For the Hindi film viewers of the 90s, she will always be the cute Maggie, singing Sathiya, Tune kya kiya,” but Revathi is musch more than that, dubbed one of the greatest actresses of the 1980s and 90s. She is also a celebrated director and social worker, known for her iconic films like Mann Vasanai, Kakkothikkavile Appooppan Thaadikal, Prema, Thevar Magan, Ankuram, Love, Dhoop, and many more.
Early Life and Career
Revathi was born Asha Kelunni on July 8, 1966, in Cochin, Kerala. Her father, Malank Kelunni Nair, was a major in the Indian Army, while her mother, Lalitha Kelunni, was a homemaker. instilled in her the values of discipline and resilience. Revathi is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer, which she started learning at an early age. Her Bharatanatyam arangetram (stage debue) came in 1979, when she performed in Chennai.
The Revathi film journey began when director Bharathiraja saw her photo in a Tamil fashion magazine, leading to her acting debut in the Tamil film “Mann Vasanai” in 1983. The same year, she made her Malyalam debut with Bharathan’s “Kattathe Kilikkoodu,” starring Bharat Gopy, Mohan Lal, and K. Srividya, while her Telugu debut came a year later with “Seethamma Pelli,” directed by Bapu.
Revathi The Star
Some of her early films include Mahendran’s “Kai Kodukkum Kai (1984)” opposite Rajinikanth, Bharathiraja’s “Pudhumai Penn (1984)” with Pandiyan, and R. Sundarrajan’s “Vaidehi Kathirunthal” with Vijayakanth.
Revathi’s career is a testament to her talent and hard work. She has been honoured with three National Film Awards and six Filmfare Awards South. Her portrayal of strong, relatable women has not only won her accolades but also the hearts of audiences.
One of her standout performances came in Mani Ratnam’s Mouna Ragam (1986), where her portrayal of headstrong Divya cemented her status as a leading actress in South Indian cinema. Some of her other notable performances include K. Balachander’s “Punnagai Mannan (1986),” opposite Kamal Hasan, Kamal’s “Kakkothikkavile Appooppan Thaadikal (1988), Suresh Krissna’s “Prema (1989),” Mani Ratnam’s “Anjali (1990),” R.V. Udaykumar’s “Kizhakku Vaasal (1990),” Priyadarshan’s “Kilukkam (1991),” “Ankuram (1992),” “Thevar Magan (1992),” Balu Mahendra’s “Marupadiyum (1993),” Gaayam (1993),” “Priyanka (1994),” Singeetam Srinivasa Rao’s “Magalir Mattum (1994),” “En Aasai Machan (1994),” Thalaimurai (1998), and many more.
Revathi In Hindi Films
Revathi made her Hindi film debut with the 1991 romantic drama “Love,” opposite Salman Khan, directed by Suresh Krissna. The film was the remake of Suresh Krissna’s own Telugu hit “Prema,” starring Revathi and Venkatesh. In the film, Revathi portrayed Maggie, a free-spirited, adventurous girl coping with a dominating mother. The film was not a success at the time it was released, but Revathi was praised for her natural acting. It is also one of Salman Khan’s best performances.
Despite its failure at the box office, the film achieved cult status over time because of its performances and music, which included the classic S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and K. S. Chitra numbers “Saathiya, Tune Kya Kiya (Eenade Yedho in Telugu).”
She followed “Love” with films like Ram Gopal Verma’s Raat (1992), Priyadarshan’s “Muskurahat (1992),” and K. Bikram Singh’s critically acclaimed “Tarpan (1994),” with Om Puri, Dina Pathak, Manohar Singh, Mita Vashisht, and Balu Mahendra’s Aur Ek Prem Kahani (1996). Some of her later Hindi films include Dhoop (2003), Darna Mana Hai (2003), Ab Tak Chhappan (2004), Phir Milenge (2004), Nishabd (2007), 2 States (2014), Margarita, With a Straw (2014), and Tiger 3 (2014).
After the 2000s, she slowly transitioned into more mature roles with films like Taj Mahal (1999), Thamizhan (2002), Eeshwar (2002), Ponniyin Selvan (2005), Paattinte Palazhy (2010), Gaayam 2 (2010), Molly Aunty Rocks! (2012), Loafer (2015), Power Paandi (2017), Gulaebaghavali (2018), Jackpot (2019), Major (2022), and many more.
Revathi The Filmmaker
Revathi turned into a director with Mitr, My Friend (2002), starring Shobana and Nasir Abdullah. The film went on to win three national awards: Best Feature Film in English, Best Actress for Shobhana, and Best Editing Award for Beena Paul. Her next directorial was Shilpa Shetty, Salman Khan, and Abhishek Bachchan starrer “Phir Milenge (2004),” a film inspired by American film Philadelphia (1993). It was one of the first mainstream Indian films that dealt with issues related to HIV. The film gets widspread praise for its sensitive portrayal of the issue.
In 2022, Revathi directed Salaam Venky, a film based on The Last Hurrah by Shrikant Murthy. The film starring Kajol and Vishal Jethwa tells the story of a young boy with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. It depicts a mother’s support for her son Venky’s fight for his right to euthanasia and organ donation. The film garnered immense critical acclaim for touch a sensitive and crucial issue
Personal Life
Revathi is also known for its work with many social organisations, like Banyan, Ability Foundation, Tanker Foundation, and Vidyasagar. She also worked with the NGO Sangama, which advocates for people across a spectrum of gender identities and sexual orientations.
Revathi married Suresh Chandra Menon in 1986, who is a cinematographer and director. The couple divorced in 2013. Revathi has a daughter named Mahee.
Revathi on IMDB
