Vetrimaaran, Ilaiyaraaja and others pay tribute to Balu Mahendra at an event in Chennai

Balu Mahendra who gave Tamil cinema memorable classics such as 'Kokila', 'Veedu', 'Sandhya Raagam', 'Vanna Vanna Pookal', and 'Moondram Pirai', is widely revered. A director and cinematographer, Balu Mahendra mentored several filmmakers including Vetrimaaran, Ram, Bala, Seenu Ramasamy, and Azhagan Bala. Balu Mahendra won three National Film Awards for his direction in 'Veedu', 'Sandhya Raagam', and 'Vanna Vanna Pookal'.

His death anniversary was on February 13. In honour of that, a college event took place on February 17. The event, organized by Vetrimaaran's Film Culture Initiative, paid tribute to the legendary director through a series of screenings and discussions of his iconic films. The event featured prominent personalities such as actresses Ambika, Poornima Jayaram, Rohini, and actor Nizhagal Ravi, as well as directors Vetrimaaran, Sasikumar, and Azhagan Bala. Music maestro Ilaiyaraaja also participated, enjoying conversations with students and attendees.

During the event, director Vetrimaaran recalled his experiences working with Balu Mahendra and shared an interesting anecdote. "When working with Balu Mahendra sir, I used to speak very quickly when actors and actresses were improvising their lines, but he would always tell me to speak slowly. Initially, I couldn't understand why he was asking for everything to be slow. But now, watching his films, I realize how much there is to appreciate in the way everything is done slowly and with precision. Some films that I didn’t appreciate then, I enjoy now, especially Marupuram, Veedu, and Sandhya Raagam. I sometimes feel like I could have done a better job with the opening scenes of Moodupani," he shared.

Ilaiyaraaja, too, expressed his admiration for the director. He shared how Balu Mahendra's films had a unique ability to create a soothing release for him while composing music. "When I work on films by certain directors, I feel a sense of emotional release. Balumahendra’s films had this quality, and when I composed music for them, I felt a happiness that I couldn’t understand. I had complete freedom to compose for his films, which made it an unforgettable experience," said Ilaiyaraaja.