N. L. Balakrishnan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids N. L. Balakrishnan
Born	N.L. Velayudhan (1942-04-17)17 April 1942 Powdikonam, Trivandrum, Travancore
Died	25 December 2014(2014-12-25) (aged 72) Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Film still photographer, actor, photojournalist
Years active	1967–2014

Narayanan Lakshmi Balakrishnan (born Velayudhan) (April 17, 1942 – December 25, 2014), known as N. L. Balakrishnan, was a talented Indian film still photographer and actor. He worked mostly in Malayalam cinema, which is the film industry in the Indian state of Kerala.

Balakrishnan took still photos for about 170 films. He worked with famous directors like G. Aravindan, John Abraham, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, P. Padmarajan, Bharathan, and K. G. George. He also acted in 180 films. Besides his film work, he was a photojournalist for Kerala Kaumudi newspaper.

Biography

Early life and training

N. L. Balakrishnan was born in Powdikonam, near Chempazhanthy in Thiruvananthapuram, on April 17, 1942. He was the only child of Narayanan and Lakshmi.

He studied painting at the College of Fine Arts Trivandrum. After that, he learned photography at different studios in Trivandrum. These included Metro Studio, Sivan Studio, and Rupalekha Studio. K. Neelakanta Pillai from Rupalekha Studio helped Balakrishnan get his first film job. He became a still photographer for the hit movie Kallichellamma in 1967.

His work as a still photographer

Balakrishnan is famous for his work as a unit still photographer. This means he took photos on the movie set while the film was being made. He worked a lot with the well-known director G. Aravindan. They made 11 films together, including Kanchana Sita, Pokkuveyil, Chidambaram, and Vasthuhara.

He also worked with Adoor Gopalakrishnan on five films. These included Prathisandhi (a documentary for UNICEF), Swayamvaram, Kodiyettam, Mukhamukham, and Elippathayam. Balakrishnan was part of many other special films from the 1970s and 1980s. He also worked with popular directors like Sathyan Anthikad. With director P. Padmarajan, he worked on eight films. Some of these were Peruvazhiyambalam, Oridathoru Phayalvaan, Novemberinte Nashtam, and Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal. His last film as a still photographer was Spadikam in 1995.

Balakrishnan took still photos for about 170 films in total. He was the first person to take still pictures while the movie scenes were being filmed. Before him, photographers would ask actors to pose for pictures after the scenes were shot. He also took pictures without using a flash, which made his photos look more natural. He showed that 35mm cameras could take better pictures than the larger 120mm cameras used before.

Film critic C. S. Venkiteswaran said that Balakrishnan was like a "historian in a photographer’s garb." This means he did more than just take pictures. He captured the feelings of filmmakers and the moments during filming. He also showed the culture and society of the times when these films were made.

His acting career

Balakrishnan's first film as an actor was Ammanam Kili, directed by Rajiv Anchal. The director knew Balakrishnan from earlier projects. When Anchal made his own children's film, he chose Balakrishnan to play a gypsy character. It was an important role, and Balakrishnan did a great job.

As an actor, Balakrishnan appeared in around 180 films. He is well-known for his roles in movies like Orkkapurathu (1988), Joker (2000), Kakkothikkavile Appooppan Thaadikal (1988), and Pattanapravesham (1988). Filmmakers often used his large size for funny scenes. In many films, he played a big character with a kind heart. His last film was Daivathinte Swantham Cleetus, released in September 2013.

Personal life

Balakrishnan also worked as a photojournalist for the newspaper Kerala Kaumudi for eleven years, from 1968 to 1979. He also wrote a book called Black and White, which was published in 2011.

N. L. Balakrishnan passed away on December 25, 2014, which was Christmas Day. He was 72 years old. He had been battling cancer and other health issues. He was buried at his home the next day. He is survived by his wife, Nalini, and his son, Rajan.

Awards

• 2012: Kerala Film Critics Association Awards – Chalachithra Prathiba award
• 2014: Special Award by Kerala Lalithakala Akademi

Filmography

As an actor

As a still photographer

See also

In Spanish: N. L. Balakrishnan para niños