[2] A dancer by profession, she has been a part of a dance company called Nritarutya and has had performances on national and international stages.

She moved to Bengaluru to pursue a modelling career and later participated in the Miss Kerala beauty pageant, in which she became the first runner-up, losing to Shree Thulasi in a tie-breaker.

[6] Kallingal was spotted by director Lal Jose on a magazine cover, who cast her as a goat herder role in a Tamil film Mazhai Varappoguthu.

[7] The project didn't materialise, but she was offered the lead female character of Varsha by director Shyamaprasad for Ritu, which eventually marked her acting debut.

[4] In 2012, Kallingal played a nurse and rape victim in 22 Female Kottayam opposite Fahadh Faasil,[8] which had a decent run at the box office.

[18] Paresh C Palicha of Rediff.com noted, "Rima as Savithri, is someone who has learnt to stifle her feelings and finding other ways to give them an outlet.

[27] In the 2021 film, Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam, Kallingal played an entertainment reporter opposite Jitin Puthenchery.