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Biography
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 as a literary editor before gaining an admission to the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) to pursue a course in cinematography. Mahendra entered films as a cinematographer in the early 1970s and gradually rose to becoming a film-maker by the end of the decade.
Awards & recognition
- National Film Award — Best Cinematography · 1983
- National Film Award — Best Cinematography · 1978
Filmography4 titles
Sommokadidhi Sokokadidhi
1979Director of Photography
1979Director of Photography
Veedu
1988Dialogue, Director, Director of Photography, Editor, Screenplay
1988Dialogue, Director, Director of Photography, Editor, Screenplay
Adhu Oru Kana Kaalam
2005Dialogue, Director, Director of Photography, Editor, Screenplay, Story
2005Dialogue, Director, Director of Photography, Editor, Screenplay, Story
Sankarabharanam
1980Director of Photography
1980Director of Photography