R. Balki Explained

R. Balki
Birth Date:16 April 1964
Birth Place:Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, India[1]
Other Names:R. Balakrishnan
Occupation:Former Group Chairman Lowe Lintas, film director, screenwriter

R. Balakrishnan, popularly known as R. Balki,[2] [3] (born 16 April 1964) is an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter and former Group Chairman of the advertising agency Lowe Lintas (India). He is best known for directing the films Cheeni Kum (2007), Paa (2009), Pad Man (2018), Chup: Revenge of The Artist (2022), and Ghoomer (2023).

Career

Balki wrote and directed the 2007 comedy-drama film Cheeni Kum, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Tabu, which marked his directorial debut.[4] His second directorial was the critically acclaimed and commercially successful Paa, produced by Sunil Manchanda and Abhishek Bachchan which was released on 4 December 2009, starring Amitabh Bachchan, his son Abhishek Bachchan and Vidya Balan. The film received multiple nominations in addition to winning the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi the following year. In 2015, he directed the satirical drama Shamitabh which would mark his third collaboration with Amitabh Bachchan. The film also starred Tamil actor Dhanush and marked the acting debut Akshara Haasan, daughter of actor-director Kamal Haasan.[5] In 2016, he directed the comedy-drama Ki and Ka which starred Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Kapoor.[6] In 2018, he directed the social comedy Pad Man starring Akshay Kumar and Radhika Apte. The film was based on the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, which he co-produced, scripted and directed.[7] [8] In 2019, he co-produced and scripted the 2019 film Mission Mangal, in addition to serving as a creative director.[9] His next directorial was the thriller Chup : Revenge Of The Artist, starring Dulquer Salmaan, Sunny Deol and Shreya Dhanwanthary in lead roles. The film revolved around a serial killer who targets film critics. In 2023, he wrote and directed and the sports drama Ghoomer starring Abhishek Bachchan and Saiyami Kher. It premiered at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.

Personal life

Balki was born on 16 April 1964 in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. Prior to his filmmaking career, he worked in advertising and served as the charmain of advertising agency Lowe Lintas. In 2016, he retired from advertising to focus on his filmmaking career.

Balki married filmmaker Gauri Shinde in 2007.[10] [11]

Filmography

YearTitleCredited asNotes
DirectorProducerWriter
2007 Cheeni Kum
2009 Paa
2012 English Vinglish
2015 Shamitabh
2016 Ki & Ka
2018Pad Man
2019 Mission Mangal
2022
2023Lust Stories 2 Segment: Made for Each Other
Ghoomer

Awards and nominations

Paa received 14 nominations at the 16th Star Screen Awards[12] of which the film won five awards. It also won National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.

For Pad Man, he won the award for Best Director at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne in 2018. Padman also won the National Film Award for the Best Film on Social Issues.[13]

YearAwardCategoryFilm(s)Result
20089th IIFA AwardsBest StoryCheeni Kum[14]
Producers Guild Film AwardsBest Story[15]
Best Dialogues
14th Screen AwardsMost Promising Debut Director [16]
Stardust AwardsHottest Young Film Maker[17]
11th Zee Cine AwardsMost Promising Debut Director[18]
201055th Filmfare AwardsBest DirectorPaa[19]
Best Screenplay
11th IIFA AwardsBest Director[20]
Best Story
57th National Film AwardsBest Feature Film in Hindi[21]
16th Screen AwardsBest Director[22]
Best Story
Best Screenplay
Best Dialogue
2018Indian Film Festival of MelbourneBest DirectorPad Man[23]
201966th National Film AwardsBest Film on Other Social Issues[24]

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.livemint.com/Companies/ONXWQsq4uNqfDVudkIzRVK/Creative-honcho-R-Balki-quits-Mullen-Lowe-Lintas-Group-as-c.html R Balki quits Mullen Lowe Lintas, advertising for films
  2. Web site: Kamal Haasan's younger daughter Akshara to jump into Bollywood arena. Tamilstar. 5 September 2013. 26 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190526104637/https://www.tamilstar.com/news-id-kamal-haasans-younger-daughter-akshara-to-jump-into-bollywood-arena-kamal-haasan-younger-daughter-akshara-tamil-cinema-news-tamil-movies-03-09-135550.htm. dead.
  3. Web site: Akshara to follow Shruti's footsteps into tinsel town. CF. 4 September 2013. KOLLY TALK. 5 September 2013. 13 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180713164922/https://www.kollytalk.com/cinenews/akshara-follow-shrutis-footsteps-tinsel-town-110129.html. dead.
  4. Web site: 'Cheeni Kum' clocks 13 years: R.Balki shares his experience on making a 'coming of age' film - Times of India. 2021-02-08. The Times of India. en.
  5. Web site: 2020-02-11. Even after three films with Amitabh Bachchan, it's never easy to get him to sign on, says R Balki. 2021-02-08. Hindustan Times. en.
  6. Web site: Revealed – Kareena Kapoor's Look As 'KI' In R. Balki's 'Ki And Ka'. 29 July 2015.
  7. News: Vijayakar . Rajiv . Inspired Much . 21 April 2020 . . 19 January 2018.
  8. https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/r-balki-dedicates-pad-man-national-award-win-to-arunachalam-muruganantham-it-belongs-to-him-1580223-2019-08-13 R Balki dedicates Pad Man National Award win to Arunachalam Muruganantham: It belongs to him
  9. News: Raman . Sruthi Ganapathy . 'Mission Mangal' film about 'ordinary people setting out to do extraordinary things', says director . 24 July 2019 . . 24 July 2019.
  10. Web site: 2018-03-24. The accidental couple: The unconventional marriage of R Balki and Gauri Shinde. 2021-02-08. Hindustan Times. en.
  11. Web site: English Vinglish inspired by my mom: Gauri Shinde - Hindustan Times . 2012-08-14 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120814161537/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood/English-Vinglish-inspired-by-my-mom-Gauri-Shinde/Article1-913368.aspx . 14 August 2012 . dmy-all ., Hindustan Times, 14 August 2012.
  12. http://www.screenindia.com/screenaward2010/nomination2010.html Nominations for 16th Star Screen Awards
  13. News: Akshay Kumar's 'PadMan' wins National Award for being best social film . 29 April 2020 . . 23 December 2019.
  14. News: Nominations for the IIFA Awards 2008. 16 April 2008. Bollywood Hungama. 9 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20100308032548/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2008/04/16/3780/index.html. 8 March 2010. Bollywood Hungama News Network.
  15. Web site: Nominations for 3rd Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards . Bollywood Hungama News Network . 14 March 2008 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20110921064836/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2008/03/14/3674/index.html . 21 September 2011 . dead . 9 June 2022.
  16. News: Nominees for 14th Annual Screen Awards. 2 January 2008. Bollywood Hungama. 9 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20090429081517/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2008/01/02/3422/index.html. 29 April 2009. IndiaFM News Bureau.
  17. News: Nominations for Max Stardust Awards 2008. 25 December 2007. Bollywood Hungama. 9 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20111023081753/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2007/12/25/3391/index.html. 23 October 2011. Bollywood Hungama News Network.
  18. News: Nominations for the Zee Cine Awards 2008. 1 April 2008. Bollywood Hungama. 9 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20100323104004/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/features/2008/04/01/3729/index.html. 23 March 2010. Bollywood Hungama News Network.
  19. Web site: Nominations for 55th Idea Filmfare Awards 2009 . Bollywood Hungama . 11 February 2010 . 10 June 2022.
  20. Web site: Nominations for IIFA Awards 2010 . Bollywood Hungama . 8 May 2010 . 10 June 2022.
  21. Web site: 57th National Film Awards . Directorate of Film Festivals . 9 June 2022 . 14 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181114060347/https://dff.nic.in/images/Documents/45_57thNfacatalogue%20-%20.pdf . live.
  22. Web site: Nominations for Nokia 16th Annual Star Screen Awards 2009 . Bollywood Hungama . 31 December 2009 . 10 June 2022.
  23. Web site: Sanju and Padmaavat get most nominations at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne Awards 2018 . The Indian Express . 12 July 2018 . 10 June 2022.
  24. 66th National Film Awards . Directorate of Film Festivals . 10 June 2022 . dmy-all . 9 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190809152118/https://dff.gov.in/images/News/66th_NFA_Results.pdf . dead.