| Balan | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | S. Nottani |
| Screenplay by | Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai |
| Based on | Vidhiyum Mrs. Nayarum by A. Sundaram |
| Produced by | T. R. Sundaram |
| Starring | K. K. Aroor M. K. Kamalam Master Madanagopal M. V. Shanku K. Gopinath Alleppey Vincent C. O. N. Nambiar K. N. Lakshmi Baby Malathi |
| Cinematography | Bado Gushwalker |
| Edited by | Varghese andK.D. George |
| Music by | K. K. Aroor Ibrahim |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Shyamala Pictures |
Release date |
|
| Country | India |
| Language | Malayalam |
Balan is alost 1938 IndianMalayalam-languagedrama film produced byT. R. Sundaram under the banner ofModern Theatres, directed byS. Nottani and written byMuthukulam Raghavan Pillai.[2] It is notable for being the firstsound film in the Malayalam language, and the thirdfeature film in Malayalam cinema afterVigathakumaran andMarthanda Varma.[3][4] Based on the short storyVidhiyum Mrs. Nayarum by A. Sundaram. The film is amelodrama about the struggle of two orphaned children. The film starsK. K. Aroor in the title role andM. K. Kamalam as the female lead, with Master Madanagopal, M. V. Shanku,K. Gopinath,Alleppey Vincent andC. O. N. Nambiar in supporting roles.[5][6]
The film was produced byT. R. Sundaram, aSalem-based producer under the banner ofModern Theatres. German cinematographerBado Gushwalker handled the camera while Varghese andK.D. George did the editing. The film's music was composed byK. K. Aroor, himself, with lyrics written byMuthukulam Raghavan Pillai.Balan is the first Malayalam film to have a soundtrack. The sound of the film was recorded using German-made technology[citation needed]. The film features twenty-three songs.Balan was shot inMadras and on the sets of Powerful Studios. The filming of the film was done in five months.[7]
Balan was released with high expectations on 19 January 1938. It was the only Malayalam film to be produced and released that year. Despite numerous technical flaws, it received critical acclaim, with praise for the film'ssocial theme.[8] The film was a major box office success, becoming the first commercially successful Malayalam film.[4] Because only a few stills and thesongbook are known to survive, it is alost film. K. K. Aroor and Alleppey Vincent also starred in the second Malayalam talkieGnanambika two years later.[9]
There were several attempts to make a talkie in Malayalam, right from the daysVigathakumaran (1928) got released. One among them, A. Sundaram Pillai, had an unpublished story entitledVidhiyum Mrs. Nayarum (Mrs. Nair and the Fate) with him. He contacted several production houses to adapt this story into a film. Several of his attempts failed, but at last he got a letter from T. R. Sundaram, a Tamil-based producer informing him that he was ready to produce the film.[10] T. R. Sundaram owned the production company Modern Theatres, which he established in 1936.[10] A. Sundaram had already finished casting, which included several theatre artists from Malayalam. K. Kunjunair, credited asK. K. Aroor in the film, of the Kottakkal Nataka Samithi was selected to do the title role.M. K. Kamalam was chosen as the heroine.
A. Sundaram wanted himself to direct the film, but later agreed to sign S. Nottani as the director. Nottani rejected the screenplay of A. Sundaram and wanted to rewrite it. Eventually, he signed renowned writerMuthukulam Raghavan Pillai, who wrote the screenplay and dialogues, as well as lyrics for the songs. The filming was started on 17 August 1937 from Salem.[10] After completing a length of 2000 feat, T. R. Sundaram dropped the project following differences in opinion with A. Sundaram. T. R. Sundaram had spent₹ 30,000 on the project. A. Sundaram himself financed the project thereafter. Most parts of the film was shot from Powerful Studios.[11] The filming was completed within five months, in December 1937.[10] A. Sundaram could not find a distributor for many months. Later, Shyamala Pictures,Madras bought the rights and the film was released on 19 January 1938.[10] The theatrical release poster of Balan readMalayalathile adyathe socialpadam vegam varunnu (The first social film in Malayalam is coming out soon).[12]
Balan's music was composed byK. K. Aroor, who played the male lead, and Ibrahim. It had 23 songs, most of them recorded by the actors themselves.[13] K. N. Lakshmi,K. K. Aroor,M. K. Kamalam and Master Madanagopan are the credited singers.[14]Playback singing was not possible that time, so the producer had to sign actors those who could excel in singing also.
The film was a milestone in Malayalam film history, not only for being the first talkie, but also for being one of the first commercially successful films.[15] Through the film, Alleppey Vincent became the first "speaking person" of Malayalam cinema,K. K. Aroor the first "speaking hero" andM. K. Kamalam the first "speaking heroine". "Hello Mister" was the first recorded sound, which was in the voice ofAlleppey Vincent. The film is consideredlost; only the song book and a few stills survive to this day.[15] The film also introduced many of early Malayalam cinema's recurring archetypes, including the evil step-mother and innocent orphans.[16]
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