Manobala Explained
Balachandar (8 December 1953 – 3 May 2023), known by his stage name Manobala, was an Indian actor, film producer, director, comedian, and YouTuber who predominantly played supporting roles in Tamil-language films. He worked predominantly in the film industry for nearly forty years and was notable for his unique body language and dialogue delivery and was also well known for his intonation.[3]
Early life
Manobala was born as Balachandar[4] in a village near Nagercoil, but did most of his primary education in Bangalore and Thirukattupalli for grades 10 and 11. He later studied at the Government College of Fine Arts, when he started writing articles under the pen name Manobala, and also learnt Bharatanatyam and the Veena.[5]
Career
Manobala started his career in Tamil cinema in the early 1970s and with a reference from Kamal Haasan became an assistant director on Bharathiraja's 1979 film Puthiya Vaarpugal.[6] [7] He made his directorial debut with Agaya Gangai (1982) but it was a box office failure.[8] His second film as director, Pillai Nila (1985) was more successful.
Manobala continued to direct with such films as Oorkavalan (1987), En Purushanthaan Enakku Mattumthaan (1989), and Dhoorathu Pachai (1987) which were critically acclaimed by the critics and were well received by audiences.[9] He often collaborated with some of the leading actors of his generation, including Vijayakanth, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, and Karthik. He made his Bollywood debut as director with Mera Pati Sirf Mera Hai (1990), and his television serial directorial debut with Panchavaranam. He had directed 24 films in his career, but he later focused his career as an actor in the 2000s when he began working full time as an actor.
Manobala appeared in over 700 films.[10] He played minor roles in most of the films as he regularly shared screenspace with veteran comedians Vadivelu and Vivek. He was known for his comic roles in films including Ice, Nanban, Chandramukhi, Pithamagan, Thamizh Padam, Kavalai Vendam, Kalakalappu, Siruthai, Alex Pandian, Aranmanai, Aambala, and Yaaradi Nee Mohini.[11] Manobala made his debut as film producer with H. Vinoth's directorial venture Sathuranga Vettai, for which he received the Best Debut Film Producer award at the South Indian International Movie Awards.[12]
Manobala launched a YouTube channel named "Waste Paper", where he interviewed several directors and actors.[13] In 2022, he received a doctorate degree from the South Western American University in recognition of his contributions to films. He also received the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Global Achievers Council. He featured as one of the contestants in the reality television show Cooku with Comali in 2022.[14]
Personal life
Manobala was married to Usha Mahadevan, and they have a son.
Death
Manobala died at his residence in Chennai on 3 May 2023, reportedly due to liver issues, at age 69.[15] [16] [17] Prior to this, he had also undergone an angio treatment in January 2023 after experiencing chest pain.[18] [19] He was a heavy smoker of cigarettes and was addicted to smoking during the peak of his career as a film director.[20] [21]
Filmography
Director
Films
Serials
Tamil films
Telugu films
Malayalam films
Television
As producer
As dubbing artist
Notes and References
- Web site: 30 October 2012 . MANOBALA (M.BALACHANDER) . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121030063807/http://tamilfilmdirectorsassociation.com/profile.php?sno=286 . 30 October 2012 . 1 April 2019 . tamilfilmdirectorsassociation.com.
- Web site: 4 May 2023 . நடிகர் மனோபாலா மரணம்: திரையுலகினர் கண்ணீர் அஞ்சலி; இன்று இறுதிச்சடங்கு . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230504042943/https://www.dailythanthi.com/News/State/acted-in-over-700-films-actor-manobala-passes-away-tribute-to-the-screen-world-956900 . 4 May 2023 . 4 May 2023 . Dina Thanthi . ta.
- Web site: 3 May 2023 . Actor-filmmaker Manobala passes away at 69 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230504024108/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/ . 4 May 2023 . 5 May 2023 . The Indian Express.
- பாரதிராஜாவிடம் சேர்த்துவிட்ட கமல்ஹாசன் - Actor & Director Mano Bala – Part -1Chai with Chitra . 31 January 2020 . Touring Talkies . 3:26 . 19 February 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200405213757/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cRktSK-tsE . 5 April 2020 . live . YouTube.
- News: Saravanan . T. . 8 January 2011 . Always in reckoning . en-IN . . live . 8 May 2023 . https://archive.today/20200406123443/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-cinemaplus/Always-in-reckoning/article15512011.ece . 6 April 2020 . 0971-751X.
- Web site: Narayan . Pushpa . 4 May 2023 . Manobala, filmmaker who evolved into a comic, dies at 69 in Tamil Nadu . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230507002006/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/manobala-filmmaker-who-evolved-into-a-comic-dies-at-69-in-tamil-nadu/articleshow/99971857.cms . 7 May 2023 . 5 May 2023 . The Times of India.
- Web site: 3 May 2023 . Suhasini Maniratnam: 'You will never find a director who can plan as well as Manobala' . 5 May 2023 . The Indian Express . en.
- Web site: 4 May 2023 . After A Flop Debut, Manobala Delivered Back To Back Hits; Know His Story . 5 May 2023 . News18 . en.
- Web site: 3 May 2023 . Manobala dies at 69: Vijay, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan and others pay tribute to actor-filmmaker . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230503124127/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/manobala-dies-at-69-celebrities-pay-tribute-to-actor-filmmaker-live-updates-8589397/ . 3 May 2023 . 5 May 2023 . The Indian Express . en.
- News: 5 May 2023 . Manobala: Unknown facts about the late actor-comedian . . live . 5 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230505125405/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/manobala-unknown-facts-about-the-late-actor-comedian/photostory/99987060.cms . 5 May 2023.
- News: 24 April 2022 . Actor-director Manobala gets a doctorate . . live . 5 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230417051110/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/actor-director-manobala-gets-a-doctorate/articleshow/91053106.cms . 17 April 2023.
- Moments of Manobala at the SIIMA Awards #RIPManobala #ytshorts . ta . SIIMA . 5 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230505054958/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7fIyrXLfuM&gl=US&hl=en . 5 May 2023 . live . YouTube.
- Web site: 4 May 2023 . Here's What Actor Manobala Said In Last Interview And Tweet . 8 May 2023 . . en.
- Web site: 3 May 2023 . Actor-director Manobala passes away at 69 in Chennai . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230505033218/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/actor-director-manobala-passes-away-at-69-in-chennai-2367967-2023-05-03 . 5 May 2023 . 5 May 2023 . . en.
- News: 3 May 2023 . Tamil actor-director Manobala passes away in Chennai . . live . 3 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230503090745/https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2023/05/03/tamil-actor-director-manobala-passes-away.html . 3 May 2023.
- Web site: 3 May 2023 . Tamil actor-director Manobala passes away at 69, Rajinikanth pays tribute . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230503124726/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/tamil-actor-director-manobala-passes-away-at-69-rajinikanth-pays-tribute/articleshow/99950855.cms . 3 May 2023 . 3 May 2023 . The Times of India.
- News: 3 May 2023 . Actor-director Manobala passes away at 69 . The Hindu . live . 4 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230503172356/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/actor-director-manobala-passes-away-at-69/article66807025.ece . 3 May 2023.
- Web site: 3 May 2023 . Veteran director and actor Manobala passes away . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230503142441/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/may/03/veteran-comedian-manobala-passes-away-42974.html . 3 May 2023 . 3 May 2023 . Cinema Express.
- News: 3 May 2023 . Actor, director and producer Manobala passes away . The Times of India . live . 3 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230503143926/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/actor-director-and-producer-manobala-passes-away/articleshow/99955868.cms . 3 May 2023.
- Web site: When Manobala said he used to smoke 200 cigarettes a day when was a director . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230503114834/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/manobala-passes-away-used-to-smoke-200-cigarettes-a-day-2368007-2023-05-03 . 3 May 2023 . 5 May 2023 . India Today . en.
- News: 4 May 2023 . Multiple movie stars have died from alcohol-related causes; the controversy sparks due to Mansoor Ali Khan's remarks at Manobala's funeral . . live . 8 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230505125530/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/multiple-movie-stars-have-died-from-alcohol-related-causes-the-controversy-sparks-due-to-mansoor-ali-khans-remarks-at-manobalas-funeral/articleshow/99981165.cms . 5 May 2023.
- Web site: 2024-02-01 . Chiclets Movie Review: An Adult Comedy That Fails To Impress . 2024-02-05 . TimesNow . en . 2024-02-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240204100117/https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/reviews/tamil/chiclets-movie-review-a-blend-of-adult-comedy-family-drama-review-107331698 . live .
- Web site: Ragini Dwivedi & Muruga Ashok's 'Email' censored U/A. January 3, 2024. The Times of India.
- Web site: Operation LailaUA. The Economic Times - The Times of India.
- Web site: Ninaivellam Neeyada Movie Review : An overlong romantic drama filled with superfluous and silly moments. The Times of India.
- Web site: Inga Naan Thaan Kingu Movie Review: Santhanam returns with some solid laughs. timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
