>Deebee2587 at 15:17, 25 June 2021

2021-06-25T15:17:47Z

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{{short description|Indian filmmaker and actor (born 1987)}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Balaji Mohan
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1987|5|25}}<ref>http://www.iflicks.in/StarPage/Director/Balaji-Mohan</ref>
| years_active =2012-present
| birth_place = [[Tiruchirappalli]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| other_names =
| known_for = ''[[Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi]]'', ''[[Vaayai Moodi Pesavum]]'', ''[[Maari (film)|Maari]]''
| occupation = Film director, screenwriter, actor
| parents =
}}

'''Balaji Mohan'''(born 25 May 1987) is an Indian filmmaker and actor. After discontinuing his engineering studies to pursue his passion and become a director, he enrolled at a film academy and attended courses and workshops, besides participating in short film contests. After shooting more than half-a-dozen short films, he directed his first full-length bilingual film romantic comedy ''[[Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi]]'' (Tamil) based on one of his own short films.

==Early life==
Balaji was born on 25 May 1987 in [[Tiruchirappalli]].<ref name="lovefail">{{cite web | url=http://www.idlebrain.com/movie/postmortem/lovefailure.html | title=Post mortem Love failure by Balaji Mohan | accessdate=31 March 2012}}</ref> He pursued his schooling in [[Campion Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School]], Tiruchirappalli, and later joined the [[Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering]] in Chennai for his higher studies, albeit he had decided in 10th class already that he wanted to become a director.<ref name="lovefail" /> He recalls that his parents bought him a [[handycam]] in his third semester,<ref name="lovefail" /> and he made his first short film called ''Velicham'',<ref name="ringing">{{cite web | url=http://postnoon.com/2012/02/21/the-phone-hasnt-stopped-ringing/30668 | title=The phone hasn't stopped ringing | publisher=Post noon | date=21 February 2012 | accessdate=31 March 2012 | author=Hemanth Kumar}}</ref> which was also sent to film festivals and won.<ref name="thehindu1">{{cite news|author=Anusha Parthasarathy |url=http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/metroplus/article840089.ece |title=Life & Style / Metroplus : Lights, camera, upload |work=The Hindu|date=21 October 2010 |accessdate=9 May 2012 |location=Chennai, India}}</ref> Although he had initially planned to complete his education before following his passion and pursuing a career in filmmaking, he did not want to "wait for too long" after making ''Velicham''. After convincing his parents, he discontinued his engineering course two years later and went on to join the [[L. V. Prasad]] Film and TV Academy in Vadapalani, [[Chennai]] to learn editing and sound design.<ref name="lovefail" /><ref name=ringing/> He also studied acting at Alchemy Institute, Adyar, Chennai.

==Personal life==
Balaji Mohan got married in June 2012 to Aruna. In 2013 January Balaji announced his divorce due to irreconcilable differences. 2013<ref>http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-maari-director-balaji-mohan-confirms-his-divorce-2209573</ref>

==Career==
Balaji began his career as an assistant director for the Tamil film called ''[[Kulir 100°]]'' (2009). While the film was in its pre-production stage, he got the opportunity to join the ''Gateway to Hollywood'', a show that was aired in Sony TV. His short film ''Treasure'' was featured in the contest and Balaji became one of the 6 finalists of the show.<ref name="lovefail" /> He later joined as an assistant director for Sudha K. Prasad's Tamil film ''[[Drohi (2010 film)|Drohi]]'' (2010),<ref name="lovefail" /> while simultaneously participating in [[Kalaignar TV]]'s first season of ''Naalaya Iyakunar''.<ref name="lovefail" /><ref name=ringing/> He directed five short films namely ''Kodi'', ''The Juniors'', ''Addi Tail'', ''Mittai Veedu'' and ''Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi'' for the show and was one of the winners of the series award for consistent performance.

Among his works, ''Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi'' was most popular and went [[viral video|viral]] on YouTube, garnering overwhelming response.<ref name="thehindu1"/><ref>{{cite news| url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/news-interviews/My-short-film-worked-to-my-advantage-Balaji-Mohan/articleshow/12134816.cms | work=The Times of India | title=My short film worked to my advantage: Balaji Mohan | date=4 March 2012}}</ref> Cinematographer [[Nirav Shah]] saw the short film and initiated the idea to make it into a full-length feature film.<ref name="lovefail" /> Balaji took three months to develop the script, while Nirav Shah reached out to producers and actors, introducing him to producer Sashikanth of YNot Movies.<ref name="lovefail" /><ref>{{cite web|author=Janani Karthik DC chennai |url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/showbiz/kollywood/kadhalil-sodhappuvathu-yeppadi-how-short-film-turned-feature-film-087 |title=Kadhalil Sodhappuvathu Yeppadi: How a short film turned into feature film |work=Deccan Chronicle|date=20 February 2012 |accessdate=9 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502033032/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/showbiz/kollywood/kadhalil-sodhappuvathu-yeppadi-how-short-film-turned-feature-film-087 |archivedate=2 May 2012}}</ref> [[Siddharth (actor)|Siddharth]], who too was keen on turning the short film into a feature film after he had seen it, entered the project, playing the lead role besides co-producing the venture.<ref>{{cite web|author=Anupama Subramanian DC chennai |url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/showbiz/kollywood/siddharth-multi-tasker-620 |title=Siddharth, the multi tasker |work=Deccan Chronicle|date=24 January 2012 |accessdate=9 May 2012}}</ref> The film was made as a bilingual in Tamil and Telugu; while the original title was given for the Tamil version, the Telugu version was named ''Love Failure'', with the cast and crew being retained for both versions. The project was completed in a record 36 days,<ref name=ringing/> and both versions of the film were released simultaneously in February 2012 in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, respectively. Opening to highly positive critical response, the film went on to become a [[sleeper hit]] in both states.<ref>{{cite web|author=G Pramod Kumar |url=http://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/a-cool-romantic-comedy-creates-a-flutter-in-the-south-226872.html |title=A cool romantic comedy creates a flutter in the south |publisher=Firstpost |date=27 February 2012 |accessdate=9 May 2012}}</ref>

Balaji Mohan collaborated with [[Dulquer Salmaan]] for his second directorial venture, a bilingual titled ''[[Vaayai Moodi Pesavum]]'' in Tamil and ''[[Samsaaram Aarogyathinu Haanikaram]]'' in Malayalam. The film marked Balaji Mohan's debut in [[Malayalam cinema]] and Dulquer Salmaan's debut in Tamil cinema. His third film was ''[[Maari (film)|Maari]]'', starring Dhanush and it released in July, 2015. Next up he will be teaming up with Actor Dhanush again for Maari 2 a sequel to ''Maari''.<ref>http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/maari-2-dhanusha-and-balaji-mohan-to-join-hands-again/1/584061.html</ref>

He then produced, written and directed a web series titled ''[[As I'm Suffering From Kadhal]]'', in which he also played an important role. The series was made in [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and dubbed in [[Telugu language|Telugu]]. It was released in Hotstar Originals on 15 June 2017

==Filmography==
===Feature films===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Film !! Language !! Notes
|-
| 2012 || ''[[Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi]]'' || [[Tamil language|Tamil]] || Nominated, [[2nd South Indian International Movie Awards|SIIMA Award for Best Debut Director]]
|-
| 2012 || ''Love Failure'' || [[Telugu language|Telugu]] ||Nominated, [[2nd South Indian International Movie Awards|SIIMA Award for Best Debut Director]]
|-
| 2014 || ''[[Vaayai Moodi Pesavum]]'' || [[Tamil language|Tamil]] ||
|-
| 2014 || ''Samsaaram Aarogyathinu Haanikaram'' || [[Malayalam]]||
|-
| 2015 || ''[[Maari (film)|Maari]]'' || [[Tamil language|Tamil]] ||
|-
| 2018 || ''[[Maari 2]]'' || [[Tamil language|Tamil]] ||
|}

===As actor===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Film !! Language !! Role
|-
| 2012 || ''[[Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi]]'' || [[Tamil language|Tamil]] || Narrator
|-
| 2014 || ''[[Vaayai Moodi Pesavum]]'' || [[Tamil language|Tamil]] || News reporter
|-
| 2015 || ''[[Maari (film)|Maari]]'' || [[Tamil language|Tamil]] || Man in auto rickshaw
|-
| 2017 || ''[[Velaiilla Pattadhari 2]]'' || [[Tamil language|Tamil]]<br />[[Telugu language|Telugu]] || Balaji
|}

===As producer===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Film !! Language !! Role
|-
| 2021 || ''[[Mandela (2021 film)|Mandela]]'' || [[Tamil language|Tamil]] ||
|-
|}

=== Web series ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Series
!Language
!Role
|-
|2017
|''[[As I'm Suffering From Kadhal]]''
|Tamil
|Santosh
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=4897036}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mohan, Balaji}}
[[Category:1987 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Telugu film directors]]
[[Category:Tamil film directors]]
[[Category:Screenwriters from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Artists from Tiruchirappalli]]
[[Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema]]
[[Category:Malayalam film directors]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian film directors]]
[[Category:Film directors from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian male actors]]

Balaji Mohan - Revision history

>Deebee2587 at 15:17, 25 June 2021