Full Name K Ravi Kumar Nationality Indian Spouse(s) C Rathna Movies Jaanu | Residence Bangalore, Karnataka Years active 1995–present Children R Thanu
R Darshan | |
Born 24 June 1974 (age 42) ( 1974-06-24 ) Bangalore, Karnataka, India Occupation Stunt Director & Co-ordinator Awards South Indian International Movie Awards, Suvarna Film Awards Nominations Zee Cine Award for Best Action Similar Prabhu Deva, Preetham Gubbi, V Harikrishna | ||
Ravi Varma (born as K Ravi Kumar) is an Indian stunt director, who has contributed in about 200 movies, predominantly in Kannada and Telugu, and currently in big budget Hindi and Tamil films. The daredevil action scenes he has choreographed for movies so far have won him significant recognition. He is the recipient of several awards, including two Karnataka State Film Awards
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Early life
Ravi Varma was born on 24 June 1974 to K Kalasaiah and Ningamma in Bangalore, Karnataka. He done his schooling in Bangalore Corporation School. He was once an autorickshaw driver.
Career
Ravi Varma began his journey with Sandalwood in 1995 as fight assistant. A big breakthrough in his movie career happened when he assumed the role of action director in the Kannada flick Dharma in 2004, in which the principal trouper was Darshan. His biggest Sandalwood movie so far is Darshan's Sangoli Rayanna, an epic period movie filmed on a grand scale with 1000 artists. Ravi Varma entered Telugu industry with Krishna Vamsi’s Mahatma in 2009.
In quick time Ravi Varma’s breath taking stunts in South film industry started making news in Bollywood and earned him a break with Prabhu Deva’s R... Rajkumar in which Shahid Kapoor played the lead role. He also worked with superstars of bollywood such as Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgan in the films Jai Ho, Raees, Action Jackson respectively. He has become one of the most sought-after stunt directors in Bollywood and South Indian film industry, with many biggies in his kitty in 2016. His prime projects are Doddmane Hudga, Jaguar, Santhu Straight Forward, Dhruva, Rock On!! 2 and Machine.
Ravi Varma has also expressed his plans of venturing into movie direction soon. His directorial debut in the yet-to-be-titled project, will have for the first time ever Rajkumar brothers Shiva Rajkumar and Puneeth Rajkumar coming together for a movie.
Criticism
During a poorly planned stunt shoot for the climax of a Kannada film named "Maastigudi" in Thippagondanahalli lake near Bengaluru, two Kannada actors Uday Raghava and Anil Kumar drowned in the water. Both men were physically fit but were unable to stay afloat after jumping down from a helicopter. Only one diesel engine powered rescue boat was available for rescue, and it was positioned too far and its engine failed to start in time. Actors were neither given life jackets nor ropes to keep them afloat. Just before the shoot, both actors confessed in a TV interview that had been no preparation and planning, and they both were poor swimmers. The incident took place at around 3 pm on Monday 7 November 2016.
Awards
Ravi Varma has bagged many awards from the Kannada and the Telugu film industries. He is conferred with the title Saahasa Saarvabouma, by the Kannada film industry. He has been conferred with honorary doctorate from "Academy of Universal Global Peace University, Chennai." He became the first technician in the film industry to get a doctorate award.