THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Producer of classic Malayalam movies and former vice chairman of Chalachitra Academy, Gandhimati Balan (66), died at a private hospital here on Wednesday.
His filmography includes production and distribution of more than 30 movies, including ‘Ithiri Neram Othiri Karyam’, ‘Adaminte Variyellu’, ‘Panchavadi Palam’, ‘Moonam Pakkam’,‘Thoovanathumbikal’, ‘Sukhamo Devi’, ‘Malooty’, ‘Nombarathi Poovu’, ‘Manivathoorile Aayiram Sivarathrikal’, ‘Ee Thanutha Veluppan Kalathu’, ‘Irakal’ and ‘Pathamudayam’ to name a few.
Balan, who spearheaded the formation of Malayalam film actors' organisation Amma, has organised many star shows. At the age of 63, he founded a cyber forensic startup company, Alibi, and it became a cyber intelligence service provider for most of the country's criminal investigation agencies.
Under the name Events Gandhimati, Balan organised several events, including the 2015 National Games for which he was the chief organiser. He added his mother’s name to his name.
He is the owner of Dhanya and Ramya Theatres in Thiruvananthapuram and the close accomplice of director Padmarajan, Balan was a key figure in the film industry. Balan was also a prominent presence in literary, social and cultural arenas as well as plantation and real estate businesses.