Revathi
Asha Kelunni (born 8 July 1966), professionally known as Revathi, is an Indian actress, film director, voice actress, Bharatanatyam dancer and philanthropist known for her works predominantly in Tamil and Malayalam cinema - in addition to Telugu, Hindi and Kannada films.Widely regarded as one of South Indian cinema's most accomplished actresses, she is known for her versatility, natural acting, and ability to portray strong, relatable women. She has received numerous accolades, including three National Film Awards, seven Filmfare Awards South, two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and a Kerala State Film Award. In 1993, she was honoured with the Kalaimamani, the highest civilian award in the state of Tamil Nadu.
Revathi had her first leading role in Bharathiraja's Mann Vasanai (1983) for which she won the Filmfare Special Award – South. In 1988, she won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her performance in Kakkothikkavile Appooppan Thaadikal. She received the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress and her second Filmfare Award for portraying an innocent and devoted wife in the political drama Thevar Magan (1992). For her performance in the Telugu film Ankuram (1993), she won her third Filmfare Award. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Revathi continued to feature in several box-office successful and critically acclaimed films in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu cinema.
In 2002, she made her debut in direction with the English film, Mitr, My Friend which fetched her the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in English. Further, she directed critically acclaimed films such as Phir Milenge (2004), Kerala Cafe (2009) and Salaam Venky (2022). She debuted as a voice actress in Pasumpon and Aasai (both 1995), rendering her voice for actresses Saranya Ponvannan and Suvalakshmi respectively.
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