Chintha Ravi

Chintha Ravi aka K. Ravindran is an acclaimed journalist, writer, and a film critic too who later added another feather in his cap by becoming a film director. But the path has not been so easy. He also directed many documentaries which won him a state-level award and even acted in a movie too.

He was born in 1945 in Thrissur and completed his journalism course from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan after completing his formal higher schooling at Malabar Christian School. He also began his film critic journey with Searchlight mead where later got associated with CPI's mouthpiece Chintha and wrote an editorial. Thus, he got a pen name 'Chintha'.

He excelled in writing travelogues and even made television travelogue ‘Ente Keralam’ capturing the scenic beauty of Kerala. It won him best Kerala Sahitya Akademi award. Chintha Ravi also published a book ‘Cinemayude Rashtreeyam’, which took a depth insight into art criticism and cinema. In 1990, this book got him the Kerala State Film Award for Best Book on Cinema.

As a director, he did his debut  with a Telugu film 'Harijan'. Later, he also chose to make a Malayalam movie 'Ore Thooval Pakshikal' which he had written, directed and produced even. The film released in the year 1988 and had actors like Balan K. Nair, Tom Alter Tom Alter is a multifaceted acting personality who >> Read More... , and Nilambur Balan Nilambur Balan was an Indian actor in Malayalam In >> Read More... . Legendary filmmaker G. Aravindan scored the music and won a state award for this film.

It is said that he was inspired by G Aravindan so much that he made a documentary on G Aravindan too. Due to his strong influence in Kerala, Asianet TV channel had aired his TV travelogue ‘Ente Keralam’ for many years. At the age of 65, the veteran film critic and writer had passed away on 4 July 2011.