V. Ravichandran

Infobox actor


imagesize = 150px
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name = V. Ravichandran
birthdate = Birth date|1960|5|30
location = Bangalore, India
othername = Ravichandran, Crazy Star
notable role = "Prema Loka, Ranadheera, Ramachari"
genre = Romance, Comedy, Social

V. Ravichandran (born: Birth date|1960|5|30) is an actor, director, producer, music director, and lyricist in the Kannada film industry. He is the son of film producer N.Veeraswamy. As producer, Ravichandran continues to run his father's production house, Sri Eswari Productions. He is popularly known as "Crazy Star" Ravichandran, a title fans have prefixed to his name.

Early acting career

Ravichandran played minor roles in several Kannada films in the early 1980s. His first film as an actor was "Khadeema Kallaru" (1982), a commercial failure, which he also directed. He essayed a negative role in the 1983 blockbuster " [http://imdb.com/title/tt0309432/ Chakravyuha] " starring Ambarish in the lead role.

In the mid-1980s, Ravichandran starred in lead roles in prominent films such as "Swabhimana, Savira Sullu, Pralayantaka", and "Naanu Nanna Hendthi". Several of these were modest successes, which brought him mediocre but not significant recognition.

Prema Loka

Ravichandran shot into instant fame when " [http://imdb.com/title/tt0173042/ Prema Loka] ", which he produced, directed, and starred in the lead role became one of the landmark films in Kannada film history. It was made with a budget of a Crore Rupees, the most expensive Kannada film in its time. It starred Juhi Chawla as the female lead.

"Premaloka" also established Hamsalekha, who would teamed up with Ravichandran for a long period & gave consistently good music for the next 10 years.

"Prema Loka" broke several records and defined much of Ravichandran's later filmmaking. It set the stage for lavish productions in the Kannada film industry, and inspired an entire generation of directors, most notably, Upendra who credited Ravichandran for taking the Kannada film industry to the next level.

Film career

Ravichandran has had a chequered career spanning more than two decades as actor, director, producer, music director, and lately, as a lyricist.if he does a film without "sex" he will not do a film.

Acting career

As the leading actor, Ravichandran's initial movies were box-office failures characterized by weak storyline, and poor direction. His major commercial success as the leading actor prior to "Prema Loka" was "Naanu Nanna Hendthi", a comedy starring Urvashi in the female lead role.

Post-"Prema Loka", Ravichandran starred in several blockblusters most notably "Ranadheera, Anjada Gandu, Yuddha Kaanda, Ramachari, Halli Meshtru, Gadibidi Ganda, Annayya, Sipayi, Yaare Neenu Cheluve, Mangalyam Tantunanena, and Preethsod Tappa.it should be noted that his most of his movies were remakes of Tamil or Telugu movies and Ravichandran attained notoriety as the remake king."

Ravichandran is considered a mediocre actor but a talented technician. However, his role as a mentally challenged adult in "Ramachari" won him critical praise. He has stuck to mostly stereo-typed roles,a police officer ("Shanti Kranti" and "Abhimanyu"), lover boy ("Prema Loka", "Anjada Gandu", and "Preethsod Tappa"), pop singer ("Yuga Purusha", and "Gadibidi Ganda"), rustic ("Sipayi, Halli Meshtru", and "Malla"), and lawyer ("Yudha Kaanda"). He continues to act and has few projects awaiting release.

As director

Ravichandran's first major success as director was "Prema Loka".

He is known as a non-conformist, and created his own style of filmmaking. Most of his movies show very little influence of other directors except "Prema Loka", which contains traces of Grease 2. Notable aspects of his filmmaking include a curious combination of close ups, abrupt fast-cuts, and innovative camera angles. He is renowned in the Kannada film industry for his understanding of the technical aspect of cinema. His movies are lavishly mounted and stand out for superior production values distinguished for cinematography, sound, lighting, and special effects.

A distinct directorial feature is his innovative shooting of songs. Song-picturization in movies Ravichandran has directed often involve elaborate and richly-mounted settings.

Ravichandran initially acted in, and directed movies produced by his own banner, Eswari Productions. After "Prema Loka", he accepted acting offers from other producers. He has worked with leading directors of the Kannada film industry such as S.V. Rajendra Singh Babu, and D. Rajendra Babu.

His association with D. Rajendra Babu is very successful, resulting in several hits including "Naanu Nanna Henthi", "Annayya", "Ramachari", "Yaare Neenu Cheluve" and "Sriramachandra".

Ravichandran is close friends with producer Rockline Venkatesh, with whom he worked on several movies, notably, "Yaare Neenu Cheluve", "Preethsod Thappa" and "Ondagona Baa".

His spat with Rajendra Singh Babu was rumoured to be a hot-headed one. Singh Babu would emphasize that Director is Supreme, but Ravichandran would urge that Director still needs a Hero to convey his theme.

Also, Ravichandran would oppose Singh Babu's measures. Working together in "Bannada Gejje" and later in "Yugapurusha" (which was a remake of Subhash Ghai's "Karz").

Ravichandran, is known to be perfectionist and artists recall him shooting a single scene/sequence, until it is perfect. He is known to have shot entire sequences again after the first cuts of the movie failed to satisfy him. However, after a lean patch in the late 90s, Ravichandran is said to have made amends to this and churned out quickies.

As producer

Ravichandran is known to produce very expensive movies in an industry that has a limited market. "Prema Loka" was the costliest movie in its time. Although his later films were comparatively less expensive, their budgets exceeded that of other Kannada films by several lakhs of rupees.

In 1991, Ravichandran released [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0173189/ "Shanti Kranti"] , the costliest movie ever made in Kannada till then. Considered his "magnum opus", the film was shot over four years with a budget of 40 Million Rupees, and was simultaneously made in Kannada, Telugu, and Tamil. "Shanti Kranti" turned out to be a huge failure at the box office.

Ravichandran also released "Ramachari" the same year. Made with a modest budget, "Ramachari" ironically, became one of the biggest blockbusters of the year.

Music director

After a series of flops and public spat between long time associate music director Hamsalekha, Ravichandran took up the role of a music director and has given a few fine tunes in Ekangi and Aham premasmi. But critics generally consider him an average music director.

Trail Blazer

Ravichandran is generally credited with introducing a culture of producing big-budget films in Kannada. His other notable contribution includes introducing an innovative approach to direction and filmmaking.

Ravichandran is also credited with "discovering" the talented Hamsalekha. Together, they worked in over 50 films and created several popular numbers. Music was one of the strengths of Ravichandran's movies. However, the duo parted company after "Preethsod Thappa", only to work again in "Ondagona Baa", which was a commercial and musical failure.

The music rights of Premaloka fetched a great dividends to lahari recording company. His association with Hamsalekha led to chart-buster songs in almost every movie. Inspired with this, Ravichandran started his own Audio company, Eswari Audio

He would take an even greater risk, for his brother's debut movie Aham premaasmi. He bypassed the entire music industry and sold the music-cassettes through Cable-Operators to beat piracy.

In spite of many businessmen creating new avenues of sales in kannada films, Ravichandran showed that there are still many innovations left to be explored.

Filmography

* "Khadeema Kallaru" (1982)

* "Chakravyuha" (1983)

* "Nanu Nanna Hendthi" (1985)

* "Nane Raja"

* "Asambhava" (1986)

* "Prema Loka" (1987)

* "Sangrama" (1988)

* "Ranadheera" (1988)

* "Anjada Gandu" (1998)

* "Yudha Kanda" (1989)

* "Shanti Kranti" (1991)

* "Ramachari" (1991)

* "Halli Meshtru" (1992)

* "Gopi Krishna" (1992)

* "Ondagona Baa" (2003)

* "Aham Premasmi" (2005)

* "Mane Devru"

* "Maangalyam Thantunaanena"

* "Preethsodh Thappa"

* "Swaabhimaana"

* "Brahma Vishnu Maheshwara"

* "Jaana Hai Tumhe"

* "Ekangi"

* "Yaare Neenu Cheluve"

* "Kanasugara"

* "Sipayi"
* "Putnanja"

* "Ravishastri"
* "Ramakrishna"
* "Kodandarama"

* "Hatavadi"

References

#Profiles n Personalities http://www.chitraranga.com/en/profiles/ravichandran.asp
#Hamsalekha, Ravichandkdran part company: http://www.screenindia.com/20000728/recele.htmChikkejamaanruGadibidi ganda

External links

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