In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ranjith wrote scripts for several small budget films, mainly for Kamal, including Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal (1989), Pradeshika Varthakal (1989) and Pookkalam Varavayi (1991).
This team released Witness (1988), Nanma Niranjavan Sreenivasan (1990), Nagarangalil Chennu Raparkam (1989) and Kaalalpada (1990), all with Jayaram in the lead role.
[3][4] 1993 was significant in Ranjith's career: Devasuram, his film based on the life of his father-figure, Mullassery Rajagopal,[5] turned out to be a huge box office hit.
Sasi, Devasuram was both critically and commercially acclaimed; Mohanlal's performance was lauded and it opened a new genre of feudal stories in Malayalam cinema.
Ranjith mentioned in an interview that several directors passed on the opportunity to make Maya Mayuram, and it was Mohanlal who convinced Sibi Malayil to get involved.
This film generated significant hype in the market as Shaji Kailas-Suresh Gopi was a hot selling team at the time, but the loose script and clichéd humorless dialogues led to Rudraksham becoming a flop.
[6] In 1997, Ranjith teamed up again with Shaji Kailas for Asuravamsham, starring Manoj K Jayan and Biju Menon; the film yielded an average commercial response.
In 1998 Ranjith scripted Summer in Bethlehem, directed by Sibi Malayil, starring Suresh Gopi and Jayaram, a super hit.
[8][9] Yet again in 2000, together with Director Shaji, Ranjith repeated history: his Onam release Valliettan starring Mammooty was a commercial success.
Nandanam, revolving around an innocent girl, her love for Lord Sri Krishna and her beau, was an entirely different and unexpected theme from Ranjith at the time.
[15] In 2003 Ranjith directed Mizhi Randilum, starring Dileep and Kavya Madhavan, another family drama, which failed to impress the masses, but was critically acclaimed.
Though a flop at the box office, Kaiyoppu brought critical appreciation from far corners and that compelled Ranjith to work with plots and themes without any commercial ingredients.
[27][28] In 2008 Ranjith directed Thirakkatha, based on actress Srividya's life,[29] which won the National Award for the Best Malayalam Feature Film.
Starring Anoop Menon and Priyamani, the movie featured Prithviraj and Samvrutha Sunil in important supporting roles.
[30][31] In 2009 Ranjith directed and wrote the script for Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathira Kolapathakathinte Katha, which was critically acclaimed.
[35] He also appeared as judge in "Mammootty the Best Actor Award – II", an acting talent-hunt reality show aired on the television channel Asianet.
Njaan, based on the novel K T N Kottoor: Ezhuthum Jeevithavum by T P Rajeevan and featuring Dulquer Salmaan in the lead role, was released on 19 September 2014.
On 23 August 2024, in the wake of Hema Committee report, Indian actress Sreelekha Mitra levelled accusations against Ranjith.
She alleged that he intended to seek sexual favour from her during the audition of his 2009 film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha.
[40] She further added that she did not have confidence to pursue the matter any further to prosecute Ranjith for the offence attracting sections 354, and 354 B of the IPC at the time of the commission of crime as she hailed from West Bengal.