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.

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.

Personal life

Balachandra Menon was born in Kollam 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. Sisters: Sushma and Prema. Wife: Varada B. Menon. Children: Akhil Vinayak Menon, Bhavana B. Menon. Menon enrolled as a lawyer on 29 July 2012, 22 years after completing his degree. In 1997, he won the Karshakashree Award for farming from the Government of Kerala.

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. 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 Balachandramenonte 12 cherukathakal His book Ithirineram Othirikaryam recently released by veteran actor Madhu by handing over a copy to lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi.

Awards Civilian Awards: 2007 – Padma Shri

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

Filmography As a director, writer, and producer Year FilmCredited as Notes Director Writer Producer Editor 1978 Uthrada Rathri 1979 Radha Enna Pennkutti 1980 Aniyatha Valakal Ishtamanu Pakshe Kalika Vaiki Vanna Vasantham 1981 Maniyan Pilla Adhava Maniyan Pilla Prema Geethangal Tharattu 1982 Chiriyo Chiri Ithiri Neram Othiri Karyam Kelkatha Shabdam Kilukilukkam 1983 Karyam Nissaram Prashnam Gurutharam Sesham Kazhchayil 1984 Inakkilly April 18 Arante Mulla Kochu Mulla Oru Painkilikatha 1985 Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki Manicheppu Thurannappol 1986 Thaiku Oru Thalattu Story Tamil film Vivahitare Itihile Rithubhedam 1987 Achuvettante Veedu Vilambaram 1989 Kandathum Kettathum Najangalude Kochu Doctor 1990 Kuruppinte Kanakku Pustakom 1991 Nayam Vyakthamakkunnu 1993 Ammayane Sathyam 1994 Santhana Gopalam Sukham Sukhakaram 1996 Kanden Seethaiyai Unreleased film April 19 1998 Samaantharangal 2002 Krishna Gopalakrishna 2003 Varum Varunnu Vannu 2008 De Ingottu Nokkiye 2015 Njan Samvidhanam Cheyyum 2018 Ennaalum Sarath..?

As an actor

Year Film Role Notes 1978 Uthrada RathriDinesh 1981 Maniyan Pilla Adhava Maniyan Pilla Gopinathan Prema Geethangal Doctor Tharattu Dileep Thenum Vayambum Babu Mathew 1982 Chiriyo ChiriUnni Ithiri Neram Othiri KaryamGeejo Kelkatha Shabdam Lambodharan Nair Kilukilukkam Mahendran 1983 Karyam Nissaram Shekhar Prashnam Gurutharam Balu Sesham KazhchayilG K Raja 1984 Inakkilly Johnay April 18Ravikumar Arante Mulla Kochu MullaPrabhakaran Oru Painkilikatha Kannan 1985 Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude ChakkiS. Nandakumar DaivatheyorthuAchuthankutty Manicheppu Thurannappol 1986 Vivahitare Itihile Appu Rithubhedam Rajan 1987 Achuvettante Veedu Vipin Vilambaram P. K. Nampoothiri Oru Maymasappularayil 1988 Kudumbapuranam Krishnanunni JanmandharamPolice Officer Isabella Unnikrishna Menon David David Mr. David David Oohakachavadam Charlie 1989 Kandathum KettathumP K Krishnankutty Najangalude Kochu DoctorJames Varghese1990 Varthamana Kalam Jameskutty Noottonnu Raavukal Vishnu Sasneham Thomas Kurien Kuruppinte Kanakku Pustakom Vinayachandra Kurup 1993 Ammayane SathyamS. Narayanan 1994 Santhana Gopalam Sudhakaran Sukham Sukhakaram 1995 Avittam Thirunaal Aarogya Sriman Prabhakaran 1996 Kanden Seethaiyai Unreleased film April 19Jayapraksh 1997 Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu Pavi Janathipathyam Krishnamoorthy IPS 1998 The Truth Chief Minister Madhavan Samaantharangal Ismail 2000 Sathyameva JayatheAhammed Basheer Sathyam Sivam SundaramK.S.K Nambiar 2001 IshtamAnjana's Father 2002 Krishna Gopalakrishna Gopalakrishnan Album Ranganathan Tamil filmNammal Sathyanadhan 2003 Saphalam Barrister Nambiar Varum Varunnu Vannu Johny 2005 Rappakal Deva Narayanan December Dr Keshava Patteri 2006 ClassmatesProf. Iyer 2007 PranayakalamBalagopal2008 De Ingottu NokkiyeJoji College KumaranNarayanan 2009 UtharaswayamvaramSreedhara 'Yamandan' Kurup Nammal ThammilRamachandran Nair 2013 BuddyShankaran Namboothiri/Shanku Bhai Kunjananthante KadaAdv. Moidu Kadal Kadannu Oru Maathukutty Father Vattathara 2015 Njan Samvidhanam Cheyyum Krishna Das 2016 OozhamKrishnamoorthy2018 Ennaalum Sarath..?Dr. Sam2021 OneDr. Sreekar Varma 2023 PulimadaDr. Joshi Kuriyan A Ranjith Cinema Chandraprakash 2026 Prathichaya KN Varghese

Television Suryodayam (Doordarshan, Direction) Vilakku Vekkum Neram (Doordarshan) Megham (Asianet) Malayogam (Asianet) Nizhalukal (Asianet) Shamanathalam

Discography As composer Kuruppinte Kanakku Pustakom (1990) Samaantharangal (1998) Krishna Gopalakrishna (2002)

As playback singer Oru Painkilikatha (1984) - "Aanakoduthaalum" Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki (1985) "Kochu Chakkarachi Pettu" Najangalude Kochu Doctor (1989) - "Kaattinum Thaalam" Krishna Gopalakrishna (2002) - "Choodulla Kaattil"