Jayam Ravi is one of the most likeable actors in Tamil Cinema right now. From establishing himself as an actor through remakes, to pioneering experimental films, Ravi has come a long way.

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Happy Birthday Jayam Ravi: 16 roles that define the actor's versatility

On the occasion of his 39th birthday, we look at how actor Jayam Ravi, one film at a time, moulded himself into the star that he is today

Team CE

Published:10th Sep, 2019 at 1:31 PM

Jayam: A blockbuster beginning for sure. Be it his boyish charm, his non-violent streak, his sheepish romance, and the rage-fuelled last act, Ravi truly became Jayam Ravi after this.

M Kumaran S/O Mahalakshmi: A refreshing take on the mother-son equation, Ravi, and his brother Raja, proved their debut effort was not a flash in the pan. And Ravi proved his action credentials too

Unakkum Enakkum: Ravi made 'Vivasayam' cool a decade before it became trendy. Both as an OTT youngster and a balanced agriculturist, Ravi delivers. His onscreen romance with Trisha was lauded too.

Deepavali: His first non-remake in this list, Ravi impresses as Billu, a good-hearted ruffian who has to make his lover fall in love with him all over again. A mellowed Reverse Ghajini, if I may

Santhosh Subramaniam: He is one of the few young actors who acted in a lot of family dramas. In this film about father-son bonding, surrounded by stalwarts, Ravi held his own, especially that climax

Peranmai: Ravi's first off-the-beaten-track film, which brought to the fore the actor's interest in doing social films. His portrayal of Dhuruvan continues to be one of his underrated performances

Thillalangadi: By now, we knew Ravi had decent comic skills, but did he have it in him to carry a complete comic caper on his shoulders? Your response to Thillalangadi answers that.

Aadhi Bhagawan: As Aadhi and Bhagawan bhai, Ravi surprised us with the maturity in handling both these complicated characters. Under the watchful eyes of Ameer, Ravi delivered a nuanced performance

Nimirndhu Nil: With this Samuthirakani film, Ravi became the go-to actor for being a social justice warrior. Once again, a double role, Ravi was at ease expressing both resilience and flamboyance

Romeo Juliet: After a long-ish break, Ravi returned to romance territory with this film that dealt with true love, heartbreak, and cliches, in a way that did manage to woo the audience.

Thani Oruvan: This film was the turning point in the careers of Ravi, and director Raja. An example of how success follows you if you try long and hard enough. Thani Oruvan made Jayam Ravi, a STAR

Bogan: Another collaboration with Arvind Swamy where Ravi let his guard down in this film about soul-swapping, which allowed him to have fun as the villain.

Miruthan: Ravi is not only the go-to actor for social justice, he also seems to be open for experimentation in films. Who'd have thought Tamil cinema will see a Zombie film!

Tik Tik Tik: Experiments and Ravi seem to go hand-in-hand as his second film with Miruthan director Shakti Soundar Rajan saw Tamil cinema go as far as the Moon, literally.

Adanga Maru: Ravi returns to social justice mode in this film. His cop-turned-vigilante role reminded of films like Rajinikanth's Naan Sigappu Manithan, and we're saying it as a compliment

Comali: What happens when an experimental Ravi doles out social justice, while being romantic and funny. You get the perfect blockbuster. The film is one of the biggest hits of Ravi's career.