Ravi was born in
Delhi on 3 March 1926. He had no formal training in
classical music; instead he learned music by listening to his father sing
bhajans. In 1947 he went meet the famous singer
Mohammed Rafi who was singing at the independence day celebration event ‘Jashn e Jamhooriat’ at the Coronation Hotel, Fatehpur, Delhi. He told Rafi that he wanted to be music director. According to Ravi,
Mohammed Rafi advised him to first learn music and notation. He taught himself to play
harmonium and other classical instruments and worked as an electrician at the Post and Telegraph, Delhi, Ravi composed several hit songs and received
Filmfare nominations for the following films:
Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960),
Do Badan (1966),
Hamraaz (1967),
Ankhen (1968), and
Nikaah (1982). He won
Filmfare awards for
Gharana (1961) and
Khandan (1965). The first movie was
Panchagni. The songs
Saagarangale and
Aa raatri maanju poyi (sung by
Yesudas and
Chitra) were hits. That same year, Hariharan's
Nakhakshathangal also came out and Chithra won her second National Award for the song
Manjalprasaadavum from the same film. All the songs from the Malayalam movie
Vaisali released in 1989 were super hits and Chithra won her third National Award for the song
Indupushpam Choodi Nilkum from the same film. Ravi was a constant in Hariharan films and their combination is regarded as one of the best ever in Malayalam. Ravi has composed for many films produced by South Indian banners:
Ghoonghat,
Gharana Grihasti,
Aurat,
Samaj ko badal dalo (Gemini),
Meherban,
Do Kaliyan (AVM),
Bharosa, and
Khandan (Vasu Films). Ravi's most notable work is with Chopra brothers. From Gumrah he continuously worked with
Sahir Ludhianvi, the lyricist. Waqt, Humraaz, Admi aur Insan, Dhund, Nikah and Dehleez were among his all-time hit films He was very comfortable with Sahir and gave beautiful tunes to his poetry also for Aaj aur kal, Kajal, Ankhein, Neelkamal, Do kaliyan, Amanat, Ganga tera pani amrit, and Ek mahal ho sapno ka. == Personal life ==