Veteran film director K Balachander (84) passes away on Tuesday evening around 7.00 pm at Kavery hospital in Chennai. He was ailing with severe lung infection since last few days and was admitted in the hospital few days ago.

 

He joined film industry as a story writer in 1964. Later he turned into director and directed more than 101 movies in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Hindi languages. He also penned and directed several Tamil serials for TV Channels. His ever green Telugu movies Akali Rajyam, Anthuleni Kadha, Maro Charitra, Guppedu Manasu, Bomma Borusa, Rudra Veena etc. have made him darling director for Telugu people.

 

He is the one who introduced Kamal Hasssan, Rajnikanth, Mammutti and Prakash Raj to the film industry. He was honored with several prestigious awards by the states and the government of India. Tamilnadu government honored him with prestigious Kalaimani Award in 1973. He got Padmasri Award in 1987, Dada Saheb Phalke Award in 2010, ANR Award in 2010, and nine film fare awards etc.

 

He was survived by wife, two sons and daughter, His funeral ceremony will be conducted on Wednesday at Becent Nagar burial grounds in Chennai.