Balan (film)
Encyclopedia
Balan is a 1938 Malayalam film directed by S. Nottani. It was the first talkie in Malayalam. Based on the short story Vidhiyum Mrs. Nayarum by A. Sundaram, its screenplay and dialogues are written by Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai
. The film is a melodrama
and was the first movie in this genre in Malayalam. It is produced by T. R. Sundaram
of Modern Theatres
, Salem. The film, which stars K. K. Aroor, Master Madanagopal, M. V. Shanku, K. Gopinath, Alleppey Vincent, C. O. N. Nambiar, M. K. Kamalam
, K. N. Lakshmi, Baby Malathi, A. B. Pious and Subhadra, is about the struggle of two orphaned children. German cinematographer Bado Gushwalker handles the camera while Varghese does the editing. Its music is composed by K. K. Aroor and Ibrahim. There are overall 23 songs in the film.
The film was a mile stone in Malayalam film history, not only for being the first talkie, but also for being one of the first commercially successful films. Through the film, Alleppey Vincent became the first "speaking person" of Malayalam cinema, K. K. Aroor the first "speaking hero" and M. K. Kamalam the first "speaking heroine". "Hello Mister" was the first recorded sound, which was in the voice of Alleppey Vincent.
Not even a single frame from the footage of this film is available now. What is left of this film are a few stills from the film and the songs book.
(1928) got released. A. Sundaram Pillai, one among them had an unpublished story entitled Vidhiyum Mrs. Nayarum (Mrs. Nair and the Fate) with him. He contacted several production houses to adapt this story into a film. Several of his attempts failed, but at last he got a letter from T. R. Sundaram, a Tamil based producer informing that he was ready to produce the film. T. R. Sundaram owned the production company Modern Theatres, which he established in 1936. A. Sundaram had already finished casting, which included several theatre artists from Malayalam. K. Kunjunair, credited as K. K. Adoor in the film, of the Kottakkal Nataka Samithi was selected to do the title role. M. K. Kamalam
was chosen the heroine.
A. Sundaram wanted himself to direct the film, but later agreed to sign S. Nottani as the director. Nottani rejected the screenplay of A. Sundaram and wanted to rewrite it. Eventually, he signed renowned writer Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai
, who wrote the screenplay, dialogues as well as lyrics for the songs. The filming was started on 17 August 1937 from Salem. After completing a length of 2000 feat, T. R. Sundaram dropped the project following differences in opinion with A. Sundaram. T. R. Sundaram had spent 30,000 on the project. A. Sundaram himself financed the project thereafter. Most parts of the film was shot from Powerful Studios. The filming was completed within five months, on December 1937. A. Sundaram could not find a distributor for many months. Later, Shyamala Pictures, Madras bought the rights and the film was released on 10 January 1938.
Barrister Prabhakara Menon (C. O. N. Nambiar) gives refuge to Balan and Sarasa and brings them up as his own children. In the will executed by Nair before his death, all his wealth is assigned to Meenakshi on condition that she take care of his children.
When Meenakshi and Kittu Panicker come to know about the stipulations in the will, they trace out the children. Kittu Panicker kidnaps the children from Prabhakara Menon’s home. Shanku (Alleppey Vincent) comes to know about the plans of Meenakshi and Kittu Panciker and rescues the children. He uses them in street shows. Balan and Sarasa escape from Shanku. Sarasa is taken away by a labour contractor while Balan is asleep. She is forced to work in an estate. Sarasa (M. K. Kamalam) grows up here. Balan (K. K. Aroor) also reaches the same estate as a labourer. This estate is owned by Barrister Prabhakara Menon.
Prabhakara Menon identifies Balan and Sarasa. Balan traces out the will executed by his father and Prabhakara Menon files suit against Meenakshi. She is tried by the court of law and punished. A furious Meenakshi shoots Prabhakara Menon, but the bullet from the pistol takes the life of Balan who jumps in between to save Menon. Menon marries Sarasa. They name their son, Balan. The film ends with Menon, and Sarasa paying homage at the tomb of Balan.
and Master Madanagopan are the credited singers. Playback singing
was not possible that time, so the producer had to sign actors those who could excel in singing also. Most of the songs followed popular Hindi and Tamil film tunes of the time. Gramaphone records of the songs were not produced. The most popular song was a solo by M. K. Kamalam "Jaathaka Doshathale", based on Chenjurutti raga. It was a direct copy of "Theyila Thottathle" by M. K. Radha from the Tamil film Sathi Leelavathi (1936). Lyrics for the songs are penned by Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai
, who also wrote the screenplay and dialogues for the film.
Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai
Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai was a Malayalam dramatist, poet, screen play writer and actor. He was born on 1900 in Muthukulam, a small village in Alappuzha District, Kerala, India...
. The film is a melodrama
Melodrama
The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
and was the first movie in this genre in Malayalam. It is produced by T. R. Sundaram
T. R. Sundaram
Tiruchengodu Ramalingam Sundaram was a Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and Sinhalese film actor, director and iconic film producer...
of Modern Theatres
Modern Theatres
Modern Theaters Ltd was a motion picture movie studio in Salem, Tamil Nadu, India, started by Thiruchengodu Ramalingam Sundaram in 1935. The studio produced over more than 150 movies until 1982 in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Sinhalese and even English of which Tamil movies were the...
, Salem. The film, which stars K. K. Aroor, Master Madanagopal, M. V. Shanku, K. Gopinath, Alleppey Vincent, C. O. N. Nambiar, M. K. Kamalam
M. K. Kamalam
M. K. Kamalam was an Indian actress in Malayalam cinema. She was the heroine in the first Malayalam talkie film, Balan .-Personal life:...
, K. N. Lakshmi, Baby Malathi, A. B. Pious and Subhadra, is about the struggle of two orphaned children. German cinematographer Bado Gushwalker handles the camera while Varghese does the editing. Its music is composed by K. K. Aroor and Ibrahim. There are overall 23 songs in the film.
The film was a mile stone in Malayalam film history, not only for being the first talkie, but also for being one of the first commercially successful films. Through the film, Alleppey Vincent became the first "speaking person" of Malayalam cinema, K. K. Aroor the first "speaking hero" and M. K. Kamalam the first "speaking heroine". "Hello Mister" was the first recorded sound, which was in the voice of Alleppey Vincent.
Not even a single frame from the footage of this film is available now. What is left of this film are a few stills from the film and the songs book.
Production
There were several attempts to make a talkie in Malayalam, right from the days VigathakumaranVigathakumaran
Vigathakumaran is a 1928 Indian silent film written, directed and produced by J. C. Daniel, who also played the hero in the film. It is the first Malayalam feature film.-Plot:...
(1928) got released. A. Sundaram Pillai, one among them had an unpublished story entitled Vidhiyum Mrs. Nayarum (Mrs. Nair and the Fate) with him. He contacted several production houses to adapt this story into a film. Several of his attempts failed, but at last he got a letter from T. R. Sundaram, a Tamil based producer informing that he was ready to produce the film. T. R. Sundaram owned the production company Modern Theatres, which he established in 1936. A. Sundaram had already finished casting, which included several theatre artists from Malayalam. K. Kunjunair, credited as K. K. Adoor in the film, of the Kottakkal Nataka Samithi was selected to do the title role. M. K. Kamalam
M. K. Kamalam
M. K. Kamalam was an Indian actress in Malayalam cinema. She was the heroine in the first Malayalam talkie film, Balan .-Personal life:...
was chosen the heroine.
A. Sundaram wanted himself to direct the film, but later agreed to sign S. Nottani as the director. Nottani rejected the screenplay of A. Sundaram and wanted to rewrite it. Eventually, he signed renowned writer Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai
Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai
Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai was a Malayalam dramatist, poet, screen play writer and actor. He was born on 1900 in Muthukulam, a small village in Alappuzha District, Kerala, India...
, who wrote the screenplay, dialogues as well as lyrics for the songs. The filming was started on 17 August 1937 from Salem. After completing a length of 2000 feat, T. R. Sundaram dropped the project following differences in opinion with A. Sundaram. T. R. Sundaram had spent 30,000 on the project. A. Sundaram himself financed the project thereafter. Most parts of the film was shot from Powerful Studios. The filming was completed within five months, on December 1937. A. Sundaram could not find a distributor for many months. Later, Shyamala Pictures, Madras bought the rights and the film was released on 10 January 1938.
Theme
The story features the struggle of two orphaned children, oppressed and exploited by an evil stepmother. The film was a stereotype of the themes of early Indian cinema, particularly South Indian cinema. Its theme is with more Tamil influence than Malayalam.Plot
Balan (Master Madanagopal) and Sarasa (Baby Malathi), are children of Dr. Govindan Nair (M. V. Shanku) by his first wife. Meenakshi (K. N. Lakshmi), the second wife, tortures Balan and Sarasa. She even hatches a plot to kill them and take over the entire wealth of Nair. Meenakshi is severely punished by Nair when he comes to know of her motives. Nair dies of heart attack. Meenakshi marries a wicked city wastrel Kittu Panicker (K. Gopinath). Balan and Sarasa flee from home as a result.Barrister Prabhakara Menon (C. O. N. Nambiar) gives refuge to Balan and Sarasa and brings them up as his own children. In the will executed by Nair before his death, all his wealth is assigned to Meenakshi on condition that she take care of his children.
When Meenakshi and Kittu Panicker come to know about the stipulations in the will, they trace out the children. Kittu Panicker kidnaps the children from Prabhakara Menon’s home. Shanku (Alleppey Vincent) comes to know about the plans of Meenakshi and Kittu Panciker and rescues the children. He uses them in street shows. Balan and Sarasa escape from Shanku. Sarasa is taken away by a labour contractor while Balan is asleep. She is forced to work in an estate. Sarasa (M. K. Kamalam) grows up here. Balan (K. K. Aroor) also reaches the same estate as a labourer. This estate is owned by Barrister Prabhakara Menon.
Prabhakara Menon identifies Balan and Sarasa. Balan traces out the will executed by his father and Prabhakara Menon files suit against Meenakshi. She is tried by the court of law and punished. A furious Meenakshi shoots Prabhakara Menon, but the bullet from the pistol takes the life of Balan who jumps in between to save Menon. Menon marries Sarasa. They name their son, Balan. The film ends with Menon, and Sarasa paying homage at the tomb of Balan.
Cast
- K. K. Aroor (K. Kunjunair) as Balan
- M. K. KamalamM. K. KamalamM. K. Kamalam was an Indian actress in Malayalam cinema. She was the heroine in the first Malayalam talkie film, Balan .-Personal life:...
as Sarasa - Master Madanagopal as young Balan
- M. V. Shanku as Dr. Govindan Nair
- K. Gopinath as Kittu Panicker
- Alleppey Vincent as Shanku
- C. O. N. Nambiar as Prabhakara Menon
- K.N. Laxmikutty as Meenakshi
- Baby Malathi as young Sarasa
- A. B. Pious
- Subhadra
Songs
Its music was composed by K. K. Aroor, who played the male lead, and Ibrahim. It had 23 songs, most of them recorded by the actors themselves. K. N. Lakshmi, K. K. Aroor, M. K. KamalamM. K. Kamalam
M. K. Kamalam was an Indian actress in Malayalam cinema. She was the heroine in the first Malayalam talkie film, Balan .-Personal life:...
and Master Madanagopan are the credited singers. Playback singing
Playback singer
A playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer does not appear on screen.-South Asia:...
was not possible that time, so the producer had to sign actors those who could excel in singing also. Most of the songs followed popular Hindi and Tamil film tunes of the time. Gramaphone records of the songs were not produced. The most popular song was a solo by M. K. Kamalam "Jaathaka Doshathale", based on Chenjurutti raga. It was a direct copy of "Theyila Thottathle" by M. K. Radha from the Tamil film Sathi Leelavathi (1936). Lyrics for the songs are penned by Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai
Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai
Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai was a Malayalam dramatist, poet, screen play writer and actor. He was born on 1900 in Muthukulam, a small village in Alappuzha District, Kerala, India...
, who also wrote the screenplay and dialogues for the film.