Balachandra Menon is 50

Look at Balachandra menon, though highly romantic he has no fancy thoughts of acting as hero. He is 50! Age has been showing its signs on his face, yet he does not try pull back youth by make up. Instead do you know how he tries hard to convince us all that he is still energetic? By presenting the most important lead roles! He has finished a film and started another one in a month's time. Two important roles!

He has not allowed a single youngster to come near his character! You can see it yourself in these forthcoming films. At the most it is some supporting actor who tried and failed in getting hero characters. However it is a famous leading lady of Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam films a couple of years ago who is cast opposite him now. You have seen her in 'HIS HIGHNESS ABDULLAH' opposite Mohanlal and in 'KURUTHIPPUNAL' (Tamil) opposite Kamalhasan. Yes it is Gouthami. She has decided to come back to films. She is the leading lady in 'VARUM VARUNNU VANNU'. The shooting is in progress in Palghat.

This is directed by Ramdas and this is his first film. Balachandra Menon however is not letting any body else to write his character. He has written the script. He is never away from the director's chair and the cameraman's seat. He is helping them! Could it be possible that a proxy direction is on? It is not known immediately whether a youngster is appearing in a hero role in 'VARUM VARUNNU, VANNU.' But the TV reverse quiz master Pradeep of Aswamedham fame in Kairali channel is the other main actor seen in the location. It is told he has a role in this film. No doubt Pradeep a vociferous person would find a match in Balachandra menon who is also noisy. No youngster is known to act in this film so far who can be called a hero.

The other film he has just finished is 'SAPHALAM' in which he essays the main role. Here Balachandra Menon is aware of his age. So it is barrister Sankaran Nambiar, seventy-five, and the main character. A new comer directs it. Asok R Nath was the assistant director to Jayaraj. Madhupal and manoj K Jayan are the other two prominent actors. A mother and daughter handle the main female roles. Sumitra (NIRMALYAM fame) and her daughter Umasankari who did a good role in KUBERAN opposite Dileep are the actresses in 'SAPHALAM'. The story and script are by Madampu Kunhikkuttan.

He dare not direct films any more for his last film 'KRISHNA GOPALAKRISHAN' did not even stay for one week in theaters. All right but it does not mean that he can help new comers direct their films.

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