Sundaram Balachander (1927-90)

Tamil director born in Madras; son of a lawyer. Also a music composer, actor and producer, he is best known as a classical Carnatic musician and veena player. Child actor in Prabhat’s Tamil mythological Seeta Kalyanam. Employed briefly by the AIR. Early work as actor and composer in Ithu Nijama (playing twins), and Rajambal (in the popular role of a debonair villain). Directorial work includes the melodrama En Kanavar and the thriller Kaidhi. First major film was the war/spy drama, Andha Naal, possibly influenced by Rashomon (1950). Another remarkable genre adaptation is Avan Amaran, made for the Leftist Peoples’ Films. His own productions were often adaptations, e.g. Avana Evan from George Stevens’s A Place in the Sun (1951) and the Hitchcockian Bommai. His company, S.B. Creations (1960), was known for its thrillers, e.g. Nadu Iravil based on Agatha Christie’s Ten Little Niggers. Scored the music of all the films he directed, where, in contrast to his classical musical reputation, he often provided a pastiche of jazz, Latin American music, Western and Indian classical styles. Left films to devote himself more to music.

FILMOGRAPHY (* only act/ also act): 1933: Seeta Kalyanam*; 1935: Radha Kalyanam*; 1936: Rukmini Kalyanam*; 1941: Kamadhenu*; Rishyashringar*; 1942: Nandanar*; 1948: Ithu Nijama*; En Kanavar; 1951: Rajambal*; Devaki*; Kaidhi; 1952: Rani*; 1953: Inspector*; 1954: Penn*; Andha Naal; 1955: Dr Savithri*; 1958: Avan Amaran; 1959: Maragatham*; 1962: Avana Evan; 1964: Bommai; 1970: Nadu Iravil.