter of an IPS officer.
5 Unknow Facts about Ranya Rao
Arrest and Legal Issues
On March 4, 2025, Ranya was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru for allegedly smuggling 15 kg of gold from Dubai. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has been monitoring her due to her frequent trips abroad. Her husband, Jatin Hukkeri, was also arrested.
Reports say she attempted to smuggle the gold by wearing some of it and hiding gold bars in her clothes. Authorities suspected she used her connections as an IPS officer's daughter to evade customs checks. She was produced in court and sent to 14 days of judicial custody.
