Directing

Balu Mahendra

Born May 20, 1939 · Batticaloa, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka

Died February 13, 2014 · aged 74

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 a…

Known For

Sathi Leelavathi

Sathi Leelavathi · 1995

Sathi Leelavathi

MovieComedyDrama

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.

Moondram Pirai

Moondram Pirai · 1982

MovieDramaRomance

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.

Mullum Malarum

Mullum Malarum · 1978

A young man, Kaali and his sister, Valli, who were orphaned as children, share a close bond. However, their relationship gets strained as Kaali butts heads with a newly appointed engineer from the city.

Nrithasala

Nrithasala · 1972

Priyamvatha, a classical dancer, struggles to provide for her poor family. Hoping for a better future for her and her loved ones, she joins the crew of a magician in a carnival.

Neengal Kettavai

Neengal Kettavai · 1984

Neengal Kettavai

MovieCrimeDrama

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.

Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal...

Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal... · 1985

Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal...

MovieDramaAction

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.

Anuragalu

Anuragalu · 1975

When Raju falls in love with Jyothi, an orphan with visual impairment, his father rejects their alliance. However, a man who lives with his grandson and daughter adopts Jyothi and changes her life.

Sadma

MovieDramaRomance

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.

Filmography

Sort

Sathi Leelavathi

Sathi Leelavathi · 1995

Sathi Leelavathi

MovieComedyDrama

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.

Editor

Moondram Pirai

Moondram Pirai · 1982

MovieDramaRomance

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.

Director

Mullum Malarum

Mullum Malarum · 1978

A young man, Kaali and his sister, Valli, who were orphaned as children, share a close bond. However, their relationship gets strained as Kaali butts heads with a newly appointed engineer from the city.

Director of Photography

Nrithasala

Nrithasala · 1972

Priyamvatha, a classical dancer, struggles to provide for her poor family. Hoping for a better future for her and her loved ones, she joins the crew of a magician in a carnival.

Director of Photography

Neengal Kettavai

Neengal Kettavai · 1984

Neengal Kettavai

MovieCrimeDrama

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.

Director

Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal...

Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal... · 1985

Un Kannil Neer Vazhinthal...

MovieDramaAction

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.

Director

Anuragalu

Anuragalu · 1975

When Raju falls in love with Jyothi, an orphan with visual impairment, his father rejects their alliance. However, a man who lives with his grandson and daughter adopts Jyothi and changes her life.

Director of Photography

Sadma

MovieDramaRomance

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.

Director

Moodupani

Moodupani · 1980

MovieThrillerHorror

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.

Director

Manavoori Pandavulu

Manavoori Pandavulu · 1978

Manavoori Pandavulu

5 youngsters come together with help of Krishnamraju to oppose their village sarpanch's cruel deeds.

Director of Photography

Veedu

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.

Director

Rettai Vaal Kuruvi

Rettai Vaal Kuruvi · 1987

Rettai Vaal Kuruvi

MovieDramaRomance

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.

Director

Cheenavala

Cheenavala · 1975

Three fishermen, Rana, Pappu and Konthi, face a dilemma due to their grown-up children. Wealthy Rana's son falls in love with Pappu's daughter, which leads to a rivalry between him and Konthi's son.

Director of Photography

Nellu

MovieDramaRomance

On his pilgrimage to a temple to immerse the ashes of his mother in the sacred river, Rakhavan befriends a tribal family. He comes across the lives of the tribal people and their struggle.

Director of Photography

Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam

Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam · 2005

Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam

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.

Director

Chattakkari

Chattakkari · 1974

MovieDramaRomance

Julie, an Anglo-Indian girl, falls in love with Sasi, who is from a Hindu family. However, her life takes a turn for the worse when she gets pregnant with his child.

Director of Photography

Azhiyatha Kolangal

Azhiyatha Kolangal · 1979

Azhiyatha Kolangal

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...

Director

Sankarabharanam

Sankarabharanam · 1980

Sankarabharanam

MovieRomanceDrama

Sankara Shastri is a devout and famous classical singer who finds a fan in Tulasi, a prostitute's daughter. She wants to devote herself to his service, but her mother has other plans for her.

Director of Photography

Julie Ganapathi

Julie Ganapathi · 2003

Julie Ganapathi

MovieHorrorThriller

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.

Director

Maaya

based on 1963 novel of the same name by K. Surendran

Director of Photography

Rama Shama Bhama

Rama Shama Bhama · 2005

Rama Shama Bhama

Rama, a married man, has an affair with Priya who pursues him despite knowing about his wife. When his friend Shama learns of the affair, the latter decides to reunite him with his wife.

Original Story

Sasthram Jayichu Manushyan Thottu

Sasthram Jayichu Manushyan Thottu · 1973

Sasthram Jayichu Manushyan Thottu

Director of Photography

Nireekshana

Nireekshana · 1986

MovieDramaRomance

A young forest officer falls in love with a tribal woman. However, his life turns upside down when he is arrested under the suspicion of being a Naxalite.

Director

Oomakkuyil

Oomakkuyil · 1983

MovieDramaRomance

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.

Director