Kollam (Kerala): Veteran award-winning Malayalam movie producer and industrialist K Ravindranathan Nair, who produced several classic and art house movies, died following age-related ailments, family sources said. He was 90. Popularly known as Achani Ravi in movie circles, Nair was the producer of iconic films directed by legendary filmmakers including Adoor Gopalakrishnan, G Aravindan, P Bhaskaran, A Vincent, and so on.
An advocate of the New Wave movement in Malayalam films, he was also a recipient of national and state awards multiple times. After taking over the family cashew business following the death of his father, Ravi, a hardcore movie fan, established a production banner under the name "General Pictures" in 1967, which played a significant role in Malayalam cinema in the later decades.
Sathyan-starrer Anweshichu Kandethiyilla was the first film that came out under his illustrious movie banner. During the 1970s and 80s, Ravi laid a mark in the industry by producing a series of critically acclaimed movies. The innovative film, Achani released in 1973, earned him the well-established moniker. Kanchana Sita, Kummatty, Esthappan, Thampu, and Vidheyan were among the classic movies produced by Ravi's General Pictures.
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Besides national and state awards, Ravi was also a recipient of the prestigious JC Daniel Award instituted by the Kerala Government. Apart from being a film producer, he was also a known businessman in the cashew industry. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan were among those who condoled his death.
Hailing the contributions of Ravi in the arthouse movie sector, Vijayan said he was a person who made significant interventions to raise the standards of the Malayalam cinema at a time when no one was ready to invest money in critically acclaimed movies. (PTI)
