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Balakumaran

Balakumaran

Writer · Died May 15, 2018, aged 71 · Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India

Balakumaran was an Indian Tamil writer and author of over 200 novels, 100 short stories, and dialogue/screenplay writer for 23 films.[2] He also contributed to Tamil periodicals such as Kalki, Ananda Vikatan and Kumudam.[3] His Notable works as a dialogue writer in Tamil Cinema includes Nayakan, Guna, Baashha and Pudhupettai.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 5, 1946
Died
May 15, 2018 (aged 71)
From
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
Works as
Writer
Titles
6 on MovieCove · 21 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 12% in 30 days

What are Balakumaran's films like?

Across a limited sample of 4 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Power.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
32%
Power
27%
Society
24%
Self
16%
Romantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 4 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 2 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 3 · Intense 1

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 0 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 1 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 0 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 2

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 3 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings shown from 5 titles

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Romantic
2
Thrilling
2
Melancholic
2
Tense
1
Contemplative
1
Other
2

How their films linger

Thought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Balakumaran's films?

As of October 24, 2026, all 6 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Balakumaran's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

21 credits, 6 with a MovieCove page.

  • Vallavan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Psychiatrist (Cameo Appearance)

  • Pudhupettai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Dialogue

  • Thotti Jaya(2005)

    Dialogue

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Manmadhan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Dialogue

  • Adhu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Dialogue

  • Kadhal Sadugudu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Dialogue

  • Baba(2002)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Majunu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Dialogue

  • Citizen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Dialogue

  • Mugavari (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Dialogue

  • Jeans(1998)

    Dialogue

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Velai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Dialogue

  • Ullasam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Dialogue

  • Ragasiya Police (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Dialogue

  • Baasha (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Dialogue

  • Kaadhalan(1994)

    Dialogue · as College Principal

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Gentleman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Dialogue

  • Gunaa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Dialogue

  • Idhu Namma Aalu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Director

  • Nayakan(1987)

    Dialogue

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Raaja Paarvai(1981)

    Dialogue

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 20 titles from 1981 to 2006.

Biggest box office

Baba (2002)

$38K worldwide

Highest rated

Nayakan (1987)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Baba (2002)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 20: 1 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting1 of 20: 1 only directing, 0 with another roleWriting18 of 20: 17 only writing, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score78th

By decade

1980s3 · crew1990s8 · 1 acting · 8 crew2000s9 · 1 acting · 8 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Balakumaran's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 74th percentile, the median of all 6; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 77th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Approval · how many liked their films

87thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Reach · how many have seen their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Midcredits score across 6 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th1

Shape of the crowd

2 of their 6 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · writer

Baba (2002)

89th percentile spread · 33% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

Nayakan (1987)

Midcredits 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 68/100 and the plot and story 48/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Balakumaran work with?

People who share at least 2 of Balakumaran's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Delhi Ganesh shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors