Actor, singer, author
Ambika Varma
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Balachandra Menon is on the comeback trail via television, a CD, a book and film.
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Versatile actor: Balachandra Menon Photo: S. Gopakumar
With a string of superhit films Balachandra Menon has left a mark as a director and scriptwriter. Unperturbed by a recent string of flops, Menon has focussed on the small screen.
"There is a notion that only drop-outs from films venture into the small screen. I am trying to prove this notion wrong. I know what my audience expects from me, and they know what to expect from me. My aim is to reach the public with my message, be it on the big screen or small screen,'' he says. He claims the response to his performance in the serial `Megham' as "overwhelming."
He says that the fall in the quality of serials is the reason for his foray into serial-making. `Suryodayam,' which is directed by him, telecast daily on Doordarshan, is the story of a father, mother and their only daughter. He has also sung the title song for the serial.
Menon blames the Malayalam film industry for the fall in the number of people going to cinema theatres. "Everyone in the industry has played their part in keeping people away from the theatres. It could be on account of vulgarity or sub-standard storylines. It is high time the Censor Board became more stringent in enforcing its rules.
`Njan Ninakku Vendi,' Menon's new film is scheduled to hit theatres by the end of 2005. "The media has always tried to play me down. It was as if they wanted to see me out of the industry. But the audience has always been my strength,'' says this actor who shared the National Award for Best Actor with Suresh Gopi, for his performance in `Samantharangal.'
So does this mean that only parallel films get awards? "Who decides on the demarcation between parallel and commercial films? Once you invest money in a film, it becomes commercial. And the roles that the director, technicians and the artistes play in the making of a film are the same. So I don't believe in this differentiation,'' he adds. His book, `Ninne Enthinu Kollaam?' a compilation of his articles, is ready for release. He has tried his hand at singing as well and has brought out a CD, `Padanenthu Sukham.'
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