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 Balu
Mahendra is a film director from South India. He was born in Sri Lanka of Sri
Lankan Tamil decent as Benjamin Mahendra in Batticaloa, and developed an early
interest in photography.
He graduated from the London University, a cinematography graduate and a gold
medalist from the FTII in Pune. He started his film career as a cameraman for
the Malayalam film Nellu in 1974 which got him the best cinematographer award
from the Government of India. He has been chosen the best cinematographer for as
many as ten films. He pioneered innovative camera style for colour in South
India.
His first film as a director was Kokila (Kannada,1976), which earned him a
National Award. Azhiyatha Kolanagl (1979) was his first directorial venture in
Tamil. He is one of the few film makers in Tamil who can tell a story visually.
He writes the script for his films, handles the camera and edits the film
himself, thus retaining a firm control over his films.
He worked mainly in Malayalam for directors like K. S. Sethumadhavan and P. N.
Menon, before making his first film in Kannada, and then moving on to direct
films in Malayalam and Tamil. He regards his Malayalam films, made with greater
freedom in a less demanding economic system as his best movies.
Balu Mahendra is said to have witnessed the shooting of David Lean's The Bridge
on the River Kwai and was so impressed that he decided to become a filmmaker.
The film director Mani Ratnam approached Balu Mahendra to work on the
cinematography of his first film, Pallavi Anu Pallavi. Balu Mahendra's strength
as a cinematographer has helped him use visuals as an effective vehicle to carry
the story forward. He has handled social issues like red tapism, corruption and
old age in films like Sandhya Raagam. The women in his films come out strongly
as can be seen in Veedu (Tamil).
Being the scriptwriter, cameraman and editor for his films, he retains control
over all aspects of his film.
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