K. Balachander
July 9, 1930 — Nannilam, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
Kailasam Balachander was a renowned Indian film producer, director and screenwriter. He directed films predominantly in Tamil, in addition to some films in the Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi languages. Known for his distinct filmmaking style, the films he scripts and directs analyse unusual or complicated interpersonal relationships and social themes. Through his works, he contributed significantly to the development of the Tamil film industry in South India, and introduced hundreds of actors and actresses into cinema, including Kamal Hassan, Rajinikanth, Prakash Raj and Vivek.
