Revathi is an Indian actress and director. She works in Tamil, Malayalam, and Telugu films. Revathi has been one of the top actresses in South-Indian cinema. She was awarded the Best Actress Filmfare Award for her performance in the films Mann Vasanai (1983), Thevar Magan (1992), Anjali (1990), Ankuram (1993), and Kakothi Kaavil Appoopan Thadigal (1988). In 1992, she was awarded the National Award for Best Actress for the film ‘Thevar Magan.’
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Revathi is born as Asha Kelunni on Friday, 8 July 1966 (age 55 years; as of 2022) in Kochi. She completed his schooling in Chennai, Tamilnadu.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 3″
Weight (approx.): 67 kg
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Black
Body Measurements (approx.): 36-29-38
Family
Revathi belongs to a Malayalam family.
Parents & Siblings
Revathi’s father’s name is Malank Kelunni and her mother’s name is Lalitha Kelunni. Her father was a major in the Indian Army. She has a younger sister named Bindu, and a cousin named Geetha Vijayan. Geetha is also an Indian actress who works in Hindi, Tamil, and Malayalam movies.
Husband & Children
Her husband was Suresh Chandra Menon, who is an Indian actor, cinematographer, and film director in Tamil and Malayalam language films. Revathi married Suresh in 1986. They did not have any children. After facing some differences in their married life, they both got separated in 2002. Revathi and Suresh Menon then filed for divorce mutually in front of the court. In 2013, Revathi got divorced in a family court in Chennai. She revealed in an interview on her 48th birthday that she is the biological mother of her daughter and she used the IVF method to conceive. Revathi named her sweet daughter Mahee.
Signature/Autograph
Career
Film
Revathi’s debut film is an Indian Tamil language romantic drama film named Mann Vasanai in 1983. She also appeared in an Indian Malayalam language drama film Kattathe Kilikkoodu in 1983. Revathi was one of the leading actresses in South India from 1983 to 1986. In 1984, she acted in an Indian Telugu language drama film Seethamma Pelli. This movie was later dubbed into Malayalam language with the name Thennal Thedunna Poovu. In 1993, she worked with her husband in a Tamil Language thriller film Pudhiya Mugam. Revathi’s upcoming movie is Major, which will be released in June 2022.
Revathi also portrayed a role of a blind in an Indian Tamil language film Kai Kodukkum Kai.
In 2022, Revathi directed a Bollywood comedy-drama movie in which the actress Kajol played the lead role. Kajol was delighted to hear the story of the movie The Last Hurrah. She quoted,
I think it’s a beautiful journey and it deserves to be shared with everyone. And to have Revathy direct me for this story gives me more strength to play Sujata and showcase her strengths.”
Dancing
Revathi is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer, and she started learning dancing at seven. She performed her debut on-stage performance as a former student of Indian classical dance and music in Chennai in 1979. Her mother and Ranganayaki Jayaraman were her mentors. She also gave many on stage performances even when she was growing as an actress. Revathi had to give up her passion for dancing because of some reasons. After a gap of 15 years, Revathi performed solo on Sri Saraswathy Gana Nilayam’s 80th anniversary. In an interview when asked about dancing, Revathi quoted,
Dance has always been my passion. I began dancing when I was seven; my arangetram was in 1979… 40 years now!
Awards, Honours, Achievements
- Her debut film, “Mann Vasanai,” won the Filmfare Special Award- South in 1983.
- Revathi won the Cinema Express Award for Best Telugu Actress for her film, “Seethamma Pelli.”
- She has won the Best Actress Award – Tamil for her movies Thevar Magan, Marupadiyum, and Priyanka respectively for the three consecutive years (1992 – 1994).
- Revathi earned the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Malayalam for the movie Kakkothikkavile Appooppan Thaadikal.
- She has won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for the film Thevar Magan.
- Revathi won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu for a Telugu language drama film Ankuram.
- She has also won the National awards from the Film Fans Association, the Tamil Nadu State Government, Cinema Express, and other organizations.
- Her film Red Building where the Sun Sets won the National Film Award for the Best Non-Feature Film on family welfare.
- In 1990, she won the Best Tamil Actress award for the movie Kizhakku Vaasal.
- In 1992, Revathi won the Best Malayalam Actress Award for the movie Kilukkam.
- In 1994, Revathi won the Cinema Express Award for Best Actress – Tamil for the movie En Aasai Machan.
- In 1998, she won the Special Prize for Best Actress for an Indian Tamil language film Thalaimurai.
- In 2002, her movie won the Best English Film of the year award at the 49th National Film Awards.
- Revathi won the Best Supporting Actress award for the movie Thevar Magan in 1992.
Facts/Trivia
- Alia Bhatt developed a mother-daughter relationship with the South- Indian Actress Revathi while shooting for the film Two States in 2014. Alia quoted that,
Towards the end of the film, I ended up making a mother-daughter relationship with Revathi maam. The way she would hold my head, touch my face, I used to get and feel that motherly warmth with her. What I also realised is that being with an actor like her only made me a better actor.”