Raveendran appointed Chalachitra Academy chairman, Priyanka Nair vice-chairperson

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government has appointed actor Raveendran as chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy. Actress and cultural activist Priyanka Nair has been appointed vice-chairperson. Actor Salim Hassan and filmmaker Jofin T. Chacko will serve as members of the executive committee. According to a government press release, the new leadership aims to give greater emphasis to the artistic and technical aspects of cinema under Raveendran’s leadership.

The academy’s general council has also been reconstituted. The council includes Deepu Karunakaran, Vaikom Vijayalakshmi, M. V. Girish Kumar, Salim Hassan, B. Rakesh, Sajeevan Anthikkad, Jofin T. Chacko, Zakariya, R. S. Panicker, Dharmajan Bolgatty, Vazhoor Jose, A. Kabeer, Sabu Shankar, Sherga Sandeep and Abdul Hanan.

Raveendran has experience as a film curator, festival director and film educationist. Born in Thrippunithura to Elias and Dr Saramma, he completed his acting studies at the Adyar Film Institute in Chennai.

He gained recognition in the film industry with the 1980 Tamil film Oru Thalai Ragam. The film became popular, bringing Raveendran wider recognition as an actor. He subsequently remained active in both Tamil and Malayalam cinema and became a notable presence in mainstream Tamil cinema during the Rajinikanth-Kamal Haasan era.

He acted alongside leading stars in films including Sakalakala Vallavan, Ram Lakshman, Ranga, Pokkiri Raja, Thanga Magan and Per Sollum Pillai. His Malayalam films include Ashwaradham, Ee Nadu, John Jaffer Janardhanan, Innalenkil Nale, Sindoora Sandhyakku Mounam, Athiratram and Idanilangal.