Ravi
Ravi is an Indian actor, best known for Tamil cinema. Ravi began their career in 1980. With 30 credits to their name and an average audience rating of 7.3, Ravi remains one of the most prolific and celebrated talents in the industry. Spanning 40+ years, Ravi's career remains one of the longest and most celebrated in Tamil cinema.
Personal Info
Career Milestones
Film debut as lead actor Gopi in Bharathiraja's social drama, which also gave him his screen name 'Nizhalgal Ravi'
View film →Pivotal supporting role in Mani Ratnam's critically acclaimed gangster epic, cementing his reputation as a versatile character actor
Became the established Tamil dubbing voice for Amitabh Bachchan, including for Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 2
Surpassed 500 films across Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi industries as a character actor
Continues active career with over 580 films spanning four decades, recognized as one of Tamil cinema's most prolific character actors
View film →Iconic Roles
Nizhalgal
A young unemployed man navigating societal pressures. This debut role in Bharathirajaa's social drama launched his career and inspired his stage name 'Nizhalgal Ravi'.
Nayakan
A pivotal supporting role in Mani Ratnam's critically acclaimed gangster epic starring Kamal Haasan, widely considered one of the greatest Tamil films ever made.
Indian
Portrayed a morally corrupt government official in Shankar's landmark patriotic action film, one of the highest-grossing Tamil films of its era.
Singam
Played an antagonistic authority figure who clashes with the protagonist, in one of Tamil cinema's most commercially successful action franchises.
Defining Moments
Debut as Gopi — an educated unemployed youth in Madras, including the emotionally raw breakdown scene where he cannot afford to travel home, mirroring the real plight of migrant workers
His debut performance was so impactful that the film's title became his permanent stage name. The film was screened at IFFI 1981 and remains a landmark portrayal of 1970s urban unemployment in Tamil cinema.
View film →Playing Surya, the adult son of Sakthivel (Kamal Haasan), culminating in a gut-wrenching death scene that adds tragic weight to the film's generational cycle of violence
Nayakan is widely regarded as one of the greatest Tamil films ever made and one of TIME's 100 best films. His death scene is frequently cited as a standout supporting moment in the film.
Emotionally layered performance as a key supporting character navigating complex family loyalties and moral conflict
Frequently cited alongside Nayakan as one of his strongest character roles from his most prolific period, demonstrating his range across hero and supporting parts.
Portrayal of a ruthless antagonist whose menace contrasts sharply against Rajinikanth's heroic arc
One of his most commercially visible villain-adjacent roles, reaching massive audiences and cementing his reputation as a versatile character actor capable of both sympathy and menace.
Nuanced performance in K. Balachander's introspective drama, widely praised for understated emotional depth in a non-commercial art film context
K. Balachander's direction brought out a restrained, realistic performance from him that critics cite as proof of his dramatic range beyond mainstream masala roles.
Filmography
See all 30 credits →
Career Analytics
Language Distribution
Films by Decade
Legacy & Influence
Ravi is a significant figure in Tamil cinema, primarily recognized for his impactful performance in the landmark film 'Nizhalgal' (1980). Directed by Bharathiraja, 'Nizhalgal' is celebrated as a pioneering work of Indian parallel cinema, offering a stark, realistic portrayal of urban youth disillusionment and socio-political issues in Tamil Nadu. Ravi's portrayal of Gopi, a central character navigating this complex landscape, was critically acclaimed and contributed to the film's lasting cultural resonance. The film's success and critical reception, with its high rating reflecting its esteemed place in film history, helped solidify a new wave of narrative realism in the industry. While details of his broader filmography are not provided here, his association with this seminal project alone anchors his legacy. 'Nizhalgal' broke conventional commercial formulas, influencing a generation of filmmakers to explore gritty, socially relevant themes. Ravi's performance is remembered as an integral part of this cinematic shift. His work in this film demonstrated the power of understated, naturalistic acting in service of a powerful script, setting a benchmark for character-driven roles in South Indian cinema. Therefore, Ravi's contribution, though potentially defined by a narrower filmography, is inextricably linked to a key moment of artistic evolution in Tamil and Indian cinema, where content began to challenge form and star-centric narratives, paving the way for more diverse and substantive storytelling in the decades that followed.