Ali Akbar Amburi was born in 1963 in Kozhikode, Kerala. He began his career in the late 1980s, directing Mamalakalkkappurathu (1988), which earned him the Kerala State Film Award for Best Debut Director. Over the years, he established himself as a filmmaker with a strong interest in socially relevant and motivational themes. His works often blended storytelling with educational messages, earning him recognition at the national level.
Beyond cinema, Ali Akbar has also been active in politics. He contested elections under the Aam Aadmi Party (2014) and later aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (2014) in Kozhikode. In December 2021, he made headlines by converting from Islam to Hinduism, adopting the name Ram Singh, a decision that sparked significant public discussion. Despite controversies, his contributions to Malayalam cinema remain noteworthy