KOCHI: With the launching of the official website of actor-turned-producer, the late T K Balachandran, a little known excerpt from the history of Malayalam film industry will be unveiled with all its zeal and resentment. Celebrated actor Mohanlal will launch the website on Wednesday, November 4 at Swathi Thirunal Hall in Hotel Travancore Court at 12 noon. The website will have links to the most important sites pertaining to Indian and world cinema.
Analysis of various Indian and western films will be a part of this unique website.
The website is a tribute to the actor who contributed much to the growth of Malayalam film industry, both as an actor and a producer.
Pages of this portal will certainly recall the nostalgic days dating back from 1941 until the demise of this great film personality in 2005. The site will contain significant clippings of movies TKB acted in and produced, melodious songs, rare photographs and the life history of the actor.
Another major feature of the website are the photographs which speak volumes about the golden era of Malayalam cinema, especially during the period of actors like Sathyan, Prem Nazir and others. The narrative style of the site is so simple and smart that a visitor will get a crystal clear picture of the landmarks of Malayalam cinema, especially during the later half of the last century.
T K Balachandran who entered Malayalam filmdom with the historical Prahladan went on to become an important part of the industry for nearly five decades. Later TKB became a favourite actor of Malayalis and played many immortal characters, proving his talent. A time was there in the early sixties when TKB was considered the Narada of great epics.
Kumarasambhavam and other devotional films portrayed this actor as a typical Narada. The famous song from Kumarasambhavam starting with the lines Ponthinkalkala pottuthotta himaval shailandri….still remains fresh in the minds of movie buffs. TKB’s acting as the friend of the central character Chellappan (enacted by legendary actor Sathyan) in Anubhavangal Palichakal attained much acclaim from the audiences.
“My father dedicated himself to the growth of Malayalam cinema and that too without thinking about the commercial outcome of his effort,” said Vinod Chandran, son of TKB, who designed the website.
TKB started off as a child artist and then became a theatre personality, but was back on the silver screen as a fine supporting actor. But the actor finally assumed the role of a producer. The last innings of his career as a film producer gave him a handful of bitter experiences, except the making of the all-time Mohanlal hit, T P Balagopalan MA.
sivadasvarma@gmail.com