Balu Mahendra

Directing

Balu Mahendra

Born 1939-05-20 · Batticaloa, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka

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.

Acting credits

Behind the camera

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

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

Moondram Pirai poster
6.5

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
6.5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No artwork available
10.0

Poonthenaruvi Chuvannu is a 1991 Indian Malayalam film, directed by Balu, starring Ravi Varma and Uma Maheswari in the lead roles.

Poonthenaruvi Chuvannu

1991

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

No artwork available
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Chakravyuham

1992