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How I Met Your Mother character guide

Who is Ranjit in How I Met Your Mother?

The cheerful Bangladeshi cab and limo driver who keeps turning up to chauffeur the gang through their biggest nights, and the only recurring character to appear in all nine seasons of How I Met Your Mother.

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Ranjit's Sitcomdle clue card

The five clues the game shows when Ranjit is the answer or a guess.

Show
How I Met Your Mother
Debut
2005
Network
CBS
Role
Recurring
Gender
Male

Ranjit has not been a daily answer yet. Play today's Sitcomdle.

Show
How I Met Your Mother
Played by
Marshall Manesh
First episode
“Pilot”Season 1, Episode 1, aired September 19, 2005
Role
Side character
Network
CBS
Occupation
Cab driver, then limo driver and owner
Show run
2005 to 2014
Also known as
Ranjit Singh

Ranjit is the friendly driver the gang calls whenever they need a ride, whether it is a cab across town or a limo on New Year's Eve. Played by Marshall Manesh, he greets everyone with a booming hello and somehow ends up present for the group's most important moments.

On How I Met Your Mother, Ranjit's story runs through Ted Mosby (Regular Passenger), Barney Stinson (Regular Passenger), Marshall Eriksen (Regular Passenger), Lily Aldrin (Regular Passenger), and Robin Scherbatsky.

Ranjit from How I Met Your Mother: Sitcomdle character card

Who is Ranjit?

Ranjit is a New York driver from Bangladesh who first appears behind the wheel of a cab in the pilot. Over the years he moves from taxis to limousines, and the gang treats him less like a hired driver and more like a friend who happens to own a car. He drives them through New Year's Eve, picks up Marshall and Lily after their wedding, and is on call for countless late-night emergencies.

He is happily married to his wife, Falguni, in a marriage that was arranged when he was 18. That detail becomes a gentle running contrast with the gang's endless dating dramas, since Ranjit is one of the few people in the show who seems completely content in love.

Personality and comedy

Ranjit is relentlessly upbeat. His enthusiastic greetings, warm laugh, and willingness to join in whatever chaos is happening in the back seat make him a fan favorite despite his small number of scenes. He is happy to drive a wildly romantic errand for Ted or to sit patiently outside a bar until Barney is ready to go.

He also has a protective streak. When he overhears that Barney has slept with Ted's ex, Robin, he scolds Barney at length in Persian in "The Goat," one of several moments where Ranjit voices exactly what the audience is thinking.

Key moments

Ranjit's biggest early spotlight is "The Limo," when Ted rents a limousine for New Year's Eve and Ranjit drives the group between parties as midnight approaches. In "Ten Sessions" he helps Ted pull off his famous two-minute date with Stella, and in "The Sexless Innkeeper" Marshall and Lily, desperate for another couple to hang out with, end up on a double date that includes Ranjit and Falguni.

He keeps appearing through the final season, driving the gang around Barney and Robin's wedding weekend. In "Gary Blauman," Future Ted reveals that Ranjit later made a fortune through smart investments and bought the limo company he works for.

Behind the scenes

Ranjit is played by Marshall Manesh, a veteran character actor born in Mashhad, Iran. Although Ranjit says he is from Bangladesh, several of his untranslated lines are actually delivered in Manesh's native Persian, a fun detail fans of the show like to point out.

Ranjit is the only recurring character to appear in every one of the show's nine seasons. That consistency, across more than 20 episodes, made him one of the most recognizable faces outside the main five.

Key Ranjit episodes

  1. “Pilot”Season 1, Episode 1Ranjit makes his first appearance as a cab driver in the show's opening episode.
  2. “The Limo”Season 1, Episode 11Ranjit drives the gang's New Year's Eve limo from party to party as midnight closes in.
  3. “Ten Sessions”Season 3, Episode 13Ranjit helps Ted squeeze a whole date with Stella into two minutes.
  4. “The Goat”Season 3, Episode 17Ranjit overhears that Barney slept with Robin and gives him a furious tongue-lashing in Persian.
  5. “The Sexless Innkeeper”Season 5, Episode 4Ranjit and his wife Falguni join Marshall and Lily for a double date.
  6. “Gary Blauman”Season 9, Episode 21Future Ted reveals Ranjit's investments made him rich enough to buy his limo company.

Season and episode numbers follow the original broadcast order.

Ranjit: frequently asked questions

Who plays Ranjit in How I Met Your Mother?

Marshall Manesh plays Ranjit, appearing from the pilot in 2005 through the series finale in 2014.

Where is Ranjit from?

Ranjit says he is from Bangladesh. The actor who plays him, Marshall Manesh, was born in Iran, and some of Ranjit's lines are spoken in Persian.

Is Ranjit in every season of How I Met Your Mother?

Yes. Ranjit is the only recurring character to appear in all nine seasons of the show.

What happens to Ranjit?

Future Ted reveals in the season nine episode "Gary Blauman" that Ranjit became rich through investments and bought the limo company he drives for.

Is Ranjit married?

Yes. He is married to Falguni, and the two go on an awkward double date with Marshall and Lily in "The Sexless Innkeeper."

Test yourself: Ranjit quiz

5 questions about Ranjit. Think of your answer, then open the reveal to check it.

  1. Question 1

    Who plays Ranjit in How I Met Your Mother?

    1. Joel McKinnon Miller
    2. Matt LeBlanc
    3. Marshall Manesh
    4. Loretta Swit
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. Marshall Manesh

    Marshall Manesh plays Ranjit.

  2. Question 2

    In what year did Ranjit first appear on How I Met Your Mother?

    1. 2011
    2. 2001
    3. 2005
    4. 2008
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. 2005

    Ranjit debuted in 2005, in "Pilot" (Season 1, Episode 1). That year is the Debut clue in the game.

  3. Question 3

    Which episode was Ranjit's first?

    1. "That '70s Pilot"
    2. "Pilot"
    3. "Motel Review"
    4. "Laura's First Date"
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. "Pilot"

    Ranjit first appeared in "Pilot," Season 1, Episode 1.

  4. Question 4

    Which best describes Ranjit?

    1. HR representative, Dunder Mifflin Scranton
    2. Cab driver, then limo driver and owner
    3. Movie star and TGS cast member
    4. NYPD captain, 99th Precinct
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Cab driver, then limo driver and owner

    Ranjit: Cab driver, then limo driver and owner.

  5. Question 5

    Which network first aired How I Met Your Mother, Ranjit's show?

    1. CBC
    2. Apple TV+
    3. CBS
    4. HBO
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. CBS

    How I Met Your Mother premiered on CBS in 2005. The game's Network clue always uses the original network.

Take the full How I Met Your Mother quiz (30 questions)

Sources and corrections

Reference pages used for this guide, including character, cast, and episode details.

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