Sri Durga, better known by her screen name, Malashri is a popular film actress who is noted for her work in the South Indian film industry, prominently in Kannada cinema. One of the most sought after and leading ladies of Kannada cinema during the late 1980`s and the 90`s, Malashri garnered wide appreciation and popularity for playing mostly character roles of a homely Indian girl.

The actress who was also known for her ethereal beauty earned the sobriquet `Kanasina Rani` (dream girl), during the 80`s. Having started her career as a child artist, Malashri made her debut on the silver screen with Imayam in 1979 and her maiden film as the lead was Nanjundi Kalyana (1989). The bagged the lead role when lyricist Chi. Udaya Shankar introduced her to the Rajkumar family who was looking for a fresh face to be cast opposite Raghavendra Rajkumar for the film.

Whilst the got her major breakthrough in acting in Kannada cinema, the actress did not shy away from working in the other industries; during her early days, she worked in Telugu and Tamil films like Chinnari Sneham and Chinna Chinna Aasaigal both of which released in 1989. With the dawn of the new decade, Malashri mostly worked in Kannada cinema and won her maiden Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Kannada for her brilliant role in Hrudaya Haadithu (1991).

The veteran of more than 50 films, Malashri over the years in her illustrious career has won several awards including Karnataka State Film Award for Best Actress in 2015 and NTR Award in 2011. Some of her most notable film credits include Bava Bavamaridi (1993), Sahasa Veerudu Sagara Kanya (1996), Chamundi (2000), Kannadada Kiran Bedi (2009), Election (2013), an Uppu Huli Khara (2017), a Kannada drama directed by Imran Sardhariya.