Balachandra Menon

For the Indian politician, see P. Balachandra Menon.

Balachandra Menon
Balachandra Menon
Born	(1954-01-11) 11 January 1954 (age 71) [1] Kollam, Kerala, India
Occupations	Director actor screenwriter author journalist lawyer producer distributor editor singer composer
Years active	1978 – present
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Spouse	Varada ​ (m. 1982)​ [2]
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. His column in Nana, 'Nanaji's Cinema Varaphalam' (Nanaji's Cinema Weekly), was very popular at the time. ^[11] 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 ^[12]
• Balachandramenonte 12 cherukathakal ^[13]
• His book Ithirineram Othirikaryam recently released by veteran actor Madhu by handing over a copy to lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi. ^{[14] [15]}

Awards

Civilian Awards:

• 2007 – Padma Shri ^[16]

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 ^[17]

Filmography

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

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

1. "Balachandra Menon – Who am I?". Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
2. "Balachandra Menon :: A Complete Webiography". 26 October 2012. Archived from the original on 26 October 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
3. "Home". Archived from the original on 30 November 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
4. "Balachandra Menon thrilled by Dubai audience". emirates247.com. 18 December 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
5. "Balachandra Menon in Limca Book of Records". Balachandra Menon – Official Website. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
6. "Melodrama surrounds release of Balachandra Menon's book". Archived from the original on 18 December 2013.
7. "CiniDiary". CiniDiary. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
8. "Actor Balachandra Menon enrolled as lawyer". Chennai, India: www.thehindu.com. 29 July 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
9. "ഇത്തിരിനേരം ഒത്തിരികാര്യം - ബാലചന്ദ്രമേനോന്‍". 20 January 2016. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
10. "Forced to watch sexual act: Malayalam actor's big charge against filmmaker". India Today. 29 September 2024.
11. "ബാലചന്ദ്ര മേനോനും എന്‍.കെ അഹമ്മദ് ലോഡ്ജും". Media One. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
12. "CM Oommen Chandy releases Balachandra Menon's memoir". 3 September 2011. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
13. "Ace director, master storyteller". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 7 July 2012.
14. "Balachandra Menon's New Book Released". Archived from the original on 18 December 2013.
15. "Ithri Neram Othiri Karyam". Manorama Online. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
16. "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
17. "Limca Book of Records recognizes Balachandra Menon". 14 May 2018.
18. "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.

External links

• Balachandra Menon official website
• Balachandra Menon at MSI
• Balachandra Menon at IMDb
• malayalachalachithram.com