Malayalam television and film actor Ravi Vallathol has passed away after a brief illness. He was 67. Ravi got his start in television, making his debut in Doordarshan's Vaitharani in 1986. The serial was scripted by his father and playwright TN Gopinathan Nair.

The nephew of renowned poet Vallathol Narayana Menon, Ravi enjoyed a brief stint in the news division of Doordarshan before being invited by director P Bhaskaran to act in Vaitharani.

He most notable television role was in American Dreams, for which he won the Kerala State Television Award for Best Actor. He made his film debut a year later in Lenin Rajendran's Swathi Thirunal and has since then appeared in close to 50 films.

He is known for his long and fruitful association with Adoor Gopalakrishnan, having worked in seven films of the director. Among his notable film appearances are Mathilukal, Commissioner, Vishnulokam, and Godfather.

Ravi has also worked as a lyricist in addition to penning 25 short stories. A play he scripted, Revathikkoru Pavakutty, was later adapted into a film. His last film appearance was The Dolphins (2014).

He is survived by his wife Geethalakshmi, with whom he used to run a charitable trust named Thanal for the differently-abled.