Jayam Ravi is an Indian actor who works in Tamil cinema. He was born on September 10, 1980 in Tirumangalam, Madurai. His father is Editor Mohan, a Tamil Rowther, and his mother is from Andhra Pradesh. Ravi has an elder brother, Mohan Raja, who is a film director. 

Ravi has a background in martial arts and bharatanatyam dancing. He studied dancing under the bharatnatyam dancer Nalini Balakrishnan and performed his arangetram at the age of 12. He also has a degree in Visual communication from Loyola College, Chennai. Before acting, Ravi had been an assistant director to Suresh Krishna in the 2001 film Aalavandhan. 

Ravi made his acting debut in the 2002 film Jayam, produced by his father, editor Mohan, and directed by his brother, M. Raja. He has starred in many other films, including Bava Bavamaridi (1993), Palnati Pourusham (1993), Ponniyin Selvan - Part 1 (2022), Bhoomi (2021), Comali (2019), Adanga Maru (2018), Vanamagan (2017), and Yamapasham (2016).