| Intro | Indian actor |
| Is |
Film director Screenwriter Film producer Comedian |
| From | India |
| Type |
Film, TV, Stage & Radio Humor |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 11 January 1954, Ambalappuzha |
| Age: | 66 years |
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. 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.
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. Sisters: Sushma and Prema. Wife: Varada Menon. Children: Akhil Menon. Menon enrolled as a lawyer on 29 July 2012, 22 years after completing his degree.
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
- Samantharangal
- 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.
- http://entertainment.oneindia.in/malayalam/news/2011/oommen-chandy-release-balachandra-menon-book-030911.html
- “Ace director, master storyteller”. The Hindu. Chennai, India. 7 July 2012.
- http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/Balachandra-Menons-New-Book-Released/2013/12/01/article1921590.ece
- http://www.manoramaonline.com/advt/Specials/Ithiri-Neram-Othiri-Karyam/index.html
Awards
Civilian Awards:
- 2007 – Padma Shri
National Film Awards:
- 1998 – Best Actor – Samantharangal
- 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
- “Padma Awards” (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
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)