Balu Mahendra is a film director from South India. He was born in Sri Lanka as Benjamin Mahendra, and developed an early interest in photography. He graduated from the London University and later studied cinematography at FTII, Pune. He pioneered innovative camera style for colour in South India.

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.

He also won the Best Cinematographer award from the Government of India for his Malayalam film Nellu.

He made his directorial debut with Kokila, a Kannada film that also got him the National award. Azhiyaatha Kolangal is his first Tamil film.

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.

His major films include Moondraam Pirai, Veedu, Sandhya Ragam and Neengal Kettavai.

External Links

IMDB page on Balu Mahendra (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0536818/maindetails)