Ravi Shankar
Born: 7 April 1920
Ravi Shankar is a true multi-hyphenate talent who's been quietly building an impressive career across South Indian cinema for decades. Born in Chennai, he's made his mark primarily in Kannada films, but has also carved out a solid presence in Telugu and Tamil productions. His breakthrough moment came with the 2011 Kannada film Kempe Gowda, where his supporting role earned him serious critical acclaim and a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Kannada. Coming from a family of performers—his father P. J. Sarma and brother Sai Kumar are both respected actors—Ravi has proven he's more than just a legacy name in the industry. What really sets Ravi apart, though, is his massive contribution as a dubbing artist, where he's become an absolute powerhouse. With over 3,500 films dubbed to his credit, including more than 1,000 each in Telugu and Tamil and over 150 in Kannada, he's basically the voice behind countless South Indian cinema moments that audiences grew up with. Beyond acting and dubbing, he's also worked as a director and writer, showcasing the kind of creative depth that defines serious film professionals. While he may not always grab the biggest headlines, Ravi Shankar's consistent work across multiple mediums has made him an indispensable part of Kannada, Telugu, and Tamil cinema's backbone.
Awards & Nominations
He won his first Nandi Award for Best Male Dubbing Artist in 1999 for Ram Gopal Varma's Prema Katha. He dubbed for Manoj Bajpai in the film. He won his second Nandi Award in 2002 for Chiranjeevi's Indra, in which he dubbed for Mukesh Rishi. His next Nandi Award was in 2004 for his dubbing in S. S. Rajamouli's Sye. He dubbed for Pradeep Rawat in the film. He won four consecutive Nandi Awards from 2006 to 2009 for the films Pokiri, Athidhi, Arundhati and Anjaneyulu respectively. He also won Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Male Dubbing Artist for his dubbing for Ashish Vidyarthi in 2001 film Dhill.
