Jayam Ravi - Film Career

Film Career

Ravi Mohan made his acting debut in the action-masala film Jayam, produced by his father and directed by his brother M. Raja. It was a remake of the 2002 Telugu film of the same name. His next venture was the sentimental drama M. Kumaran Son Of Mahalakshmi (2004), the remade version of the Telugu film Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi, in which he starred alongside Asin Thottumkal. Ravi's performance was widely positively received; a critic from Sify wrote that he delivered a performance that "makes you want to see more of him" while The Hindu's Malathi Rangarajan cited that he came out with an "appreciable portrayal throughout." The film, considered a family entertainer, received the Tamil Nadu State Film Special Award for Best Film and fetched Ravi himself the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor. It also emerged a high financial success.

His next release, Daas (2004), another action-masala flick, and his first original film following two remakes, featured him as a football player. The film took an even bigger opening than his previous ones and was declared a hit as well. He garnered positive remarks from critics, with Sify's reviewer claiming that Ravi was "hundred percent convincing as an action hero," further labelling his performance as "impressive." Mazhai, a remake of the Telugu film Varsham, was his other release that year, which was "lukewarm" at the box office. In 2006 he starred in Saran's Idhaya Thirudan, which was a box office bomb, following which he acted in Unakkum Enakkum (initially released and promoted as Something Something Unakkum Enakkum), again under his brother's direction in another remake of a Telugu film. Ravi portrayed a rich, happy-go-lucky NRI from London, who has to live and fight for his love in dire conditions in a rural milieu. The film, which featured Trisha Krishnan alongside Ravi, became a high critical as well as financial success, emerging one of the highest-grossing and most-profitable films of the year. The N. Linguswamy-produced Deepavali under Ezhil's direction became his only 2007 release.

In 2008 Ravi appeared in three films. Following a cameo appearance in Velli Thirai, he acted in the family drama Santhosh Subramaniam, once again under his brother's direction in a remake. In the Tamil version of the 2006 Telugu film Bommarillu, starring opposite Genelia D'Souza, he essayed the role of a young man, whose choices and wishes are continually subdued by his father's. Ravi received a nomination for the Best Tamil Actor Award at the 56th Filmfare Awards South. Next he starred in the action thriller Dhaam Dhoom, directed by cinematographer-director Jeeva, who died in the midst of the film's shooting in Russia. Completed by Jeeva's assistant Manikandan, his wife Aneez Tanveer and his guru P. C. Sreeram, Dhaam Dhoom released in mid 2008 in which he portrayed Gautham Subramaniyam, a man accused in a murder he did not commit. His performance was met with favorable reviews from critics, with Sify's reviewer citing that he was "simply amazing in his role", labelling the film as an "out and out Jayam Ravi movie", while Indiaglitz noted that Ravi was "probably the perfect choice to play the character".

In 2009, he starred in the action film Peranmai, directed by S. P. Jananathan, in which he enacted the role of Dhruvan, a tribal forest officer. In his next film, Thillalangadi(2010), he paired up with his brother for the fifth time to appear in a remake of a Telugu work. Thillalangadi, the Tamil version of the 2009 film Kick, opened to mixed critical response and could not repeat the success of its original version. In 2011, he played a playboy character in choreographer-turned-director Prabhu Deva's romantic musical Engeyum Kaadhal, which also fetched mixed reviews. He is currently working in Ameer Sultan's Aadhi Bhagavan. He also confirmed that he would be part of S. P. Jananathan's untitled forthcoming project co-starring his best pal Jiiva.