Versatile artiste
SHOBA NAIR
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Ravi Vallathol is at home in the worlds of celluloid and words.
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... stories should act as an eye opener to society and also show the good things prevalent
MEMORABLE ROLES: Ravi Vallathol plays the lead in a new serial that has been shot in the United States.
Ravi Vallathol made his debut as an actor on the small screen in 1986 with the serial `Vaitharani,' scripted by his father, the late T.N. Gopinathan Nair. Since then he has donned many a memorable role on the mini-screen, like in `Aruna,' `Nizhalukal,' `Manalnagaram,' and `Pravasam.'
He says that his performance as a sculptor in `Aruna' was appreciated by Kamala Suraiyya.
Ready to experiment
His willingness to experiment with roles when other actors were hesitant gained him the role of an AIDS patient in `Manalnagaram.' His performance in `American Dreams,' as a businessman who gets alienated in his marriage won him rave reviews and awards.
Now playing the rich C.R.C. in `Kanakinavu,' Ravi feels that serials harp too much on extramarital relationships and domestic problems and that these are exaggerated in serials. "These have long become alien to us Malayalis. The stories should act as an eye opener to society and also show the good things prevalent."
Ravi is now looking forward to the release of `May flower,' which was shot in the U.S. He plays the lead role in the serial. Although he does not have many memorable roles to boast of in films, he has acted in about 30 films.
He is proud, however, to have consecutively appeared in Adoor Gopalakrishnan's films such as `Madhilugal,' `Vidheyan,' `Kathapurushan,' and `Nizhalkoothu.'
"Even Basheer felt that I was the apt choice to enact the innocent-looking Razaak in `Madhilugal," claims Ravi. While acting in `Madhilugal,' Ravi developed a camaraderie with Mammootty with whom he acted again in films such as `Sagaram Saakshi' and `Kottayam Kunjachan.'
He has also acted in other art films like `Kazhakom,' `Mangamma' and `Samaantharangal.'
His father being a writer and drama artiste of All India Radio, Ravi grew up among artists and litterateurs. It was in 1985 that he entered the world of television.
He was a newscaster on Doordarshan who went on to do the narration of a series of documentaries called `Out of vision,' which he had made on personalities like Sree Chitra Tirunal and Mammootty.
Ravi is also at home in the world of words. He has published more than 25 short stories. His story `Revathikkoru pavakutti' was made into a movie while `Devaranjini' and `Nimanjanam' were made into serials.
An A-grade AIR artist, Ravi acts and has scripted many dramas such as `Mazha,' `Ayaal' and so on.
A devotee of Sree Rama Devi, Ravi is also a philanthropist.
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