Balachandra Menon, Malayalam Cinema’s ‘Jack Of All Trades’, Between Covers (Photo Credit –Instagram)
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Ace Kerala film personality Balachandra Menon is in an upbeat mood as the book ‘Balachandra Menon: Kaanatha Kazhchakal Kelkatha Shabthangal’ on his films, authored by T P Venugopalan and published by the Kerala Bhasha Institute, will be released here on Tuesday.
In a hugely successful career Menon has directed 37 films and acted in more than 100 films.
Balachandra Menon in the tinsel world is referred to as the jack of all trades and master too as he has the Limca Book of World Records for having written, directed, and acted in most films himself.
The now 69-year-old master craftsman’s film career began in 1978 when he directed ‘Uthradaratri’ where he did the screenplay, and penned the story and the dialogues too.
It was in 1981 that Balachandra Menon donned the grease paint for the first time in his own film ‘Maniyan Pilla Adhava Maniyan Pilla’ which he directed and produced and then had no reason to look back as an actor to.
Balachandra Menon won the National award for the best actor in his own film ‘Samantharangal’. The film also bagged the national award for the best film on family welfare in 1997.
However Balachandra Menon is more known for introducing the maximum number of actors through his films and it includes 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.
All of the above went on to become big names in the Malayalam film industry.
When asked about it, Balachandra Menon is modest. “Even though many talk about it, I will say that it just happened and that’s all and that’s nothing great,” said Menon, who is known for his style which is his own.
One of his earlier mannerisms was that he was often spotted with a handkerchief tied on his forehead and his trademark knee-jerk body movements and his dialogue delivery, which was what made him noted in the film industry.
All eyes are on Tuesday if he is going to announce a new project as he has not directed any film after 2018 and not donned the grease paint since 2021.
