Tamil Nadu has been garnering attention on a national scale in the last month. First came the National Awards announcements, where a maximum share was bagged by our cinema folks in Tamil Nadu. Then came the announcement for the lifetime achievement award in the Indian film industry in the form of the Dada Sahib Phalke Award, and viola it was bagged by a veteran from Tamil Nadu, director K. Balachander!
The joy the film industry folks in Tamil Nadu knew no bounds.
Though there is no doubt that the technicians and actors in Tamil Nadu are very talented, it seems to be raining awards for the talented in the state. Post the announcement of the prestigious Dada Sahib Award for the veteran director, Kovai became the first district to cheer for the director, and the event was titled ‘Long Live K. Balachander.’
Organized by Shri Krishna Sweets, Coimbatore, a huge felicitation function was organized in Coimbatore.
Veterans in the field of Tamil cinema took part in the function. Also top guns of the district attended the event. Mrs. Kanagavalli of the Ganga Hospitals was present so was Mr. Krishnaraj Vanavaraayar of the Bharathi Vidhya Bhavan group of Institutions. From the film field actor Siva Kumar graced the occasion. ‘Kavingar’ Vairamuthu, director-actor Visu were among the esteemed guests present to felicitate the stalwart of Tamil cinema. At a time when films were known for the heroes, it was KB who changed the trend and people started watching films which had his tag.
Director Balachander walked in to the film industry after writing and directing stage plays. The director has touched all facets of acting be it in small screen or on the silver screen. He has also mastered direction, scripting, penning dialogues and other aspects of film making.
It was KB who brought the concept of soap operas in to the living rooms of the Tamil speaking audience through his serials ‘Premi’ and ‘Marma Desam’ which had the family folks glued to their TV sets.
It was yet another veteran who won the Dada Sahid Phalke Award – Chevalier Sivaji Ganeshan is the only other veteran to have won the Award for his contribution towards Tamil cinema. It is noteworthy that then too it was the people of Coimbatore who came forward the celebrate Sivaji Ganeshan after he won the Phalke award.
IndiaGlitz wishes the veteran director a long life and good health for many more years to come. Undoubtedly KB is a dictionary, who will guide the coming generations in the nuances of film making and many other attributes concerned to it!
