K.S. Ravikumar

K.S. Ravikumar, born in Chennai back in ‘58, is one of those guys who kinda just sneaks up and dominates Tamil cinema when you least expect it. Seriously, this man’s fingerprints are all over some of the wildest, most memorable movies in Kollywood. He’s not just a director—he’s popped up on screen too, which, let’s be real, is always a fun little Easter egg for the diehards. He’s the mind behind “Dasavatharam” (2008). That’s the one where Kamal Haasan does his chameleon thing, playing a whopping ten roles. The whole plot is this mad rollercoaster, jumping timelines, religions, everything—pure Ravikumar chaos, but somehow he keeps it all together without the wheels flying off. Then there’s “Padayappa” (1999), and if you haven’t heard Rajinikanth’s iconic punchlines from this, have you even been online? Drama, family feuds, and Ramya Krishnan being the absolute queen—legendary stuff. “Varalaaru” (2006) is another wild ride, with Ajith pulling triple duty and some bonkers twists that only Ravikumar could pull off without making it feel like a soap opera meltdown. He’s married to Karpagam Ravikumar, but honestly, the guy’s real partner-in-crime seems to be the industry itself. Whether he’s acting or calling the shots behind the camera, Ravikumar’s got this knack for mixing mass appeal with just enough madness to keep things interesting. He’s like that one director who just refuses to play it safe, and thank god for that.