# Major Ravi
**Major Ravi** (മേജർ രവി) is the screen name of Major A. K. Ravindran (retd), an Indian retired Army officer, [National Security Guard](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-security-guard) commando, and Malayalam film director, screenwriter, and actor known for army-themed films such as *Keerthichakra* (2006), *Kurukshetra* (2008), *Kandahar* (2010), and *[Picket 43](https://www.edgepedia.org/picket-43)* (2015).[1](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/major-ravi.html) His military career and his cinema are closely linked: he has said that he made films about operations he personally took part in because "there's no better medium to communicate than through films."
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Real name | Major A. K. Ravindran (retd), known professionally as Major Ravi[1](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/major-ravi.html) |
| Birthplace | Pattambi, Palakkad district, Kerala[1](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/major-ravi.html) |
| Military career | Joined the Indian Army as a jawan in 1975; graduated from the Army Cadet College and became a commando in 1988; served about two decades, including with the National Security Guard[2](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/news/2008/major-ravi-malayalam-films-140808.html) • [3](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/entertainment/a-major-in-the-film-industry) |
| Gallantry honors | President's Gallantry Awards in 1991 and 1992 for his contribution to fighting terrorism in Punjab and Kashmir[3](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/entertainment/a-major-in-the-film-industry) |
| Entry into cinema | Left the Army (in 1996 by one account, 1998 by another) to become a military consultant for Indian films, working with Priyadarshan, Rajkumar Santoshi (*Pukar*), Kamal Haasan (*Aalavandan*), and Mani Ratnam (*Kannathil Muthamittal*)[3](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/entertainment/a-major-in-the-film-industry) • [4](https://m.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/02sld3.htm) |
| Debut feature | *Keerthichakra* (2006), on Kashmir militancy, with Mohanlal in the lead as Major Mahadevan; won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Screenplay[5](https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/18_IPCatalogue2015.pdf) |
| Signature films | *Keerthichakra* (2006), *Mission 90 Days* (2007), *Kurukshetra* (2008), *Kandahar* (2010), *Karmayodha* (2012), *Picket 43* (2015), *1971: Beyond Borders* (2017)[6](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/major-ravi/filmography.html) |
| Political affiliation | Appointed vice president of the BJP's Kerala unit in December 2023[7](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/states/kerala/2023/Dec/27/major-ravi-appointed-as-bjp-kerala-state-vpformer-congress-leader-c-raghunath-in-national-council-2645237.html) |
## Military background
Ravi was born in Pattambi in [Palakkad district](https://www.edgepedia.org/palakkad-district), Kerala, into a family in which several elders had served in the armed forces; his father managed the family's farming land while his uncles were in the military.[1](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/major-ravi.html) • [8](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2025/Aug/31/i-once-sought-clearance-for-mission-to-eliminate-dawood) He joined the [Indian Army](https://www.edgepedia.org/indian-army) as a jawan in 1975 and, after graduating from the Army Cadet College, became a commando in 1988.[2](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/news/2008/major-ravi-malayalam-films-140808.html) As a National Security Guard commando he took part in counter-terrorism operations in Punjab and Kashmir, for which he received the President's Gallantry Awards in 1991 and 1992.[3](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/entertainment/a-major-in-the-film-industry)
According to Filmibeat's profile, he personally participated in several milestones of Indian military history, including commando action against [Rajiv Gandhi](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajiv-gandhi)'s killers, the Kargil war, and the response to the Kandahar hijacking, and he drew his films directly on those experiences.[2](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/news/2008/major-ravi-malayalam-films-140808.html) He has described holding on to his [Heckler & Koch MP5](https://www.edgepedia.org/heckler-and-koch-mp5) submachine gun and [Glock 17](https://www.edgepedia.org/glock-17) pistol from his commando days.[8](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2025/Aug/31/i-once-sought-clearance-for-mission-to-eliminate-dawood)
**Leaving the service.** Khaleej Times reported in 2007 that Ravi worked with the Indian Army for about 20 years and quit in 1996 to take up work as a military consultant in the Indian film industry.[3](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/entertainment/a-major-in-the-film-industry) In his own 2006 interview with Rediff, he said he came out of the army in 1998; the two published dates differ, and both are given here as reported.[4](https://m.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/02sld3.htm)
## Film career
Ravi entered cinema through consultancy. [Santosh Sivan](https://www.edgepedia.org/santosh-sivan) recommended his name to [Rajkumar Santoshi](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajkumar-santoshi) for *Pukar*, and he went on to advise on army matters for [Kamal Haasan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kamal-haasan)'s *Aalavandan* and Mani Ratnam's *Kannathil Muthamittal*, besides assisting Priyadarshan on advertising films.[4](https://m.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/02sld3.htm) His first directing credit was the children's film *Punarjani* (2003), in which Mohanlal's son Pranav played the lead and won a state award for acting; filmmaker Shaji N Karun, after seeing it, told Ravi he had a flair for directing, which led him to write *Keerthichakra*.[4](https://m.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/02sld3.htm)
*Keerthichakra* (2006), his debut feature, was a film on Kashmir militancy with Mohanlal in the role of Major Mahadevan.[2](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/news/2008/major-ravi-malayalam-films-140808.html) It won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Screenplay.[5](https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/18_IPCatalogue2015.pdf) In interviews, Ravi has said Malayalam films up to then portrayed soldiers largely in a comic register, and that Mohanlal's Major Mahadevan ended that stereotype.[9](https://www.ottplay.com/news/mohanlal-war-film-became-a-yardstick-major-ravi/5060838a79448) His second feature, *Mission 90 Days* (2007), was based on his own experience of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.[2](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/news/2008/major-ravi-malayalam-films-140808.html)
**The army cycle.** *Kurukshetra* (2008) was based on the Kargil war of May to July 1999; Filmibeat reported at the time that it would feature three war sequences making up about a third of the movie, along with real Indian Army practice sessions, and that it was the first Malayalam film given permission to shoot actual Army training.[2](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/news/2008/major-ravi-malayalam-films-140808.html) *Kandahar* (2010) drew on his experience as a member of the team that investigated the IC-814 flight hijacking.[2](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/news/2008/major-ravi-malayalam-films-140808.html) Later directorial credits include *Karmayodha* (2012), *Oru Yathrayil* (2013), *Picket 43* (2015), and *[1971: Beyond Borders](https://www.edgepedia.org/1971-beyond-borders)* (2017).[6](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/major-ravi/filmography.html)
## Reception and scholarly view
A content-analysis study of four of his army films (*Keerthichakra*, *Kurukshetra*, *Kandahar*, and *1971: Beyond Borders*), framed by Framing Theory, examined national symbols, patriotic dialogue such as "Jai Hind," and patriotic songs, and found *Kurukshetra* ranked highest in patriotic content.[10](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/401434982_Portrayal_of_patriotism_in_Mjor_Ravi%27s_Army_Movies-_A_Content_Analysis) The study attributes the authenticity of his depictions of soldierly life to his own Army background, while also noting a limitation: his framing of patriotism is often a binary of India versus its enemy, with little room for other expressions of nationalism such as civic duty or pluralistic unity.[10](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/401434982_Portrayal_of_patriotism_in_Mjor_Ravi%27s_Army_Movies-_A_Content_Analysis) Compared with Bollywood war spectacles such as *Border* and *LOC Kargil*, the study characterizes his films as more restrained and documentary-like in presenting soldiers as real individuals.[10](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/401434982_Portrayal_of_patriotism_in_Mjor_Ravi%27s_Army_Movies-_A_Content_Analysis)
## Public and political life
In December 2023, at age 65 as reported by The New Indian Express, Ravi was appointed vice president of the BJP's Kerala state unit.[7](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/states/kerala/2023/Dec/27/major-ravi-appointed-as-bjp-kerala-state-vpformer-congress-leader-c-raghunath-in-national-council-2645237.html) He later contested elections as a [Bharatiya Janata Party](https://www.edgepedia.org/bharatiya-janata-party) candidate in the Ottapalam (Palakkad) constituency.[11](https://myneta.info/Kerala2026/candidate.php?candidate_id=527) As an actor, his credits in sources listing his filmography include *Action Hero Biju* (2016), *Ramaleela* (2017), *Driving Licence* (2019), and *Pathaam Valavu* (2022).[6](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/major-ravi/filmography.html) • [12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/majorravi)
## Birth date and family
Published sources disagree on his birth date. Filmibeat Malayalam's profile gives 22 May 1968 in Pattambi,[1](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/major-ravi.html) while Rotten Tomatoes lists 13 June 1958 in Pattambi, Palakkad, Kerala.[12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/majorravi) Both dates cannot be correct, and no source in the record resolves the conflict. Filmibeat Malayalam also names his wife as Anita Ravi.[1](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/major-ravi.html)
## References
1. [മേജർ രവി (Major): മൂവീസ്, പ്രായം, ജീവചരിത്രം, Filmibeat Malayalam](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/major-ravi.html)
2. [Major Ravi: Jack of All Trades, Filmibeat (14 August 2008)](https://www.filmibeat.com/malayalam/news/2008/major-ravi-malayalam-films-140808.html)
3. [A major in the film industry, Khaleej Times (2 September 2007)](https://www.khaleejtimes.com/entertainment/a-major-in-the-film-industry)
4. [The soldier who turned filmmaker, Rediff Movies (2 August 2006)](https://m.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/02sld3.htm)
5. [Indian Panorama catalogue, IFFI 2015, Directorate of Film Festivals](https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/18_IPCatalogue2015.pdf)
6. [മേജർ രവി അഭിനയിച്ച സിനിമകള് | Major Filmography, Filmibeat Malayalam](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/major-ravi/filmography.html)
7. [Major Ravi appointed as BJP Kerala state VP, The New Indian Express (27 December 2023)](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/states/kerala/2023/Dec/27/major-ravi-appointed-as-bjp-kerala-state-vpformer-congress-leader-c-raghunath-in-national-council-2645237.html)
8. [INTERVIEW: 'I once sought clearance for mission to eliminate Dawood,' The New Indian Express (31 August 2025)](https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2025/Aug/31/i-once-sought-clearance-for-mission-to-eliminate-dawood)
9. [Mohanlal's 2006 hit war film became a yardstick for portrayal of soldiers: Major Ravi, OTTplay](https://www.ottplay.com/news/mohanlal-war-film-became-a-yardstick-major-ravi/5060838a79448)
10. [Portrayal of Patriotism in Major Ravi's Army Movies – A Content Analysis, ResearchGate](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/401434982_Portrayal_of_patriotism_in_Mjor_Ravi%27s_Army_Movies-_A_Content_Analysis)
11. [Candidate affidavit information, MyNeta Kerala 2026](https://myneta.info/Kerala2026/candidate.php?candidate_id=527)
12. [Major Ravi filmography and profile, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/majorravi)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Directors, producers, and screenwriters › Indian and South Asian film directors › Malayalam cinema directors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license