Director K Balachander’s on-screen women: Strong, resilient and bold!

In an industry where female characters were considered just as love interest of our heroes, it was the late visionary Balachander who redefined the way women are portrayed onscreen

The passing away of director K Balachander on Tuesday is not just a tremendous loss for Tamil cinema but also to women in society. In his 50-year career KB sir (as he is known) gave life to women and their issues on screen like no other director has before or perhaps ever since. From weaving stories around middle-class women and prostitutes to sexual harassment and extra-marital affairs, Balachander touched upon everyday issues in the most realistic and simplistic manner with his excellent scripts – there were no gimmicks and tricks; it was just pure performances by the leads.

For instance, in the 1970s his themes included exploring unconventional relationships and women in society. A Brahmin woman who becomes a prostitute to look after her family was the story of Balachander’s Arangetram (1973), an unconventional film for that time as was Sollathaan Ninanaikirain (1973). In Aval Oru Thodar Kathai (1974), Balachander gave voice to the middle class women with Sujatha essaying the protagonist of a woman who struggled to take care of her family. The director explored the age gap in Apoorva Raganagal (1975) – a younger man falling in love with an older woman and vice versa – a theme far ahead of its time like others.

These movies are still relevant to society today as are his later flicks like Thaneer Thaneer and Ek Duje Ke Liye (1981). While the former was about corruption and water scarcity with Saritha in the lead, the latter was about a couple who fall in love despite being from different cultures. What followed were Sindhu Bhairavi (1985) and Punnagai Mannan (1986) which were not just milestones in this director’s career but also in Tamil cinema. In the 1990s, Balachander slowed down and made fewer films but women still played central characters be it Duet or Kalki.

Balachander made society ponder and introspect with his themes be it love, poverty, or relationships. One commonality in most of his films is that the women played strong characters – they weren’t doing item numbers nor were they given blink-and-miss roles. He made sure they left an indelible mark on the audience with their stunning performance and depth of their angst and emotions. Actresses vied to be part of his films because they knew that he would give them roles that would be hallmarks in their career.

The director worked across all south languages and even in Hindi but it looks like his Tamil films that were closest to his heart. Each one of the actors who acted in his films including Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Saritha, Sujatha, Sowcar Janaki and Nagesh, shared a special relationship with the director. To them he was a temple of learning and also someone who pushed the boundaries in terms of his subjects. While everyone is talking about him having introduce Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan to the world, let’s not forget that he stood up for women in many ways as he gave them a voice with his themes. Even though he is going to be sorely missed, his films will continue to inspire future directors, actors and yes, women in our society.

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