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{{Short description|Indian writer, director and producer}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = T. N. Balu
| image =
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| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]]
| death_date = 1981
| death_place = [[Madras]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India
| othername =
| occupation = Writer, director, producer
| yearsactive =
| spouse =
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}}

'''T. N. Balu''' (died 1981) was an Indian writer, director and producer who worked in [[Tamil cinema]]. He was active in the second half of the 1900s, and shared a close association with the former chief ministers of Tamil Nadu [[M. Karunanidhi|Karunanidhi]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://spicyonion.com/director/t-n-balu-movies-list/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912031757/http://spicyonion.com/director/t-n-balu-movies-list/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=12 September 2014|title=T N Balu|website=Spicyonion.com}}</ref>

== Film career ==
Balu worked as a writer on several notable Tamil films in the 1960s including ''[[Deiva Thai]]'' (1964), ''[[Athey Kangal (1967 film)|Athey Kangal]]'' (1967) and ''[[Moondrezhuthu]]'' (1968).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/athey-kangal-1967/article7361511.ece|title=Athey Kangal 1967|first=Randor|last=Guy|newspaper=The Hindu|date=27 June 2015|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/Moondrezhuthu-1968-TAMIL/article17074002.ece|title=Moondrezhuthu (1968) TAMIL|first=Randor|last=Guy|newspaper=The Hindu|date=21 January 2017|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-columns/mgr-and-saroja-devi-in-dheiva-thaai-1964/article8426472.ece|title=Dheiva Thaai (1964)|first=Randor|last=Guy|newspaper=The Hindu|date=2 April 2016|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref> His work as the storywriter of ''[[Naan (1967 film)|Naan]]'' (1967), saw him also credited for the films Telugu and Hindi remakes, ''[[Nenante Nene]]'' (1968) and ''[[Waris (1969 film)|Waris]]'' (1969). He regularly collaborated as a story, screenplay and dialogue writer for productions by [[Modern Theatres]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/Memories-of-Madras-%E2%80%93-Verse-in-the-woods/article13477665.ece|title=Memories of Madras – Verse in the woods|first=Anusha|last=Parthasarathy|newspaper=The Hindu|date=8 November 2011|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref>

In the late 1970s, he regularly worked on the scripts for [[Jaishankar (actor)|Jaishankar]]'s films and directed both ''Nallathukku Kalamillai'' (1977) and ''Odi Vilayadu Thatha'' (1977). Balu's ''[[Sattam En Kaiyil]]'' (1978) featuring [[Kamal Haasan]] and [[Sripriya]] was a commercially successful venture.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/290517/karuna-taught-me-tamil-says-kamal-haasan.html |title=Karuna taught me Tamil, says Kamal Haasan |date=29 May 2017 |work=[[Deccan Chronicle]] |access-date=6 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1282923681144922114 |user=RajaparvaiB |title=#கமல்ஹாசன் அவர்௧ளின் #சட்டம்என்கையில் இன்று 42ம் ஆண்டு நிறைவுநாள் (14/07/1978) 100 ஓடிய சூப்பர் ஹிட் திரைப்படம் இந்த படம் தெலுங்கு மொழியில் #தொங்௧தோரா என்று வெளிவந்து #ஆந்திராவில் 100 நாட்௧ளுக்கு மேல் ஓடியது.. |language=ta |date=14 July 2020 |access-date=6 October 2020 |last=Bengaluru |first=Rajaparvai Ramu}}</ref> Balu was jailed soon after the film's release, and [[Kamal Haasan]] helped bail him out, after seeking permission from chief minister [[M. G. Ramachandran]], to attend the 100th day celebration ceremony of the film. However, soon after the ceremony was over, with the help of his acquaintances from the opposition party - [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]], Balu managed to escape to [[Bangalore]]. The incident created a strain between M. G. Ramachandran and Kamal Haasan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiaglitz.com/kamal-haasan-shared-incidents-that-made-mgr-and-karunanidhi-upset-about-him-tamil-news-191419|title=When Kamal Haasan caused bitter feelings to MGR and Karunanidhi - Tamil News|date=27 July 2017|website=IndiaGlitz.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/lesser-known-tales-of-souths-grand-old-man-karunanidhi/articleshow/58972367.cms|title=karunanidhi birthday 2017: Lesser-known tales of south India's grand old man Karunanidhi | Chennai News - Times of India|website=The Times of India|date=3 June 2017 }}</ref> He died during the making of his production venture, ''[[Sankarlal]]'' (1981), which he was also directing and writing. The film was later completed by cinematographer [[N. K. Viswanathan]] with the assistance of Kamal Haasan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://antrukandamugam.wordpress.com/2018/04/29/t-n-balu-director-storydialogue-writer-producer/|title=T.N.Balu [Director | Story, Dialogue Writer | Producer]|date=29 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://profiles.lakshmansruthi.com/index1.php?uid=205|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201011202503/http://profiles.lakshmansruthi.com/index1.php?uid=205|url-status=usurped|archive-date=11 October 2020|title=Lakshmansruthi.com|website=profiles.lakshmansruthi.com}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Balu's son, T. N. B. Kathiravan, also known as Kathir, is a dubbing artiste who works on [[Tamil language]] films. He has provided voiceovers for actors including [[Vidyut Jammwal]], [[Ashish Vidyarthi]] and [[Sharath Lohithaswa]] in Tamil cinema.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/dubbing-is-big-business-today-in-kollywood/articleshow/52222891.cms|title=Dubbing is big business today in Kollywood - Times of India|website=The Times of India |last1=Suganth |first1=M. }}</ref>

== Death ==
Balu died during the making of his production venture, ''[[Sankarlal]]'' (1981).

== Partial filmography ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! rowspan="2" style="width:35px;"| Year
! rowspan="2" style="width:250px;"| Film
! colspan="3" style="width:195px;"| Credited as
! rowspan="2" style="text-align:center; width:250px;" class="unsortable"| Notes
|-
! style="width:65px;" | Director
! width=65 | Writer
! width=65 | Producer
|-
| 1964 || ''[[Deiva Thai]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1965 || ''[[Aasai Mugam]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1965 || ''[[Iravum Pagalum]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1967 || ''[[Naan (1967 film)|Naan]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1967 || ''[[Athey Kangal (1967 film)|Athey Kangal]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1967 || ''[[Uyir Mel Aasai]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1968 || ''[[Kadhal Vaaganam]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1968 || ''[[Moondrezhuthu]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1969 || ''Manasaatchi'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1969 || ''[[Anjal Petti 520]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1971 || ''[[Meendum Vazhven]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1972 || ''Bullet Bullodu'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || Telugu film
|-
| 1973 || ''[[Pookkari]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1973 || ''[[Maru Piravi]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1974 || ''[[Vairam]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1977 || ''[[Andru Sindhiya Raththam]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1977 || ''Nallathukku Kalamillai'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1977 || ''Odi Vilayadu Thatha'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1977 || ''[[Uyarnthavargal]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{n}} ||
|-
| 1978 || ''[[Sattam En Kaiyil]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} ||
|-
| 1981 || ''[[Sankarlal]]'' || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} || style="text-align:center;"| {{y}} ||
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|1773564|name=Balu, T. N.}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balu, T. N.}}
[[Category:1981 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Film directors from Chennai]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Chennai]]
[[Category:Tamil screenwriters]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian screenwriters]]

T. N. Balu - Revision history

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