Revathi life and biography

Revathi , born as Asha Kelunni on July 8, 1966 is an Indian actress and film director. She has acted in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi movies, totaling over twenty years of experience in the entertainment industry. She has to her credit five Best Actress Filmfare awards for her performance in the Tamil films Mann Vasanai, Thevar Magan, Anjali, the Telugu film Ankuram and the Malayalam film Kakothi Kaavil Appoopan Thadigal.

Revathi was born as Asha Kelunni in Kochi, Kerala. Her father Kelunni was a Major in the Indian Army. She married Suresh Menon in 1988. They got separated in 2002. She was awarded the National Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the Tamil film, Thevar Magan in 1992. In addition, she has also won the Tamil Nadu State Award for Thalaimurai in 1998. Mitr, My Friend (2002) was her first directorial venture. A rare Indian English film at the time, Mitr garnered an award for Best Director (English Film) in the National awards. Her next film as a director, Phir Milenge (2004), created waves as one of the first Hindi movies to deal with the sensitive subject of AIDS. She was also a part of Mani Ratnam's stage show, Netru, Indru, Naalai.

Over the course of her career, she has earned numerous awards on both a regional and national basis, including receiving for three consecutive years the Filmfare Best Actress Award (Tamil) (1992-1994, for Thevar Magan, Marupadiyum, and Priyanka), the Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Malayalam) for Kakkothikkavile Appooppan Thaadikal, the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for Thevar Magan, as well as the Filmfare Best Actress Award (Telugu) for Ankuram. Alongside these are many awards from the Film Fans Association, the Tamil Nadu State Government, Cinema Express, and other organizations.

Mitr, My Friend (2002) was her first full-length directorial venture. A rare Indian English film at the time, Mitr garnered an award for Best Director (English Film) in the National Awards. Her next film as a director, Phir Milenge (2004), created waves as one of the first Hindi movies to deal with the sensitive subject of AIDS. She was also a part of Mani Ratnam's stage show, Netru, Indru, Naalai, as well as the Malayalam anthology film Kerala Cafe.

Apart from films, she has been involved in a variety of social organisations, the most notable being the Banyan, the Ability Foundation, the Tanker Foundation, and Vidyasagar, and has also served as a member of several film festivals including the Chennai International Film Festival and the International Film Festival of India.

She is trained in the dance form of Bharatanatyam, having studied since the age of seven and performed her arangetram in Chennai, Tamil Nadu in 1979. Her marriage to cinematographer and director Suresh Menon was announced in 1986; they separated in 2002.

Filmography:

Tamil

Osthi (2012)
Vannathupoochi (2009)
Thoondil (2008)
Kanda Naal Mudhal (2005)
Ponniyin Selvan (2005)
Thamizhan (2002)
Red (2002)
Taj Mahal (2001)
(...)

As director:

Mumbai Cutting ("Parcel" segment) (2010)
Kerala Cafe: Makal[3](2009)
Phir Milenge (2004)
Mitr, My Friend (2002)

As dubbing artist:

Devaraagam (for actress Sridevi)
Minsara Kanavu (for actress Kajol)
Kandukondain Kandukondain (for actress Tabu)
Aasai (for actress Suvalakshmi)

Awards:

National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress (1993)
Filmfare Awards, five-time award winner
Karmaveer Puraskaar: CMS Media Citizen (November 2007)
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress (1990)

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