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S. Balakrishnan

S. Balakrishnan

Composer · Died January 17, 2019, aged 70

S. Balakrishnan was an Indian film score composer and music director who worked mainly in Malayalam cinema. Best known for his association with the director duo Siddique-Lal, he has scored some of the all-time hit songs in late 1980s and early 1990s.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 8, 1948
Died
January 17, 2019 (aged 70)
Works as
Composer
Titles
3 on MovieCove · 9 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 39 days to Oct 28Down 17% in 30 days

What are S. Balakrishnan's films like?

Across a limited sample of 3 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
33%
Morality
27%
Self
20%
Survival
10%
Ideas
10%

What they feel like to watch

their average across 3 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Wry: How sincerely it treats its story and characters, from ironic to earnest. Browse their wry movies.
Tone · Sincerity
ironicearnest

A split, not a type: Ironic 1 · Wry 0 · Earnest 2

Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 2 · Serious 1 · Dark 0

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 3 · Stylized 0 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 2 · Intense 0

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

A split, not a type: Steady 2 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 0 · 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 1 · Full focus 1

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

A split, not a type: Easy watch 1 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 2 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings shown from 5 titles

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Absurd
2
Tense
2
Joyful
1
Contemplative
1
Warm
1

How their films linger

Fun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 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 S. Balakrishnan's films?

As of October 24, 2026, all 3 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for S. Balakrishnan's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted.

Filmography

9 credits, 3 with a MovieCove page.

  • Manthrikan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Composer

  • Mohabbath (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Composer

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

    Composer

  • Vietnam Colony (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Composer

  • Grihaprevesam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Music Director

  • Godfather(1991)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Madhura Nagarilo(1991)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • In Harihar Nagar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Composer

  • Ramji Rao Speaking(1989)

    Composer

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 8 titles from 1989 to 2012.

Highest rated

Godfather (1991)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Ramji Rao Speaking (1989)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Music7 of 8: 7 only music, 0 with another roleOther crew1 of 8: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1980s1 · crew1990s5 · crew2010s2 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it.

How do S. Balakrishnan's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 99th percentile, the median of all 3; across a limited sample of 3 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 96th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

96thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Approval · how many liked their films

99thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Reach · how many have seen their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 3

Midcredits score across 3 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3

Shape of the crowd

2 of their 3 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Mixed1

Most divisive · composer

Madhura Nagarilo (1991)

68th percentile spread · 14% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

Godfather (1991)

Midcredits 99th · 94% liked

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 S. Balakrishnan work with?

People who share at least 2 of S. Balakrishnan's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Lal shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers