Veteran Indian filmmaker Balu Mahendra dead

Risingbd Desk, CHENNAI, Feb 13: Award winning film director and cinematographer Balu Mahendra, whose masterpieces such as `Azhiyatha Kolangal`, `Moontram Pirai`, `Veedu`, `Santhiya Ragam` and `Vanna Vanna Pookal` left an indelible mark on the Indian film industry, died in Chennai on Thursday.

 

He was 75 and is survived by his wife and son.

 

Mahendra was admitted to Vijaya Hospital on Thursday morning following chest pain and was pronounced dead just past 11 a.m., according to one of his assistants who was at the hospital. Sources said he had suffered his second heart attack this morning.

 

The legendary director and cinematographer`s body will be kept at his film school ‘Cinema Pattarai’ in Dasarathapuram, Saligramam for fans and well-wishers to pay homage.

 

A native of Amirthakali in Sri Lanka, Balu Mahendra, came to India to study at the Film Institute at Pune. He studied cinematography as he could not get admission into other sepcialisations offered and completed the course with a gold medal in 1971.

 

His first break in the film industry came when he was assigned as the cinematographer for director Ramu Kariat’s Nellu in Malayalam. He directed his first `Kokila` in Kannda. His first Tamil film was `Azhiyatha Kolangal`.

 

His unique style of cinematography - making use of ambient light as much as possible - and a measured narrative became the trademark of an alternate Tamil cinema that took shape through the 1980s, challenging the then mainstream. His films fetched awards not only to himself but also to many of his lead actors. His directorial tour de force ‘Moondram Pirai’ in 1983 fetched him the national award for best cinematography, and also won Kamal Haasan his first national award for acting.

 

“He has worked as a cinematographer for the first film of many outstanding directors. He was with Bharathan when he directed `Prayanam`. Again he joined hands with Manirathan for his first film `Pallavi Anupallavi` in Kannada. Director Mahendran’s debut `Mullum Malarum` had Balu Mahendra as the cinematographer,” said Suka, film director and Balu Mahendra`s student.

 

The camera work for K. Viswanath’s `Sankarabharanam` which made waves was also done by Balu Mahendra, whose original name was Mahendra. His father’s name was Balanathan.

 

Balu Mahendra used to say it was Satyajit Ray’s `Pather Panchali` that made a permanent impact on him. “The impact was terrific and I could not concentrate on anything for days. It was as if I was possessed by a ghost,” he used to say.

 

Apart from being a torchbearer for serious and uncompromising cinema, Mahendra was also regarded as one of the best teachers of the medium, his assistant directors often going on to become master craftsmen themselves. The most prominent among them are Bala and Ameer. Many assistant directors learnt their craft from Mr.Mahendra at his film school in Saligramam called “Cinema Pattarai” (translates to Cinema Workshop). An avid reader himself, Mr.Mahendra always exhorted his students and even the journalists who interviewed him to read and learn about one’s culture through literature.

 

He shared a special bond with music director Ilayaraj, who scored music for all his films. His students include directors Bala, Seenu Ramasamy and Vetrimaran.

 

Source: The Hindu

 

risingbd/mukul