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Adv. Balachandra Menon
Balachandra Menon
Born	(1954-01-11) 11 January 1954 (age 69)[1] Kollam, Kerala, India
Occupations	Director actor screenwriter author journalist lawyer producer distributor editor singer composer
Years active	1978 – present
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Spouse	Varada B. Menon ​ (m. 1982)​
Children	2 Akhil Vinayak Menon (son) Bhavana B Menon (daughter)
Parent(s)	Sivasankara Pillai, Lalitha Devi
Website	balachandramenon.com

Balachandra Menon (Malayalam: ബാലചന്ദ്ര മേനോൻ; born 11 January 1954) is an Indian actor, director and script writer. He made a number of films in the 1980s and 1990s. He has directed 40 films and has acted in over 100.^[2] He won two National Film Awards including the National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance as station master Ismail the 1998 film Samaantharangal, which was also directed by him. He has also worked as a distributor, editor, composer, singer and producer in the Malayalam film industry. He has found space in the Limca Book of Records for the maximum number of films directed, scripted and acted in.

Menon has introduced many actors into the Malayalam Cinema Industry. Actors who made their debut in his films include 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.^[3]

Personal life

Balachandra Menon was born in Kollam^[4] 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 fond memories of his life in Edava in his autobiography Ammayaane Sathyam. He is an alumnus of University College Trivandrum, Fatima Mata National College, Kollam and Kerala Law Academy Law College, Thiruvananthapuram.^[5] Sisters: Sushma and Prema. Wife: Varada B. Menon. Children: Akhil Vinayak Menon, Bhavana B. Menon.^[6] Menon enrolled as a lawyer on 29 July 2012, 22 years after completing his degree.^[7] In 1997, he won the Karshakashree Award for farming from the Government of Kerala.^[8]

During his early days in Madras, he worked for the film weekly Nana as a correspondent. He has completed a diploma in journalism from Press Club, Trivandrum.

Literary works

• Achuvettante Veedu
• Mugam Abhimugam
• Samaantharangal
• 18 April 19 April
• Ninnay Enthinu Kollaam ?
• Kaanatha Sulthanu Snehapoorvam
• Ammayanay Sathyam
• Ariyathathu, Ariyendathu^[9]
• Balachandramenonte 12 cherukathakal^[10]
• His book Ithirineram Othirikaryam recently released by veteran actor Madhu by handing over a copy to lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi.^[11][12]

Awards

Civilian Awards:

• 2007 – Padma Shri^[13]

National Film Awards:

• 1997 – Best Actor – Samaantharangal
• 1997 – Best Film on Family Welfare – Samaantharangal

Kerala State Film Awards:

• 1979 – Best Screen Play – Uthrada Rathri
• 1997 – Special Jury Award – Samaantharangal

Filmfare Awards South:

• 1983 – Best Director – Karyam Nissaram
• 1998 – Best Actor – Samaantharangal

Others:

• 2018 - Limca Book of Records - Filmmaker who is credited as actor, director and writer in the most number of feature films^[14]

Filmography

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Year	Film	Credited as						Role	Notes
		Actor	Director	Producer	Screenplay	Story	Dialogue
2023	Pulimada	Y						Dr. Joshy Kurien
2021	One	Y						Dr. Sreekar Varma
2018	Ennaalum Sarath..?	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Dr. Sam
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						Adv. Moidu
2013	Buddy	Y						Shankaran Namboothiri/Shanku Bhai
2009	Nammal Thammil	Y						Ramachandran Nair
2009	Utharaswayamvaram	Y						'Yamandan' Sreedhara Kurup
2008	College Kumaran	Y						Narayanan
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	Album	Y						Jeeva's father	Tamil film
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						Ahammed Basheer
1998	Samaantharangal	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Ismail	Editor, composer
1998	The Truth	Y						Chief Minister Madhavan
1997	Janathipathyam	Y						Krishnamoorthy IPS
1997	Krishnagudiyil Oru Pranayakalathu	Y						Pavi
1996	April 19	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Jayapraksh
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	Oohakachavadam	Y						Alex
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	Manicheppu 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	Playback singer
1984	Arante Mulla Kochu Mulla	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Prabhakaran
1984	April 18	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Ravikumar
1984	Inakkilly	Y						Johnay
1983	Sesham Kazhchayil	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	G K Raja
1983	Prashnam Gurutharam	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Balu
1983	Karyam Nissaram	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Shekhar
1982	Kilukilukkam	Y	Y		Y	Y	Y	Mahendran