Balachandra Menon

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.<ref name=":0" /> He has directed 40 films and has acted in over 100.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

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.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal life

Balachandra Menon was born in Kollam<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Sisters: Sushma and Prema. Wife: Varada B. Menon. Children: Akhil Vinayak Menon, Bhavana B. Menon.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Menon enrolled as a lawyer on 29 July 2012, 22 years after completing his degree.<ref name="lawyer">Template:Cite news</ref> In 1997, he won the Karshakashree Award for farming from the Government of Kerala.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

During his early days in Madras, he worked for the film weekly Nana as a correspondent. His column in Nana, 'Nanaji's Cinema Varaphalam' (Nanaji's Cinema Weekly), was very popular at the time.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Balachandramenonte 12 cherukathakal<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• His book Ithirineram Othirikaryam recently released by veteran actor Madhu by handing over a copy to lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Awards

Civilian Awards:

• 2007 – Padma Shri<ref name="Padma Awards">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

National Film Awards:

• 1997 – Best Actor – Samaantharangal
• 1997 – Best Film on Family Welfare – Samaantharangal

Kerala State Film Awards:

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

Filmfare Awards South:

• 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<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Filmography

Year	Film	Credited as						Role	Notes
		Actor	Director	Producer	Screenplay	Story	Dialogue
1978	Uthrada Rathri		Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Dinesh
1979	Radha Enna Pennkutti		Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y
1980	Aniyatha Valakal		Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y
	Ishtamanu Pakshe		Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y
	Kalika		Template:Y			Template:Y	Template:Y
	Vaiki Vanna Vasantham		Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y
1981	Maniyan Pilla Adhava Maniyan Pilla	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Gopinathan
	Prema Geethangal		Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Doctor
	Tharattu	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Dileep
	Thenum Vayambum	Template:Y						Babu Mathew
1982	Chiriyo Chiri	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Unni
	Ithiri Neram Othiri Karyam	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Geejo
	Kelkatha Shabdam	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Lambodharan Nair
	Kilukilukkam	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Mahendran
1983	Karyam Nissaram	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Shekhar
	Prashnam Gurutharam	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Balu
	Sesham Kazhchayil	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	G K Raja
1984	Inakkilly	Template:Y						Johnay
	April 18	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Ravikumar
	Arante Mulla Kochu Mulla	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Prabhakaran
	Oru Painkilikatha	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Kannan	Playback singer
1985	Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	S. Nandakumar	Playback singer, soundtrack performer
	Daivatheyorthu	Template:Y						Achuthankutty
	Manicheppu Thurannappol	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y
1986	Thaiku Oru Thalattu		Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y		Tamil film
	Vivahitare Itihile	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Appu
	Rithubhedam	Template:Y						Rajan
1987	Achuvettante Veedu	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Vipin	Editor
	Vilambaram	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	P. K. Nampoothiri
	Oru Maymasappularayil	Template:Y
1988	Kudumbapuranam	Template:Y						Krishnanunni
	Janmandharam	Template:Y						Police Officer
	Isabella	Template:Y						Unnikrishna Menon
	David David Mr. David	Template:Y						David
	Oohakachavadam	Template:Y						Charlie
1989	Kandathum Kettathum	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	P K Krishnankutty
	Najangalude Kochu Doctor	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	James Varghese	Editor
1990	Varthamana Kalam	Template:Y						Jameskutty
	Noottonnu Raavukal	Template:Y						Vishnu
	Sasneham	Template:Y						Thomas Kurien
	Kuruppinte Kanakku Pustakom	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Vinayachandra Kurup	Editor, composer
1991	Nayam Vyakthamakkunnu		Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y
1993	Ammayane Sathyam	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	S. Narayanan
1994	Santhana Gopalam	Template:Y						Sudhakaran
	Sukham Sukhakaram	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y
1995	Avittam Thirunaal Aarogya Sriman	Template:Y						Prabhakaran
1996	Kanden Seethaiyai	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y		Unreleased film
	April 19	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Jayapraksh
1997	Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu	Template:Y						Pavi
	Janathipathyam	Template:Y						Krishnamoorthy IPS
1998	The Truth	Template:Y						Chief Minister Madhavan
	Samaantharangal	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Ismail	Editor, composer
2000	Sathyameva Jayathe	Template:Y						Ahammed Basheer
	Sathyam Sivam Sundaram	Template:Y						K.S.K Nambiar
2001	Ishtam	Template:Y						Anjana's Father
2002	Krishna Gopalakrishna	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Gopalakrishnan	Editor, playback singer, composer
	Album	Template:Y						Jeeva's father	Tamil film
	Nammal	Template:Y						Sathyanadhan
2003	Saphalam	Template:Y						Barrister Nambiar
	Varum Varunnu Vannu	Template:Y			Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Johny
2005	Rappakal	Template:Y						Deva Narayanan
	December	Template:Y						Dr Keshava Patteri
2006	Classmates	Template:Y						Prof. Iyer
2007	Pranayakalam	Template:Y						Balagopal
2008	De Ingottu Nokkiye	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Joji
	College Kumaran	Template:Y						Narayanan
2009	Utharaswayamvaram	Template:Y						Sreedhara 'Yamandan' Kurup
	Nammal Thammil	Template:Y						Ramachandran Nair
2013	Buddy	Template:Y						Shankaran Namboothiri/Shanku Bhai
	Kunjananthante Kada	Template:Y						Adv. Moidu
	Kadal Kadannu oru Mathukkutty	Template:Y						Father Vattathara
2015	Njan Samvidhanam Cheyyum	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Krishna Das
2016	Oozham	Template:Y						Krishnamoorthy
2018	Ennaalum Sarath..?	Template:Y	Template:Y		Template:Y	Template:Y	Template:Y	Dr. Sam
2021	One	Template:Y						Dr. Sreekar Varma
2023	Pulimada	Template:Y						Dr. Joshi Kuriyan
	A Ranjith Cinema	Template:Y						Chandraprakash	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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)

External links

• Balachandra Menon official website
• Balachandra Menon at MSI
• [https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: 0579755

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• malayalachalachithram.com