Vasanthabalan
{{short description|Indian film director and screenwriter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Vasanthabalan
| image = Vasantha Balan at the Kaaviya Thalaivan Press Meet.jpg
| caption = Vasanthabalan in 2014
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Devathanam, Rajapalayam, Tamil Nadu, India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| othername =
| yearsactive = 2002 - present
| spouse =
| website = https://www.directorvasanthabalan.com/
| occupation = Film director
Screenwriter
}}
Vasanthabalan (sometimes credited as Vasantha Balan) is an Indian Tamil film director and screenwriter.{{Cite web|url=http://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-slide-shows/movie-2/top-directors/directors-25-21.html|title=Kollywood's Top 25 Directors - Directors - Vetrimaran Balaji Sakthivel Lingusamy Vasanth Karu Pazhaniappan Simbudevan|website=www.behindwoods.com}} He has made critically acclaimed films including Veyil (2006), Angadi Theru (2010) and Kaaviya Thalaivan (2014).
Career
Vasanthabalan began his film career as an editing assistant and later became an assistant director to S.Shankar in the latter's directorial debut, Gentleman (1993). He continued to work under Shankar in three more films Kaadhalan (1994), Indian (1996) and Jeans (1998).
He later made his break as an independent director with the box-office failure Album (2002).{{cite web|last=Ramprasad|first=Sinndhuja|title=Honest Company: The Vasanthabalan Interview|url=https://silverscreen.in/tamil/features/vasanthabalan-interview/|publisher=silverscreen.in|date=27 November 2014|access-date=14 October 2017}}{{dead link|date=February 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
His second film, produced by Shankar's S Pictures, Veyil (2006) was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. It was shown as the Indian representative at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.{{Cite web|url=http://specials.rediff.com/movies/2006/dec/05slide1.htm|title=rediff.com: 'It is a dream to have a producer like Shankar'|website=specials.rediff.com}} His next release, Angadi Theru (2010), showcased a romantic tale set in the famous Ranganathan Street in the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The film won critical acclaim and was a commercial success as well. It was shortlisted for India's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.{{Cite web|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/60327.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100927200124/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/60327.html|archive-date = 27 September 2010|title = Tamil Cinema News | Tamil Movie Reviews | Tamil Movie Trailers - IndiaGlitz Tamil}} In 2012, he released Aravaan, a period film based on the novel Kaaval Kottam, that reflects the life of people of South Tamil Nadu in the 18th century. Following that, he made the period drama Kaaviya Thalaivan (2014), which won critical acclaim.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2014/Oct/30/unmasking-the-theatre-of-the-20s-676760.html|title =Unmasking the Theatre of the 20s}}
The crime drama Jail (2021) starring G. V. Prakash Kumar and Abarnathi in main roles, and the film didn't go well as expected.{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/arjun-das-and-vasanthabalans-aneethi-heads-to-the-final-stage-of-production/articleshow/91764348.cms|title = Arjun Das and Vasanthabalan's 'Aneethi' heads to the final stage of production}} He later directed the psychological thriller film Aneethi starring Arjun Das and Dushara Vijayan in lead roles.{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/reviews/tamil-review/aneethi-movie-review-a-disturbing-tale-of-capitalism-crippled-by-a-contrived-screenplay-arjun-das-dushara-vijayan-vasanthabalan|title =Aneethi Movie Review: A Disturbing Tale of Capitalism Crippled By A Contrived Screenplay}} Aneethi is an impressive and powerful take on exploitation, kindness and everything in between.{{Cite web|url=https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/aneethi-movie-review/|title =Aneethi review: Vasanthabalan is back with yet another rooted story}} In 2024, the political thriller streaming television series Thalaimai Seyalagam was released to average reviews.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/thalaimai-seyalagam-review/20240517.htm|title =Thalaimai Seyalagam Review: Strained Cliffhanger}}
Filmography
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|2677913}}
{{Vasanthabalan}}
{{FilmfareAwardBestTamilDirector}}
{{TamilNaduStateAwardForBestDirector}}
Category:Film directors from Tamil Nadu
Category:People from Virudhunagar district
Category:Filmfare Awards South winners