Balachandra Menon

Balachandra Menon (born 11 January 1954) is an Indian film actor, director and script writer. He made a number of films in the 1980s and 1990s. He has directed 40 movies and acted in over 100 movies.^[2] He won the National Film Award for Best Actor in the 1998 film Samaantharangal, which was also directed by him. He has also worked as distributor, editor, composer, singer and producer in the Malayalam film industry.

Menon has introduced many actors into the Malayalam film industry. Actors who made their debut in his films include Shobhana in April 18, Parvathy in Vivahithare Ithile Ithile, Maniyan Pillai Raju in Maniyan Pillai Athava Maniyan Pillai, Karthika in Manicheppu Thurannappol, Annie in Ammayane Sathyam, and Nandini in April 19.^[3]

Personal life

Balachandra Menon was born in Ambalappuzha 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 memories about his life in this village in his autobiography Ammayaane Sathyam. He is an alumnus of University College Trivandrum and Fatima Mata National College.^[4] Sisters: Sushma and Prema. Wife: Varada Menon. Children: Akhil Menon.^[5] Menon enrolled as a lawyer on 29 July 2012, 22 years after completing his degree.^[6]

During his early days in Madras, he worked in Nana film weekly as a correspondent. He has completed a diploma in journalism from Trivandrum Press Club.

Literary works

• Achuvettante Veedu
• Mugam Abhimugam
• Samaantharangal
• 18 April 19 April
• Ninnay Enthinu Kollaam ?
• Kaanatha Sulthanu Snehapoorvam
• Ammayanay Sathyam
• Ariyathathu, Ariyendathu^[7]
• Balachandramenonte 12 cherukathakal^[8]
• His book Ithirineram Othirikaryam recently released by veteran actor Madhu by handing over a copy to lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi.^[9][10]

Awards

Civilian Awards:

• 2007 – Padma Shri^[11]

National Film Awards:

• 1998 – Best Actor – Samaantharangal
• 1998 – Best Film on Family Welfare – Samaantharangal

Kerala State Film Awards:

• 1979 – Best Screen Play – Uthrada Rathri
• 1997 – Special Jury Award – Samaantharangal

Filmfare Awards South:

• 1998 – Best Actor – Samaantharangal

Filmography

Year	Film	Credited as						Role	Notes
		Actor	Director	Producer	Screenplay	Story	Dialogue
2016	Oozham	Y						Krishnamoorthy
2015	Njan Samvidhanam Cheyyum	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Krishna Das
2013	Kadal Kadannu oru Mathukkutty	Y						Father Vattathara
2013	Kunjananthante Kada	Y
2013	Buddy	Y						Shankaran Namboothiri/Shanku Bhai
2009	Nammal Thammil	Y						Ramachandran Nair
2009	Utharaswayamvaram	Y						'Yamandan' Sreedhara Kurup
2008	College Kumaran	Y
2008	De Ingottu Nokkiye	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Joji
2007	Pranayakalam	Y						Balagopal
2006	Classmates	Y						Prof. Iyer
2005	December	Y						Patteri
2005	Rappakal	Y						Deva Narayanan
2003	Varum Varunnu Vannu	Y			Y	Y	Y	Johny
2003	Saphalam	Y						Barrister Nambiar
2002	Nammal	Y						Sathyanadhan
2002	Krishna Gopalakrishna	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Gopalakrishnan	Editor, Playback Singer,Composer
2001	Ishtam	Y						Anjana's Father
2000	Sathyam Sivam Sundaram	Y						K.S.K Nambiar
2000	Sathyameva Jayathe	Y
1998	Samaantharangal	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Ismail	Editor, Composer
1998	The Truth	Y						Chief Minister Madhavan
1997	Janathipathyam	Y
1997	Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu	Y						Pavi
1996	April 19	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y
1996	Kanden Seethaiyai	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y		Unreleased film
1995	Avittam Thirunaal Aarogya Sriman	Y						Prabhakaran
1994	Sukham Sukhakaram	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y
1993	Ammayane Sathyam	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	S. Narayanan
1991	Nayam Vyakthamakkunnu		Y		Y	Y	Y
1990	Kuruppinte Kanakku Pustakom	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Vinayachandra Kurup	Editor, Composer
1990	Sasneham	Y						Thomas Kurien
1990	Noottonnu Raavukal	Y						Vishnu
1990	Varthamana Kalam	Y						Jameskutty
1989	Najangalude Kochu Doctor	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	James Varghese	Editor
1989	Kandathum Kettathum	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	P K Krishnankutty
1988	David David Mr. David	Y						David
1988	Isabella	Y						Unnikrishna Menon
1988	Janmandharam	Y						Police Officer
1988	Kudumbapuranam	Y						Krishnanunni
1987	Oru Maymasappularayil	Y
1987	Vilambaram	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	P. K. Nampoothiri
1987	Achuvettante Veedu	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Vipin	Editor
1986	Rithubhedam	Y						Rajan
1986	Vivahitare Itihile	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Appu
1986	Thaiku Oru Thalattu		Y		Y	Y	Y		Tamil film
1985	Menicheppu Thurannappol	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y
1985	Daivatheyorthu	Y						Aniyankuttan
1985	Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	S. Nandakumar	Playback Singer, Soundtrack Performer
1984	Oru Painkilikatha	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Kannan
1984	Arante Mulla Kochu Mulla	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Prabhakaran
1984	April 18	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Ravikumar
1983	Sesham Kazhchayil	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	G K Raja
1983	Prasnam Gurutharam	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Balu
1983	Karyam Nissaram	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Shekhar
1982	Kilukilukkam	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Mahendran
1982	Kelkatha Shabdam	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Lambodharan Nair
1982	Ithiri Neram Othiri Karyam	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Geejo
1982	Chiriyo Chiri	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Unni
1981	Thenum Vayambum	Y						Babu Mathew
1981	Tharattu		Y		Y	Y	Y
1981	Prema Geethangal		Y		Y	Y	Y
1981	Maniyan Pilla Adhava Maniyan Pilla	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Gopinathan
1980	Vaiki Vanna Vasantham		Y		Y	Y	Y
1980	Kalika		Y			Y	Y
1980	Ishtamanu Pakshe		Y		Y	Y	Y
1980	Aniyatha Valakkal		Y		Y	Y	Y
1979	Radha Enna Pennkutti		Y		Y	Y	Y
1978	Uthrada Rathri		Y		Y	Y	Y

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

External links

• Balachandra Menon Official website
• Balachandra Menon at MSI
• Balachandra Menon on IMDb
• malayalachalachithram.com