Asha Kelunni Nair (born 8 July 1966), better known by her stage name Revathi, is an Indian actress and director, known for her works predominantly in Tamil and Malayalam cinema - in addition to Telugu, Hindi and Kannada films. She has won several accolades, including the National Film Awards in three different categories, and six Filmfare Awards South. She has also won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in Bhoothakaalam (2022).
Early life
Revathi was born as Asha Kelunni Nair in Cochin (present-day Kochi) to Malank Kelunni Nair, a major in the Indian Army, who hails from Palakkad, and Lalitha Kelunni.
When she was in school, she took part in a fashion show. Group photos were taken during the show and a photo was chosen to be the cover of a popular Tamil magazine. This happened to be her photo, which was seen by the director Bharathiraja, who at that time was on the lookout for a new heroine for his latest venture, Mann Vasanai.