Kalesh Ramanand

Kalesh Ramanand, a native of Alappuzha, was born on November 4 to parents S. Ramanand and Rama Anand. His father was the Head of the Physics Department and Vice Principal at SD College, Alappuzha. After completing his schooling at SDV Central School, Kalesh graduated with a degree in Computer Science from the Rajagiri School of Engineering & Technology, Cochin. Passionate about acting from his college days, where he gained acclaim for stage performances, Kalesh moved to Chennai to pursue his dream. However, his first step was earning a diploma in Western music from A.R. Rahman’s KM Music Conservatory. He further refined his craft by attending workshops with theatre groups like Koothpattarai and Evam in Chennai before training with the NSD Alumni Group at Hemanth Mahur’s Mask Magic Theater Group in Mumbai.

During his time in Mumbai theatre, he auditioned for a play by Marathi director Samriddhi Pore, leading him to meet filmmaker Salim Ahmed. This connection marked his Malayalam cinema debut alongside Mammootty in Kunjananthante Kada, where he portrayed the character Suku. Returning to theatre in Chennai, Kalesh played the lead role in the Tamil short film Surreal, directed by Vijay Jaipal. The film was selected for the Cannes Film Festival, where he participated alongside Kamal Haasan, who led the Indian delegation. He also appeared in the independent film Kerala Paradise, which was featured at multiple international festivals.

In addition to acting, Kalesh is a trained musician and has sung for Tamil and Telugu dubbing projects. He began composing and performing in advertising jingles with friends and, in 2009, co-created a music album titled Ilamveil.

Kalesh’s film credits include a role in M.A. Nishad’s Ayyaya and appearances in Tamil films such as Thani Oruvan and Mara. He remains active in Hindi and Tamil short films, with a notable performance in the 2022 Malayalam film Hrudaya, starring Vineeth Sreenivasan and Pranav Mohanlal.