Revathi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Revathi
Revathi at the screening of Masaala at PVR
Born	Asha Kelunni (1966-07-08) 8 July 1966 (age 58) Kochi, Kerala, India
Occupation	Actress film director social worker
Years active	1983–present
Works	Full list
Spouse(s)	Suresh Chandra Menon ​ ​ (m. 1986; div. 2013)​
Children	1
Relatives	Geetha Vijayan (cousin) Niranjana Anoop (niece)
Awards	Full list
Honours	Kalaimamani (1993)

Asha Kelunni (born on July 8, 1966), known by her stage name Revathi, is a famous Indian actress and director. She has acted in many films, mostly in Tamil and Malayalam languages. She has also appeared in Telugu, Hindi, and Kannada movies.

Revathi was one of the most successful actresses in South Indian cinema. She has won many awards for her acting and directing. These include three National Film Awards and seven Filmfare Awards South. She also won the Kerala State Film Award for her role in the movie Bhoothakaalam (2022).

Revathi's Early Life

Revathi was born as Asha Kelunni Nair in Cochin, which is now called Kochi. Her father, Malank Kelunni Nair, was a major in the Indian Army. Her mother's name is Lalitha Kelunni.

When Revathi was in school, she took part in a fashion show. A group photo from the show was chosen to be on the cover of a popular Tamil magazine. This photo happened to be hers. A film director named Bharathiraja saw her picture. He was looking for a new actress for his movie Mann Vasanai. This is how Revathi started her journey into films.

Revathi's Film Career

Starting Her Acting Journey

Revathi began her acting career with the Tamil film Mann Vasanai in 1983. This movie was a big success, running for a long time in theaters. She received a special award for her performance.

Later in 1983, she made her debut in Malayalam films with Kattathe Kilikkoodu. This movie was also very popular. In 1984, she entered the Telugu film industry with movies like Seethamma Pelli and Manasa Veena.

Revathi continued to act in many successful films. She played a role opposite Rajinikanth in the Tamil film Kai Kodukkum Kai (1984). She also starred in Pudhumai Penn (1984) and Vaidehi Kathirunthal in the same year.

Revathi speaking about organ donation

Playing Strong Characters

Revathi was known for choosing different kinds of roles. She often played strong and relatable women characters. A very important film in her career was Mouna Ragam (1986), directed by Mani Ratnam. In this movie, she played Divya, a spirited and independent girl who grows a lot during the story.

In 1986, she acted with Kamal Haasan in Punnagai Mannan. This film was a big hit and made her one of the most sought-after actresses in Tamil cinema. She won her first Best Actress Award for the Malayalam film Kakkothikkavile Appooppan Thaadikal in 1988.

Awards and Success

Revathi won the Best Actress Award for the Tamil film Kizhakku Vaasal in 1990. She continued to deliver hit movies, including Kilukkam (1991) in Malayalam.

She made her Hindi film debut with Love (1991), co-starring Salman Khan. In 1992, she won a National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the Tamil film Thevar Magan.

The early 1990s were a very successful time for Revathi. She also appeared in Telugu and Kannada films. She won another Filmfare Award for Marupadiyum (1993). Her successful period lasted through the 1990s with films like Anjali (1990), Thevar Magan (1992), and Magalir Mattum (1994). She also received a special prize for Thalaimurai in 1998.

Revathi with Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan at an event

Recent Works

More recently, Revathi has been seen in Hindi films like Margarita with a Straw (2014) and 2 States (2014). She also appeared in Tamil films such as Pa Paandi (2017) and Jackpot (2019). In Malayalam, she was part of the movie Virus (2019).

In 2022, she acted in the bilingual film Major (made in Telugu and Hindi). In this movie, she played Dhanalakshmi, the mother of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan.

Revathi as a Director

Besides acting, Revathi is also a talented film director. She has directed two feature films: Mitr, My Friend and Phir Milenge. She also directed one part of the anthology film Kerala Cafe.

In 2022, she won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress – Malayalam for her performance in Bhoothakaalam.

Revathi's Personal Life

Revathi married cinematographer and director Suresh Chandra Menon in 1986. They lived separately from 2002 and got divorced in 2013. In 2013, Revathi had a daughter.

Revathi's Other Interests

Revathi receiving the Rajat Kamal award at the 59th Film Awards

Revathi is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer. She started learning at age seven and performed her first major dance show in Chennai in 1979. She is considered one of the top actresses in South Indian cinema. She was the only South Indian actress in the 1980s and 1990s to win the Filmfare Best Actress award in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam films.

Beyond films, Revathi is involved with several social organizations. These include The Banyan, Ability Foundation, Tanker Foundation, and Vidyasagar. She has also been a member of the jury for various film festivals, like the Chennai International Film Festival and the International Film Festival of India.

Awards and Recognitions

Revathi has received many awards throughout her career for her acting and directing. Some of these include:

• National Film Awards
• Filmfare Awards South
• Kerala State Film Awards
• Tamil Nadu State Film Awards