Balachandra Menon
Balachandra Menon | |
|---|---|
 Balachandra Menon | |
| Born | 11 January 1954[1] |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1978 – present |
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) |
| Spouse |
Varada (m. 1982) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | Sivasankara Pillai Lalitha Devi |
| Website | balachandramenon.com |
Balachandra Menon (born 11 January 1954) is an Indian actor, director and script writer. He made a number of films in the 1980s and 1990s.[3] He has directed 40 films and has acted in over 100.[4]
He won two National Film Awards including the National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance as station master Ismail the 1998 film Samaantharangal, which was also directed by him. He has also worked as a distributor, editor, composer, singer and producer in the Malayalam film industry. He has found space in the Limca Book of Records for the maximum number of films directed, scripted and acted in. Menon has introduced many actors into the Malayalam Cinema Industry. Actors who made their debut in his films include Shobana in April 18, Parvathy in Vivahithare Ithile, Maniyanpilla Raju in Maniyan Pilla Adhava Maniyan Pilla, Karthika in Manicheppu Thurannappol, Annie in Ammayane Sathyam, and Nandini in April 19.[3]
Personal life
Balachandra Menon was born in Kollam[5] in 1954 to Shivashankara Pillai and Lalitha Devi. By virtue of his father being a railway station master, he served at Edava railway station and Menon had his formative years of childhood and adolescence life in this village. He studied at Edava Muslim High School, and has narrated nostalgically about his fond memories of his life in Edava in his autobiography Ammayaane Sathyam. He is an alumnus of University College Trivandrum, Fatima Mata National College, Kollam and Kerala Law Academy Law College, Thiruvananthapuram.[6] Sisters: Sushma and Prema. Wife: Varada B. Menon. Children: Akhil Vinayak Menon, Bhavana B. Menon.[7] Menon enrolled as a lawyer on 29 July 2012, 22 years after completing his degree.[8] In 1997, he won the Karshakashree Award for farming from the Government of Kerala.[9][10]
During his early days in Madras, he worked for the film weekly Nana as a correspondent. He has completed a diploma in journalism from Press Club, Trivandrum.
Literary works
- Achuvettante Veedu
- Mugam Abhimugam
- Samaantharangal
- 18 April 19 April
- Ninnay Enthinu Kollaam ?
- Kaanatha Sulthanu Snehapoorvam
- Ammayanay Sathyam
- Ariyathathu, Ariyendathu[11]
- Balachandramenonte 12 cherukathakal[12]
- His book Ithirineram Othirikaryam recently released by veteran actor Madhu by handing over a copy to lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi.[13][14]
Awards
- 2007 – Padma Shri[15]
- 1997 – Best Actor – Samaantharangal
- 1997 – Best Film on Family Welfare – Samaantharangal
- 1979 – Best Screen Play – Uthrada Rathri
- 1997 – Special Jury Award – Samaantharangal
- 1983 – Best Director – Karyam Nissaram
- 1998 – Best Actor – Samaantharangal
Others:
- 2018 - Limca Book of Records - Filmmaker who is credited as actor, director and writer in the most number of feature films[16]
Filmography
| Year | Film | Credited as | Role | Notes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actor | Director | Producer | Screenplay | Story | Dialogue | ||||
| 1978 | Uthrada Rathri |  |
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Dinesh | |||
| 1979 | Radha Enna Pennkutti | |
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| 1980 | Aniyatha Valakal | |
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| Ishtamanu Pakshe | |
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| Kalika | |
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| Vaiki Vanna Vasantham | |
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| 1981 | Maniyan Pilla Adhava Maniyan Pilla | |
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Gopinathan | ||
| Prema Geethangal | |
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|
Doctor | ||||
| Tharattu | |
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Dileep | |||
| Thenum Vayambum | |
Babu Mathew | |||||||
| 1982 | Chiriyo Chiri | |
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Unni | ||
| Ithiri Neram Othiri Karyam | |
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Geejo | |||
| Kelkatha Shabdam | |
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Lambodharan Nair | |||
| Kilukilukkam | |
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Mahendran | |||
| 1983 | Karyam Nissaram | |
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Shekhar | ||
| Prashnam Gurutharam | |
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Balu | |||
| Sesham Kazhchayil | |
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G K Raja | |||
| 1984 | Inakkilly | |
Johnay | ||||||
| April 18 | |
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Ravikumar | |||
| Arante Mulla Kochu Mulla | |
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Prabhakaran | |||
| Oru Painkilikatha | |
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Kannan | Playback singer | ||
| 1985 | Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki | |
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S. Nandakumar | Playback singer, soundtrack performer |
| Daivatheyorthu | |
Achuthankutty | |||||||
| Manicheppu Thurannappol | |
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| 1986 | Thaiku Oru Thalattu | |
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Tamil film | |||
| Vivahitare Itihile | |
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Appu | ||
| Rithubhedam | |
Rajan | |||||||
| 1987 | Achuvettante Veedu | |
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Vipin | Editor | |
| Vilambaram | |
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P. K. Nampoothiri | |||
| Oru Maymasappularayil | |
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| 1988 | Kudumbapuranam | |
Krishnanunni | ||||||
| Janmandharam | |
Police Officer | |||||||
| Isabella | |
Unnikrishna Menon | |||||||
| David David Mr. David | |
David | |||||||
| Oohakachavadam | |
Charlie | |||||||
| 1989 | Kandathum Kettathum | |
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P K Krishnankutty | ||
| Najangalude Kochu Doctor | |
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James Varghese | Editor | ||
| 1990 | Varthamana Kalam | |
Jameskutty | ||||||
| Noottonnu Raavukal | |
Vishnu | |||||||
| Sasneham | |
Thomas Kurien | |||||||
| Kuruppinte Kanakku Pustakom | |
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Vinayachandra Kurup | Editor, composer | ||
| 1991 | Nayam Vyakthamakkunnu | |
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| 1993 | Ammayane Sathyam | |
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S. Narayanan | ||
| 1994 | Santhana Gopalam | |
Sudhakaran | ||||||
| Sukham Sukhakaram | |
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| 1995 | Avittam Thirunaal Aarogya Sriman | |
Prabhakaran | ||||||
| 1996 | Kanden Seethaiyai | |
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Unreleased film | ||
| April 19 | |
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Jayapraksh | |||
| 1997 | Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu | |
Pavi | ||||||
| Janathipathyam | |
Krishnamoorthy IPS | |||||||
| 1998 | The Truth | |
Chief Minister Madhavan | ||||||
| Samaantharangal | |
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Ismail | Editor, composer | |
| 2000 | Sathyameva Jayathe | |
Ahammed Basheer | ||||||
| Sathyam Sivam Sundaram | |
K.S.K Nambiar | |||||||
| 2001 | Ishtam | |
Anjana's Father | ||||||
| 2002 | Krishna Gopalakrishna | |
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Gopalakrishnan | Editor, playback singer, composer | |
| Album | |
Jeeva's father | Tamil film | ||||||
| Nammal | |
Sathyanadhan | |||||||
| 2003 | Saphalam | |
Barrister Nambiar | ||||||
| Varum Varunnu Vannu | |
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Johny | ||||
| 2005 | Rappakal | |
Deva Narayanan | ||||||
| December | |
Dr Keshava Patteri | |||||||
| 2006 | Classmates | |
Prof. Iyer | ||||||
| 2007 | Pranayakalam | |
Balagopal | ||||||
| 2008 | De Ingottu Nokkiye | |
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Joji | ||
| College Kumaran | |
Narayanan | |||||||
| 2009 | Utharaswayamvaram | |
Sreedhara 'Yamandan' Kurup | ||||||
| Nammal Thammil | |
Ramachandran Nair | |||||||
| 2013 | Buddy | |
Shankaran Namboothiri/Shanku Bhai | ||||||
| Kunjananthante Kada |
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Adv. Moidu | |||||||
| Kadal Kadannu oru Mathukkutty | |
Father Vattathara | |||||||
| 2015 | Njan Samvidhanam Cheyyum | |
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Krishna Das | |
| 2016 | Oozham |
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Krishnamoorthy | ||||||
| 2018 | Ennaalum Sarath..? |
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Dr. Sam | ||
| 2021 | One |
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Dr. Sreekar Varma | ||||||
| 2023 | Pulimada |
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Dr. Joshi Kuriyan | ||||||
| A Ranjith Cinema |
|
Chandraprakash | [17] | ||||||
Television
- Suryodayam (Doordarshan, Direction)
- Vilakku vekkum neram (Doordarshan)
- Megham (Asianet)
- Malayogam (Asianet)
- Nizhalukal (Asianet)
- Shamanathalam
As a singer
- Aanakoduthaalum ... Oru Painkilikkadha (1984)
- Kochu Chakkarachi Pettu ... Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki (1985)
- Kaattinum Thaalam ... Njangalude Kochu Doctor (1989)
- Choodulla kaattil ... Krishnaa Gopaalakrishnaa (2002)
References
- ^ "Balachandra Menon – Who am I?". Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
- ^ "Balachandra Menon :: A Complete Webiography". 26 October 2012. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Home". Archived from the original on 30 November 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
- ^ "Balachandra Menon thrilled by Dubai audience". emirates247.com. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- ^ "Balachandra Menon in Limca Book of Records". Balachandra Menon – Official Website. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
- ^ "Melodrama surrounds release of Balachandra Menon's book". Archived from the original on 18 December 2013.
- ^ "CiniDiary". CiniDiary. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
- ^ "Actor Balachandra Menon enrolled as lawyer". Chennai, India: www.thehindu.com. 29 July 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
- ^ "ഇത്തിരിനേരം ഒത്തിരികാര്യം - ബാലചന്ദ്രമേനോന്". 20 January 2016. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
- ^ "Forced to watch sexual act: Malayalam actor's big charge against filmmaker". India Today. 29 September 2024.
- ^ "CM Oommen Chandy releases Balachandra Menon's memoir". 3 September 2011. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- ^ "Ace director, master storyteller". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 7 July 2012.
- ^ "Balachandra Menon's New Book Released". Archived from the original on 18 December 2013.
- ^ "Ithri Neram Othiri Karyam". Manorama Online. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
- ^ "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
- ^ "Limca Book of Records recognizes Balachandra Menon". 14 May 2018.
- ^ "Asif Ali's next film- 'A Ranjith Cinema' to roll from December 6th". The Times of India. 3 December 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 30 December 2023.