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Revathy is a well-known, highly acclaimed film actress with over 16 years of experience in the entertainment industry. She has to her credit five Best Actress Filmfare awards for her performance in the Tamil films Mann Vasanai, Thevar Magan, Anjali, Telugu film Ankuram and Malayalam film Kakothi Kaavil Appoopan Thadigal. She was awarded the National Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the Tamil film, Thevar Magan in 1992. In addition, she has also won the Tamilnadu State Award for Thalaimurai in 1998. 'Mitr My Friend' is her first directorial venture.
She says...
"Directing a movie has been a dream that I have nurtured for a long time. To determine my ability I experimented with a couple of short stories on the small screen. The experience was enjoyable and I decided that I would eventually take up direction. But, I definitely wanted to work as an assistant in at least one film before I actually played the role.
'Mitr My Friend' is a project that was a difficult offer to refuse.
I couldnt help but accept it, and since then it has been a journey of ecstasy, pain, tension and peace all put together. I suddenly found myself in deep waters struggling to swim... practically learning hands-on on the job. Thanks to the confidence a lot of people have in me, I was able to cope with all of it.
The team in this film has been an asset to the film and me as a director.
Revathy is the latest female director to join the bandwagon of emerging women directors on the mainstream circuit who are tackling complex issues of family relationships with guts and thereby reaping glory. Meghna Gulzars debut directorial venture Filhaal deals with the surrogate motherhood and complicated relationships that ensue between friends. Mira Nair depicted the rifts in the `regular Punjabi family fabric with her boisterously bold film, Monsoon Wedding. Deepa Mehta showed intimate female bonding within the family space with her controversial film Fire.For a first-time director the challenges were hugeright from having the camera lens stolen from the sets to managing the minute details that go into making that one perfect frame. Added to that is the fact that the all-women technical crew were primarily first timers in the trade. Revathi hopes that her film would encourage more women to enter the technical side of show business, which has been the bastion of men so far.
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She has managed to stay at the top for a number of years in spite of taking up selective roles without any vulgarity or glamour. Her debut film was Manvaasanai (1983) directed by Bharathiraja. Her films include Idhaya Thamarai, Gandhi Pirantha Mann, Arangettra Vellai, Maragatha Veenai, Pudhia Mugam, Devar Magan, Kanni Rasi, Punnagai Mannan, Kai Kodukkum Kai, Avatharam, Lakshmi Vanthachu, Magalir Mattum, Paasa Malargal, Chinna Pasa Nanga, Kizhaku Vaasal, Udaya Geetham, Deiva Vakku, Mouna Raagam, Taj Mahal and Thalai Murai. A woman of this millennium in the true sense, she has also expanded her horizons into direction and production of teleserials and films. Revathi is currently acting in the Malayalam film 'Nandanam' and in the vijay starrer 'Thamizhan'.
Her second film Kattathe Kilikkodu established her in Malayalam. She earned critics opinion in Kakkothikkavile Appoopppan Thadikal. She made people laugh in Kilukkam. Her performance was unparalleled in Devasuram. She recently played a role of mother to Mohanlal! In Ravanaprabhu. Like Suhasini, Revathy has no complex image. In fact she has started accepting old age roles on her own will. And she has enough roles also. She does not demand her role be that of the leading lady, young and beautiful. Revathy is more realistic than the male super stars. She says that she can become the leading lady if the character is of her age and looks. But no more romantic roles.She has completed two films recently. Nandanam by Ranjith and Gramaphone by Kamal. In Gramophone she has played the role of an old Jew woman of Cochin, Sara. A role of a lifetime. Sara shuts up herself in an old colonial house she gets out to the streets where once she breathed the fresh and free air of youth and love. A cool gush of memories. The role itself lends a lot of emotional moments to express and Revathy had exploited them in the film. She is presently doing a role in Kaiyethum Doorathu by Fazil.Her first directorial venture Mitr a bilingual and all women crew film gave her immense satisfaction. She is planning a second feature film now. She said she had read a couple of scripts and will shortly decide the one to shoot. "This will be a commercial one'. The reason 'There should be a change always"
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