Balu Mahendra

Directing

Balu Mahendra

Born — Died

1939-05-20 — 2014-02-13

Place of birth

Batticaloa, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka

Known for

Directing

Credits

41 titles

Balanathan Benjamin Mahendran or commonly known as Balu Mahendra, was an Indian cinematographer, director, screenwriter and film editor. Born into a Sri Lankan Tamil household, Mahendra developed a passion towards photography and literature at a tender age. He was drawn towards film-making after witnessing the shoot of David Lean's The Bridge on the River Kwai in Sri Lanka. He started his career as a literary editor before gaining an admission to the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) to pursue a course in cinematography. Mahendra entered films as a cinematographer in the early 1970s and gradually rose to becoming a film-maker by the end of the decade.

Known for

Sathi Leelavathi poster
7.5

Arun, a married man, has an affair with Priya as he dislikes his wife Leelavathi, who is plain-looking and overweight. When she discovers Arun's affair, she plots with Dr. Sakthivel to win Arun back.

Sathi Leelavathi

1995

Olangal poster
8.5

Many years ago, fate brought Ravi Chattana to a remote village, where he met and fell in love with Rita, a kind and responsive girl. But life separated the lovers. Years passed. Ravi married another woman and had a daughter. It seemed that nothing could cloud his family happiness. But an unexpected phone call and a subsequent meeting with the parish priest disrupt the peaceful life of the Chattana family: Ravi has a son, Raju, whose existence he was unaware of. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the boy's mother, Rita, has died, and now it is up to the father to take care of the boy and take him into his family. Inspired from novel Man, Woman and Child by Erich Segal.

Olangal

1982

Moondram Pirai poster
6.7

A young woman suffers a major head injury in a car accident after which she begins behaving like a child. Trapped at a brothel, she finds hope in a lonely school teacher who decides to rescue her.

Moondram Pirai

1982

Rettai Vaal Kuruvi poster
7.8

Gopi is married to Tulsi, but since they could not have kids, he secretly gets married to another girl. Coincidently, both women get pregnant at the same time, leading to hilarious consequences.

Rettai Vaal Kuruvi

1987

Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal... poster
6.0

Dharmaraj sets up false charges against Ravi, an honest policeman, which leads to Ravi's suspension. Disappointed by this, he tries to unmask Dharmaraj and prove his own innocence.

Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal...

1985

Marupadiyum poster
10.0

Thulasi is a wife caught up in marital discord. Her husband Muralikrishna, is a movie director who has an extra-marital affair with his star heroine, Kavitha.

Marupadiyum

1993

Film credits

Behind the camera

Sathi Leelavathi poster
7.5

Arun, a married man, has an affair with Priya as he dislikes his wife Leelavathi, who is plain-looking and overweight. When she discovers Arun's affair, she plots with Dr. Sakthivel to win Arun back.

Sathi Leelavathi

1995

Sathi Leelavathi poster
7.5

Arun, a married man, has an affair with Priya as he dislikes his wife Leelavathi, who is plain-looking and overweight. When she discovers Arun's affair, she plots with Dr. Sakthivel to win Arun back.

Sathi Leelavathi

1995

Olangal poster
8.5

Many years ago, fate brought Ravi Chattana to a remote village, where he met and fell in love with Rita, a kind and responsive girl. But life separated the lovers. Years passed. Ravi married another woman and had a daughter. It seemed that nothing could cloud his family happiness. But an unexpected phone call and a subsequent meeting with the parish priest disrupt the peaceful life of the Chattana family: Ravi has a son, Raju, whose existence he was unaware of. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the boy's mother, Rita, has died, and now it is up to the father to take care of the boy and take him into his family. Inspired from novel Man, Woman and Child by Erich Segal.

Olangal

1982

Olangal poster
8.5

Many years ago, fate brought Ravi Chattana to a remote village, where he met and fell in love with Rita, a kind and responsive girl. But life separated the lovers. Years passed. Ravi married another woman and had a daughter. It seemed that nothing could cloud his family happiness. But an unexpected phone call and a subsequent meeting with the parish priest disrupt the peaceful life of the Chattana family: Ravi has a son, Raju, whose existence he was unaware of. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the boy's mother, Rita, has died, and now it is up to the father to take care of the boy and take him into his family. Inspired from novel Man, Woman and Child by Erich Segal.

Olangal

1982

Moondram Pirai poster
6.7

A young woman suffers a major head injury in a car accident after which she begins behaving like a child. Trapped at a brothel, she finds hope in a lonely school teacher who decides to rescue her.

Moondram Pirai

1982

Moondram Pirai poster
6.7

A young woman suffers a major head injury in a car accident after which she begins behaving like a child. Trapped at a brothel, she finds hope in a lonely school teacher who decides to rescue her.

Moondram Pirai

1982

Rettai Vaal Kuruvi poster
7.8

Gopi is married to Tulsi, but since they could not have kids, he secretly gets married to another girl. Coincidently, both women get pregnant at the same time, leading to hilarious consequences.

Rettai Vaal Kuruvi

1987

Rettai Vaal Kuruvi poster
7.8

Gopi is married to Tulsi, but since they could not have kids, he secretly gets married to another girl. Coincidently, both women get pregnant at the same time, leading to hilarious consequences.

Rettai Vaal Kuruvi

1987

Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal... poster
6.0

Dharmaraj sets up false charges against Ravi, an honest policeman, which leads to Ravi's suspension. Disappointed by this, he tries to unmask Dharmaraj and prove his own innocence.

Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal...

1985

Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal... poster
6.0

Dharmaraj sets up false charges against Ravi, an honest policeman, which leads to Ravi's suspension. Disappointed by this, he tries to unmask Dharmaraj and prove his own innocence.

Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal...

1985

Marupadiyum poster
10.0

Thulasi is a wife caught up in marital discord. Her husband Muralikrishna, is a movie director who has an extra-marital affair with his star heroine, Kavitha.

Marupadiyum

1993

Sadma poster
7.4

A head injury causes a woman to regress to childhood. Lost and confused, she is eventually befriended by a school teacher. A Hindi remake of the 1982 film "Moondram Pirai" by the same team.

Sadma

1983

Sadma poster
7.4

A head injury causes a woman to regress to childhood. Lost and confused, she is eventually befriended by a school teacher. A Hindi remake of the 1982 film "Moondram Pirai" by the same team.

Sadma

1983

Neengal Kettavai poster
8.5

Poornima, a widow living in Ooty leads a peaceful life with her two sons. Jaishankar, a tourist who visits the place gets tempted and rapes her. In the act, Poornima dies leaving her two sons who witness the murder. With a turn of events leading to both sons joining together and take revenge for their mother's death forms the rest of the story.

Neengal Kettavai

1984

Neengal Kettavai poster
8.5

Poornima, a widow living in Ooty leads a peaceful life with her two sons. Jaishankar, a tourist who visits the place gets tempted and rapes her. In the act, Poornima dies leaving her two sons who witness the murder. With a turn of events leading to both sons joining together and take revenge for their mother's death forms the rest of the story.

Neengal Kettavai

1984

Moodupani poster
4.2

Chandru has a strong hatred towards prostitutes and would kill any such woman he encounters. He falls in love with Rekha and believes marrying her will end his psychological distress.

Moodupani

1980

Moodupani poster
4.2

Chandru has a strong hatred towards prostitutes and would kill any such woman he encounters. He falls in love with Rekha and believes marrying her will end his psychological distress.

Moodupani

1980

No artwork available
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Chakravyuham

1992

No artwork available
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Chakravyuham

1992

No artwork available
NR

Vasanthame Varuga is a 1983 Indian Tamil film, directed and produced by Balu Mahendra. The film stars Suman, Gautami and Raghuvaran in lead roles. The film had musical score by Ilayaraaja.

Vasanthame Varuga

1983

No artwork available
NR

Vasanthame Varuga is a 1983 Indian Tamil film, directed and produced by Balu Mahendra. The film stars Suman, Gautami and Raghuvaran in lead roles. The film had musical score by Ilayaraaja.

Vasanthame Varuga

1983

Oomakkuyil poster
9.0

A bank executive falls in love with his house owner's daughter and the relationship is acceptable to the two families. However, a fateful night changes everything.

Oomakkuyil

1983

Oomakkuyil poster
9.0

A bank executive falls in love with his house owner's daughter and the relationship is acceptable to the two families. However, a fateful night changes everything.

Oomakkuyil

1983

Yathra poster
6.8

Based upon the human rights violations by the police and the prison authorities in India during the emergency of 1975–1977, the film tells the story of Unnikrishnan, an ex-convict. Recently released from prison, Unnikrishnan relays his life story to fellow passengers on a bus. He tells of his orphan upbringing, career as a forest official, and love for a young woman named Thulasi, whom he promised he'd marry, before he was erroneously arrested for a crime he did not commit.

Yathra

1985

Yathra poster
6.8

Based upon the human rights violations by the police and the prison authorities in India during the emergency of 1975–1977, the film tells the story of Unnikrishnan, an ex-convict. Recently released from prison, Unnikrishnan relays his life story to fellow passengers on a bus. He tells of his orphan upbringing, career as a forest official, and love for a young woman named Thulasi, whom he promised he'd marry, before he was erroneously arrested for a crime he did not commit.

Yathra

1985

Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam poster
6.0

When a lorry driver realises that he is helping an escaped convict, he threatens to hand him over to the police. The convict begins to narrate the circumstances that landed him in jail.

Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam

2005

Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam poster
6.0

When a lorry driver realises that he is helping an escaped convict, he threatens to hand him over to the police. The convict begins to narrate the circumstances that landed him in jail.

Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam

2005

Julie Ganapathi poster
7.3

Tenkasi, the creator of a hit television show, finds himself in the house of Julie, a fan, after an accident. However, she reveals herself to be emotionally unstable and potentially dangerous.

Julie Ganapathi

2003

Julie Ganapathi poster
7.3

Tenkasi, the creator of a hit television show, finds himself in the house of Julie, a fan, after an accident. However, she reveals herself to be emotionally unstable and potentially dangerous.

Julie Ganapathi

2003

Veedu poster
8.6

After being forced to vacate her rented house, Sudha decides to build a new house for her family and herself. However, she faces a lot of difficulties owing to rampant corruption and red tape.

Veedu

1988

Veedu poster
8.6

After being forced to vacate her rented house, Sudha decides to build a new house for her family and herself. However, she faces a lot of difficulties owing to rampant corruption and red tape.

Veedu

1988

Kokila poster
9.0

Kokila, a medical student, and Vijayakumar, her paying guest, are in love and have plans to get married. However, her life changes the day Vijayakumar and her housemaid leave the house.

Kokila

1977

Kokila poster
9.0

Kokila, a medical student, and Vijayakumar, her paying guest, are in love and have plans to get married. However, her life changes the day Vijayakumar and her housemaid leave the house.

Kokila

1977

No artwork available
NR

Subbu, a snobbish old man, is estranged from his son, when he marries a girl from another caste. But, his perspective on life begins to change, when his grandson comes to stay with him in the village.

Thalaimuraigal

2013

No artwork available
NR

Subbu, a snobbish old man, is estranged from his son, when he marries a girl from another caste. But, his perspective on life begins to change, when his grandson comes to stay with him in the village.

Thalaimuraigal

2013

No artwork available
NR

Subbu, a snobbish old man, is estranged from his son, when he marries a girl from another caste. But, his perspective on life begins to change, when his grandson comes to stay with him in the village.

Thalaimuraigal

2013

Aur Ek Prem Kahani poster
8.0

Shankar and his wife, Kamla, live in a small bungalow in Madras, India, with his only daughter, Kokila, and a maidservant, Manga. Since he is an engineer with his firm, he has to travel frequently. Kamla's suffers a mild stroke and has been medically advised to take it easy. Shankar is now worried about his family just in case something happens, when he is out of town...

Aur Ek Prem Kahani

1996

Aur Ek Prem Kahani poster
8.0

Shankar and his wife, Kamla, live in a small bungalow in Madras, India, with his only daughter, Kokila, and a maidservant, Manga. Since he is an engineer with his firm, he has to travel frequently. Kamla's suffers a mild stroke and has been medically advised to take it easy. Shankar is now worried about his family just in case something happens, when he is out of town...

Aur Ek Prem Kahani

1996

Azhiyatha Kolangal poster
7.5

A managing director in Madras receives a letter from a childhood friend and begins to reminisce about his adolescent years, when he was growing up with his two friends in a village...

Azhiyatha Kolangal

1979

Azhiyatha Kolangal poster
7.5

A managing director in Madras receives a letter from a childhood friend and begins to reminisce about his adolescent years, when he was growing up with his two friends in a village...

Azhiyatha Kolangal

1979