Aleksandr Revva
Aleksandr Vladimirovich Revva (born 10 September 1974) is a Russian comedian, actor, singer, television host, and voice actor of Ukrainian origin.[1][2] Born in Donetsk, Ukrainian SSR (now Ukraine), Revva began his career participating in the comedy improvisation competition KVN before transitioning to professional stand-up and television.[1][3] He rose to prominence in 2006 as a resident performer on the Russian Comedy Club show on TNT, where he developed his signature humorous characters and sketches.[4][2] Under the stage name Arthur Pirozhkov, Revva has released comedic music singles and performed live shows, blending satire, music, and impersonations that have garnered significant popularity in Russia.[5][6] His acting credits include leading roles in films such as Prababushka legkogo khozhdeniya and television series, alongside voice work in animated features, establishing him as a versatile entertainer in Russian media.[5][7]Early life
Childhood and family background
Aleksandr Revva was born on September 10, 1974, in Donetsk, Ukrainian SSR (now Ukraine), alongside his twin sister Natalia, who was born approximately 15 minutes earlier.[8][6] His father, Vladimir Nikolaevich Revva, a professor of mathematics residing in Donetsk, left the family when Revva and his sister were four months old, providing no further involvement in their upbringing.[3][9] Revva's mother, Lyubov Nikolaevna Racheeva (née Mikhalchenko), a former soloist with the Kuban Cossack Choir and occasional performer as a tamada (master of ceremonies), assumed primary responsibility for raising the children, supported by her own mother (Revva's grandmother).[10][6][3] The family experienced paternal absence, with Revva later describing a lack of father's love during childhood, which contrasted with the nurturing environment provided by his mother and grandmother.[11] As a young boy, Revva was introverted and emotional, often crying and earning the nickname "Rёva-korova" (Cry-cow) from peers, though he entertained family members with humorous antics.[12][11]Education and early influences
Revva completed secondary education in Donetsk, Ukraine, before enrolling in the Donetsk Technical College of Industrial Automation. There, he specialized in underground electrical work, graduating with a red diploma as an electrician of the fourth category in the mid-1990s.[2][3][6] Following graduation, he worked briefly as an underground electrician in a local coal mine, gaining practical experience in the industrial sector prevalent in the Donbas region.[2][13] Subsequently, Revva pursued higher education by applying to multiple institutions, gaining admission to the Donetsk Polytechnic Institute and the Donetsk State Academy of Management (now Donetsk State University of Management). He completed his degree at the latter's Faculty of Management around 1999, focusing on administrative and economic principles amid familial expectations for a scholarly path.[14][15][16] Revva's early exposure to performance began during his university tenure, when he joined the local KVN (Club of the Merry and Inventive) team "DonGAU" in 1995 after being spotted at a campus talent contest. This amateur involvement in scripted humor and improvisation, initially pursued as a diversion from studies, fostered his comedic sensibilities and laid groundwork for professional stand-up pursuits, diverging from his technical training.[17][18][19]Relocation to Russia
Revva, born on September 10, 1974, in Donetsk, Ukrainian SSR (now Ukraine), completed his higher education at the Donetsk Academy of Management, where he participated in the local KVN team "Zheltye pidzhaki" starting in 1995.[2] In 1999, he relocated to Moscow to advance his comedic aspirations by joining the prominent KVN team "Utomlyonnye solntsem," which competed in the league's higher divisions centered in the Russian capital.[20] This transition from Ukraine to Russia marked the beginning of his integration into the Russian entertainment industry, as KVN's major events and opportunities were predominantly based in Moscow.[21] Following the move, Revva adapted to life in Moscow, initially focusing on KVN performances that provided exposure and networking in Russia's comedy circuit. By 2000, he had shifted affiliations within KVN teams, solidifying his presence in the Russian scene, which eventually led to his 2006 residency on the Comedy Club program.[2] Despite his Ukrainian birthplace, Revva has described Moscow as the city that realized his professional dreams, reflecting the career-driven nature of his relocation.[22] He maintained long-term residence in Russia thereafter, culminating in his acquisition of Russian citizenship on May 6, 2025, via a simplified procedure available to Donetsk natives.[23]Comedy and entertainment career
Stand-up beginnings and character development
Aleksandr Revva transitioned to professional stand-up comedy following his success in KVN, where he performed with the team Utomlyonnye solntsem, champions of the Higher League in 2003. After relocating to Moscow, he debuted on the Russian Comedy Club on TNT in 2006, marking his entry into structured stand-up and sketch-based humor.[2][24] His early routines emphasized physical comedy, impersonations, and exaggerated archetypes, drawing from his KVN experience of ensemble sketches.[17] In Comedy Club, Revva honed character-driven stand-up, often portraying brawny, hyper-masculine figures that contrasted his own physique, reflecting personal observations of bodybuilding culture.[25] He later expanded into solo performances featuring recurring impersonations of loquacious elderly women (babushki), gossiping about trivial scandals in a shrill, animated style that relied on vocal mimicry and mannerisms for comedic effect.[3] These sketches evolved from brief Comedy Club bits into full stand-up segments by the late 2000s, emphasizing observational humor rooted in everyday Russian social dynamics.[26] A pivotal development was the creation of Arthur Pirozhkov, a bombastic, self-absorbed macho persona blending metrosexual vanity with crude bravado, first conceptualized around 2008–2009 after Revva attended events showcasing bodybuilders and club scenes in Sochi.[3][27] Revva has attributed the character's origins to his youthful insecurities about appearance, transforming personal "complexes" into a satirical ideal of unattainable masculinity through over-the-top monologues and songs.[28] By 2009, Pirozhkov debuted prominently when Revva hosted Ty smeshnoy! in the guise, integrating musical parody into stand-up for broader appeal.[2] This evolution showcased Revva's shift toward multifaceted characters that layered self-deprecation with absurdity, sustaining his stand-up relevance amid Comedy Club's format.[29]Television hosting and breakthrough
Revva's entry into national television prominence occurred in 2006 when he joined the cast of Comedy Club on TNT as a resident comedian, leveraging characters developed from his KVN background to gain widespread recognition.[30] This role marked his transition from regional theater and KVN competitions to a platform that amplified his satirical sketches and impersonations, establishing him as a key figure in Russian comedy television.[2] In 2008, Revva debuted as a television host on NTV's Ty smeshnoy!, performing in the persona of Arthur Pirozhkov, a flamboyant playboy character that became synonymous with his comedic style.[31] Co-hosted with Andrey Rozhkov from the Ural Dumplings team, the program featured amateur comedy submissions and parodies, running through 2009 and solidifying Revva's versatility beyond stand-up.[32] Subsequent hosting opportunities followed, including the 2011 parody show Lyudi KhE on STS, where Revva presented satirical takes on pop culture phenomena.[24] By 2013, he hosted Repeat! on Channel One, a game show testing celebrity memory and mimicry, further diversifying his television presence.[9] These roles capitalized on his Comedy Club fame, contributing to his breakthrough as a multifaceted entertainer capable of anchoring live formats.Voice acting and variety performances
Revva has provided voice work for animated films, particularly in Russian dubs of international productions. He voiced Mighty Eagle in Angry Birds (2016) and Angry Birds 2 (2019).[33] He also lent his voice to the Lego Joker in The Lego Batman Movie (2017).[33] In addition to film dubbing, Revva has appeared in voice roles for Russian animations and shorts. He voiced Baba Yaga in the 2008 animated adaptation The Tale of Fedot, the Shooter. Revva's variety performances encompass live stage shows blending comedy sketches, impersonations, and musical numbers, often under his Arthur Pirozhkov persona. These acts draw from his Comedy Club background, where he performed humorous numbers and parodies alongside partners like Timur Batrutdinov and Garik Kharlamov.[34] He has toured internationally with comedian Mikhail Galustyan, delivering joint comedy routines in venues such as the Copernicus Center in Chicago on April 21, 2025.[30] Notable solo variety concerts include his first musical show as Arthur Pirozhkov at Crocus City Hall on September 10, 2019, featuring hits like "Chika" and "Zatsepila."[35] Revva has also headlined anniversary events, such as the "I Have 25!" concert at Crocus City Hall on April 1, 2015, and a jubilee evening on NTV's Kvartirnik marking his 50th birthday in 2024, incorporating songs and comedic interludes.[36][37] His stage work extends to tribute performances, including a 2024 concert honoring Yuri Shatunov at Crocus City Hall.[38]Music and artistic pursuits
Arthur Pirozhkov persona
Arthur Pirozhkov is a satirical stage persona invented by Russian comedian Aleksandr Revva, embodying a bombastic, self-obsessed metrosexual bodybuilder who fancies himself a romantic crooner.[39][40] The character contrasts sharply with Revva's personal life as a devoted family man, exaggerating traits like vanity, machismo, and superficial charm through distinctive speech inflections, garish attire, and theatrical poses such as flexing biceps or mock seduction routines.[40] Revva conceived Pirozhkov after spotting bodybuilders on a Sochi beach, merging their pumped-up physiques with dandyish pretensions into a composite caricature of a dim-witted lothario.[39][40] Debuting in 2009 on the television program Comedy Club, the persona quickly became a staple in Revva's stand-up routines and gained traction as a host for the talent show Ty smeshnoy! that same year, where Pirozhkov's over-the-top antics amplified the comedic format.[17][2] In Revva's artistic endeavors, particularly music, Pirozhkov functions as a vehicle for parodying pop music tropes, delivering tongue-in-cheek lyrics about love, nightlife, and bravado in upbeat tracks accompanied by flashy videos that play up the character's absurdity.[40] This musical extension underscores Pirozhkov's role in broadening Revva's appeal beyond sketch comedy, blending humor with catchy melodies to mock celebrity culture and male posturing.[39]Key releases and musical style
Revva's musical output under the Arthur Pirozhkov pseudonym primarily falls within the dance-pop genre, incorporating novelty elements through satirical lyrics that mock romantic clichés and pop stardom tropes. This style blends upbeat electronic production with exaggerated, humorous personas, distinguishing it from conventional Russian pop by emphasizing parody over sincerity. Key releases began with singles like "Пэрэдайс" in the early 2010s, which gained traction through viral humor and club appeal.[41] The debut studio album Любовь, comprising 14 tracks including "Плачь, детка!", "Я – звезда!", "Пэрэдайс", "Красивая песня", and "Я не шучу", was issued in 2015 via National Music Publishing.[42] Subsequent albums include Всё о любви on February 14, 2020, featuring singles such as "Чужая", and Это игра on November 8, 2024.[43] Notable singles extend the discography with hits like "Зацепила", "Чика", "Само Собой", and more recent tracks "Я твой мужчина" (2025) and "Женщина-Магнит" (featuring Elvin Grey).[44][45] These releases often prioritize catchy hooks and comedic narratives, achieving popularity on platforms like VK Music and YouTube.Collaborations and live performances
Revva, performing under the Artur Pirozhkov pseudonym, has engaged in several musical collaborations that blend pop and dance elements with his comedic style. In 2019, he featured on DONI's track "Моя богиня," contributing vocals to the single released that year. Other notable partnerships include remixes with DJ Vengerov, such as "Пэрэдайз" and "Плачь детка," which extended his solo material into club-oriented versions.[46] In 2021, Pirozhkov collaborated with German producer Dieter Bohlen on "Летом на Фиесте," a summer-themed track aimed at extending seasonal vibes, with the music video premiering that October. This was followed by a 2024 duet with singer Habib on "МЁД," a upbeat single with an accompanying video released in May, emphasizing danceable rhythms.[47] Earlier, in an unverified fan context, pairings like with Katya Varlamova appeared in tracks such as "Любовь," though official releases prioritize solo and select features. Pirozhkov's live performances often merge music with theatrical elements, drawing from his comedy background. His first solo musical concert occurred on September 10, 2019, at Crocus City Hall in Moscow, featuring high-production visuals and hits from his discography.[35] Subsequent shows, such as the "Шоу Артура Пирожкова," have toured venues like Live Arena, with a major event recorded and shared online in 2025, incorporating songs like "Зацепила" alongside interactive segments.[48][49] Anniversary concerts mark milestones, including a 2025 production celebrating career longevity, performed in cities like Saint Petersburg and with appearances at events such as the Todes dance school's 20th anniversary.[50][51] Tours continue into 2025–2026, with tickets available for standalone Pirozhkov dates emphasizing live energy and audience engagement.[52] These performances typically sell out, reflecting sustained popularity in Russian entertainment circuits.[53]Film and production involvement
Acting roles in cinema and TV
Revva's entry into acting coincided with his comedy career, beginning with episodic television appearances. In 2008, he debuted on screen in the Russian children's sketch series Yeralash, portraying a robot teacher named UR-125 in episode 229.[54] This role marked his initial foray into scripted performance beyond stand-up sketches.[55] His film career started with voice work in animated features, including the role of Baba Yaga in the 2008 fantasy comedy The Tale of Fedot, the Shooter.[54] Transitioning to live-action cinema, Revva appeared in supporting comedic parts, such as in Rzhevsky vs. Napoleon (2012), a historical parody where he contributed to the ensemble humor.[5] A breakthrough came with the 2013 comedy Double (Dubler), in which he took on the lead, playing three distinct characters: fading TV star Igor Uspenskiy, masseur Sevastyan Vasilkov, and singer Mikhail Stasov, showcasing his versatility in physical comedy and multiple personas.[54] Revva gained prominence in the Naughty Grandma franchise, starting with Naughty Grandma (Babushka legkogo povedeniya) in 2017, where he starred as Sanya Rubinshteyn, a man who cross-dresses as his elderly grandmother to evade debt collectors and embark on absurd adventures. The role, blending drag elements with slapstick, became a defining one, spawning sequels including Naughty Grandma 2: Senior Avengers (2019), Grandma of Easy Virtue 3 (2021), and the prequel Naughty Great Grandma: The Beginning (2021), in which he reprised variations of the dual character.[54] These films emphasized his physical transformation and timing in farce scenarios. Additional live-action roles include the lead in The Evil Gardener (Zlobnyy sadovnik, 2013), a satirical take on suburban life, and supporting parts in comedies like Mixed Feelings (2014) and Bet on Love (2015).[54] In television, beyond sketches, he featured in episodic capacities in series such as Viktor Pakhomov (2020).[54] Revva continued with projects like Fil Kalatozov (2016), playing the titular director in a meta-comedy, and upcoming films including Zhdun 2 (2025) in a lead role.[54] His portrayals consistently draw from his comedy background, favoring exaggerated, character-driven humor over dramatic depth.[5]| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Yeralash | Robot teacher (UR-125) | TV series episode[54] |
| 2012 | Rzhevsky vs. Napoleon | Supporting | Film[5] |
| 2013 | Double (Dubler) | Igor Uspenskiy / Sevastyan Vasilkov / Mikhail Stasov (lead) | Film[54] |
| 2017 | Naughty Grandma | Sanya Rubinshteyn / Babushka (lead) | Film |
| 2019 | Naughty Grandma 2 | Sanya Rubinshteyn (lead) | Film[54] |
| 2021 | Naughty Great Grandma: The Beginning | Sanya Rubinshteyn (lead) | Film |
Producing and scripting credits
Revva began his production career with the horror film Tsvetok dyavola (Devil's Flower), released in 2010, marking his entry into film production. In 2013, he produced the animated feature Volshebnyy kubok Rorriema Bo 3D, a Russian adaptation involving 3D animation elements. His production work expanded into animation with the series Kolobanga. Tolko dlya polzovateley interneta (2015–2016), where he served as producer for the internet-targeted episodes featuring emoji-like characters combating digital threats; the project later spawned a 2017 theatrical film, Kolobanga. Privet, Internet!, which he also produced.[56][57] Revva's most prominent producing efforts are tied to the Babushka legkogo povedeniya (Naughty Grandma) comedy franchise, beginning with the 2017 original film, which he produced and in which he starred as the lead antagonist. He continued as producer for the 2019 sequel, Babushka legkogo povedeniya 2: Prestararel'ye mstiteli (Naughty Grandma 2: Retired Avengers), and the 2021 prequel, Prababushka legkogo povedeniya. Nachalo (Great Grandma of Easy Virtue: The Beginning).[58] These films, characterized by slapstick humor and elderly protagonists in absurd scenarios, grossed significantly in the Russian market, with the 2017 entry alone exceeding 300 million rubles in box office earnings. In 2025, Revva produced the family comedy Papa mozhhet (Dad Can), focusing on paternal challenges in modern life.[59] In scripting, Revva's credits align closely with his production roles in the Naughty Grandma series, where he co-wrote the screenplay for the 2019 sequel alongside Marius Vaysberg and others, emphasizing comedic escalation from the original.[59] He further contributed as writer to the 2021 prequel, developing the backstory elements that tie into the franchise's timeline.[58] Earlier scripting involvement includes the 2017 Naughty Grandma, though primarily in conceptual contributions rather than sole authorship. These efforts demonstrate Revva's hands-on approach, blending his comedy background with narrative crafting for commercial viability in Russian cinema.| Year | Project | Role(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Tsvetok dyavola | Producer |
| 2013 | Volshebnyy kubok Rorriema Bo 3D | Producer |
| 2015–2016 | Kolobanga. Tolko dlya polzovateley interneta (series) | Producer[56] |
| 2017 | Babushka legkogo povedeniya (Naughty Grandma) | Producer, Writer (conceptual) |
| 2017 | Kolobanga. Privet, Internet! | Producer[57] |
| 2019 | Babushka legkogo povedeniya 2: Prestararel'ye mstiteli | Producer, Screenplay[59] |
| 2021 | Prababushka legkogo povedeniya. Nachalo | Producer, Writer[58] |
| 2025 | Papa mozhhet | Producer[59] |