Ravichandran (Tamil actor)

Ravichandran (30 March 1940 – 25 July 2011)^[1] was a Malaysian-born Indian actor who played lead hero roles in Tamil films from 1964 to 1979. He has also acted in supporting roles from 1986, and directed a few films.^[2][3]

He was given the title of "Kalaingnar Thilagham" in many of the on-screen credits of films starring him in the lead role. He was also called "Puratchi Kalaignar" (Refer: Anandha Bairavi Tamil Movie Title Scene). Before entering cinema, during his studies in Trichy, he has acted in two dramas, namely, Aanaiyidungal Anna and Udhaya Suriyan. After entering cinema, he has acted in two dramas, namely, Mapplley Yen Magalaik Kadhali and That Man from Poonthamallee.

Ravichandran is a Tamil, born B. S. Raman in Kuala Lumpur, capital of the Federated Malay States. He moved to Tiruchirappalli, India in 1951, and studied at St. Joseph's College.^[4]

He was married twice; he first married Vimala, with whom he has a daughter, Lavanya, and two sons, Balaji and Hamsavardhan. Thereafter, he married Malayalam actress Sheela, and had a son George Vishnu. After his divorce with the latter he got back to his first wife. His sons Hamsavardhan and George also took up acting as a career, with Hamsavardhan starring in the film Manthiran, directed by Ravichandran himself. His granddaughter Tanya Ravichandran debuted in Balle Vellaiyathevaa.

• Ravichandran at IMDb