C. V. Balakrishnan ( ml, സി. വി. ബാലകൃഷ്ണൻ; born 24 September 1952) is an Indian writer of

Malayalam literature Malayalam, the lingua franca of the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puduchery, is one of the six Classical languages of India. Malayalam literature comprises those literary texts written in Malayalam, a Sou ...

. His novels and short stories encompass the emotional issues related to mass culture, sexual politics, fate of the marginalised and institutionalised religions. An author of more than 60 literary works along with a few film scripts and film criticisms, his best known work is the novel '' Ayussinte Pusthakam'' (''The Book of Passing Shadows''). He received the

Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award is given each year, since 1958, by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi (Kerala Literary Academy), to Malayalam writers for their outstanding books of literary merit. The awards are given in various categories.

thrice and the

Kerala State Film Award The Kerala State Film Awards are the film awards for a motion picture made in Kerala. The awards started in 1969 by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala and since 1998 the awards have been bestowed by Kerala State Cha ...

for Best Book on Cinema in 2002 for ''Cinemayude Idangal''. In 2014, he won the

Padmaprabha Literary Award Padmaprabha Literary Award for contributions to the field of Malayalam literature is instituted by the Padmaprabha Foundation. A prestigious literary prize in Malayalam, the award was instituted in memory of freedom fighter and socialist Padmaprab ...

Biography

Balakrishnan was born in

Payyannur Payyanur, , is a municipal town and a taluk, a sub-district administrative unit, in the Kannur district of Kerala, India. On 10 March 2018, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated Payyanur as the fifth taluk in the district. Payyan ...

, Kannur district,

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

. After completing his school education, he took training in teaching and worked in various schools before shifting to

Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...

in 1979 where he worked as a freelance journalist. It was in Calcutta he began writing '' Ayussinte Pusthakam''.

''Ayussinte Pusthakam'' (The Book of Passing Shadows)

''Ayussinte Pusthakam'' is considered one of the major works in the post-modernist Malayalam literature. Balakrishnan began writing this novel when he moved to

in late-1970s. An old edition of

the Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

at St. Paul's Cathedral in Calcutta triggered the book in him. It took him three years to complete the novel. Says the author: "All the characters and villages of Christian settlers were in my mind long before I began thinking about writing ''Ayussinte Pusthakam''. The characters are based on people I met during my course as a school teacher in a village in Kasaragod. I wrote ''Ayussinte Pusthakam'' at a time when I was going through an emotionally difficult period; my relation with my father was strained and I was feeling very lonely. ''Ayussinte Pusthakam'' is about loneliness.” The book is also about sin and sadness, written in a style and language that have been judiciously borrowed from The Bible." The novel was successfully adapted for the stage by suveeran in 2008. It won many

Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy is located in Thrissur city, of Kerala, in India. It was established on 26 April 1958, inaugurated by then Indian Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The academy started a cultural centre at the Bahrain Ker ...

Awards including one for the best play.

List of literary works

Novels

* '' Ayussinte Pusthakam'' (transl. The Book of Passing Shadows) * ''Aathmavinu Sariyennu Thonnunna Karyangal'' * ''Avanavante Anandam Kandethanulla Vazhikal'' * ''Disa'' * ''Kannadikkadal'' * '' Kamamohitham'' * ''Librarian'' * ''Varu Daivame Varu'' * ''Ennum Njayarazhcha Aayirunnenkil''

Novellas

* ''Aadhi'' * ''Aavanakkinte Oru Poovu Allenkil Erikkinter Oru Poovu'' * ''Aagola Grameenar'' * ''Ozhiyabadhakal'' * ''Drushti'' * ''Asthikalile Venal'' * ''Eenthappanayude Thottam'' * ''Ellinpadangal Poovidumbol'' * ''Globinte Ee Vasath'' * ''Irattakkuttikalude Achan'' * ''Parimalaparvatham'' * ''Vilakkumadam'' * ''Manassinu Ethra Thiraseelakal'' * ''Manjuprathima'' * ''Meen Pidikkaan Poya Gabriel'' * ''Narthanasala'' * ''Amen Amen'' * ''Prappitiyan'' * ''Sari, Pisachineppatti Samsarikkam'' * ''Tharangaleela'' * ''Vishadakala'' * ''Viva Goa'' * ''Vellivelichathil'' * ''Ithivritham'' * ''Kadal Guhakal'' * ''Oru Gothra kadha, Oru Charithra kadha, Oru Chalachithra kadha'' * ''Maranam Ennu Perullavan'' * ''Ottakkoru Penkutty'' * ''Jivithame Nee Enth?'' * ''Jwalakalapam'' * ''Etho Rajavinte Prajakal'' * ''Ente Pizha Ente Pizha Ente Valiya Pizha'' * ''Bhavabhayam'' * ''Rathisandratha''

Short story collections

* ''Bhumiye Patti Adhikam Parayanda'' * ''Katha'' (Selected stories) * ''Kulirum Mattu Kathakalum'' * ''Malakhamar Chiraku Veesumboima'' * ''Pranayakalam'' * ''Sareeram Ariyunnathu'' * ''Snehavirunnu'' * ''Urangan Vayya'' * ''Vishudha Chumbanam'' * ''Daivam Piano Vaayikkumbol'' * ''Edwin Paul'' * ''Ente Bhranthan Kinavukal'' * ''Ulkrushtaraaya Manushyarum Undu''

Autobiography

* ''Paralmeen Neenthunna Paadam''

Memoirs

* ''Saannidhyam'' * ''Sugandha Sasyangalkidayiloode'' * ''Vaathil Thurannitta Nagarathil'' * ''Aathmaavinodu Cherunnathu''

Travelogues

* ''Ethetho Saranikalil'' * ''Yathrapathangalil'' * ''Scottish Dinarathrangal''

Translations

* ''Parethan'' (Translation of

D. H. Lawrence David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best-k ...

's novel

The Escaped Cock ''The Escaped Cock'' is a short novel by D. H. Lawrence that he originally wrote in two parts and published in 1929. Lawrence wrote the first part in 1927 after visiting some Etruscan tombs with his friend Earl Brewster, a trip that encouraged ...

) * ''Anyadesha Kathakal'' (Selected stories) * ''Vegetarian'' (Translation of

Han Kang Han Kang (; born November 27, 1970) is a South Korean writer. She won the Man Booker International Prize for fiction in 2016 for ''The Vegetarian'', a novel about a woman's descent into mental illness and neglect from her family. The novel is ...

's novel

The Vegetarian ''The Vegetarian'' () is a South Korean three-part novel written by Han Kang and first published in 2007. Based on Han's 1997 short story "The Fruit of My Woman", ''The Vegetarian'' is set in modern-day Seoul and tells the story of Yeong-hye, a ...

) * ''Vruddhanum Vankatalum'' (Translation of

Ernest Hemingway Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century fic ...

's novel

The Old Man and the Sea ''The Old Man and the Sea'' is a novella written by the American author Ernest Hemingway in 1951 in Cayo Blanco (Cuba), and published in 1952. It was the last major work of fiction written by Hemingway that was published during his lifetime. ...

)

Others

* ''Cinemayude Idangal'' (Essays on Film) * ''Mechilsthalangal'' (Essays) * ''Thathyakal Mithyakal'' (Essays) * ''Nerkazhchakalude Neru'' (Selected Journalism)

Filmography

; story, screenplay and dialogues * ''

Mattoral ''Mattoral'' (: The Other) is a 1988 Indian Malayalam-language family drama film directed by K. G. George from a story by C. V. Balakrishnan, who co-wrote the screenplay with George. It features Mammootty, Karamana Janardanan Nair, Seema and ...

'' (1988) * ''

Puravrutham ''Puravrutham'' is a 1988 Indian Malayalam film, directed by Lenin Rajendran and produced by M. K. Aniyan. The film stars Revathy, Om Puri, Innocent and KPAC Lalitha in the lead roles. The film has musical score by Kavalam Narayana Panicker. ...

'' (1988) * '' Sammanam'' (1997) * '' Kattathoru Penpoovu'' (1997) * ''

Kochu Kochu Santhoshangal ''Kochu Kochu Santhoshangal'' () is a 2000 Indian Malayalam-language family drama film written and directed by Sathyan Anthikkad from a story by C. V. Balakrishnan. It stars Jayaram, Lakshmi Gopalaswamy, Kalidas Jayaram, Innocent and Kavya Madh ...

'' (2000) * ''

Orma Mathram ''Orma Mathram'' ( en, Memories only) is a 2011 Malayalam-language drama film directed by Madhu Kaithapram and starring Dileep, Priyanka Nair, Master Sidharth, Dhanya Mary Varghese, Nedumudi Venu in the main roles. The screenplay was written by ...

'' (2011) * ''

Vellivelichathil ''Vellivelichathil'' is a 2014 Indian Malayalam film directed by Madhu Kaithapram, starring John Brittas and Iniya in the leading roles. This is the first Malayalam film to be shot entirely in Muscat, Oman. Plot The plot revolves around the lif ...

'' (2014) ; Story * ''

Irattakuttikalude Achan ''Irattakuttikalude Achan'' () is a 1997 Indian Malayalam-language family drama film written by Sreenivasan and directed by Sathyan Anthikad. It stars Jayaram and Manju Warrier in the lead roles, while Murali, Urmila Unni, Sreenivasan and Lalu ...

'' (1997) * ''

Kottaram Veettile Apputtan ''Kottaram Veetile Apputtan'' is a 1998 Indian Malayalam-language romantic comedy-drama film directed by Rajasenan, starring Jayaram and Shruti in the lead. The film was dubbed into Tamil as ''Aranmanaikaran'' and later remade in Telugu as ''Ma ...

'' (1998) * ''Thoramazhayathu'' (2010) * Segment ''Puzha'' in the anthology

Cheraathukal ''Cheraathukal'' () is a 2021 Indian Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (M ...

(2021)

Awards

* 1994: SBI Malayalam Literary Award for ''Maalakhamaar chiraku veesumbol'' * 1998:

V. T. Bhattathiripad Vellithuruthi Thazhathu Karutha Patteri Raman Bhattathiripad (1896–1982), also known as V. T. Bhattathiripad, was an Indian social reformer, dramatist and an Indian independence activist. He was best known for his contributions in the reforma ...

Memorial Award for ''Atmavinu Sariyennu Thonnunna Karyangal'' * 2000:

(Novel) for ''Atmavinu Sariyennu Thonnunna Karyangal'' * 2001:

Kerala Film Critics Association Award The Kerala Film Critics Association Awards are presented annually by the Kerala Film Critics Association to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Malayalam language film industry of India. The awards were instit ...

for ''

'' * 2002:

(Best Book on Cinema) for ''Cinemayude Idangal'' * 2008: Mayilpeeli Puraskaram * 2010: Shantakumaran Thampi Award * 2012: O. Chandu Menon Puraskaram * 2012:

Basheer Bashir or Basheer or the francicized Bachir or Bechir ( ar, بشير) is a male given name. Derived from Arabic, it means "the one who brings good news". It is also a surname. Bashir may refer to: Mononym * Bashir I, Lebanese emir of the Shih ...

Puraskaram * 2012: Kalakeralam Award (Best screenplay) for

* 2013:

Muttathu Varkey Award Muttathu Varkey Award for contributions to the field of Malayalam literature is instituted by the Muttattu Varkey Foundation in memory of novelist Muttathu Varkey. The award was instituted in 1992 and as of 2012, it carries a purse of 50000, a c ...

* 2014:

(Biography and Autobiography) for ''Paralmeen Neenthunna Paadam'' * 2015:

Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi (, ; ar, أَبُو ظَبْيٍ ' ) is the capital and second-most populous city (after Dubai) of the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the centre of the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area. ...

Malayalee Samajam Sahitya Puraskaram * 2017:

(Travelogue) for ''Ethetho Saranikalil'' * 2018: Mundur Krishnankutty Award

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Balakrishnan, C. V. 1952 births Malayali people Malayalam-language writers Malayalam novelists Malayalam short story writers Malayalam screenwriters Recipients of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award Kerala State Film Award winners Living people Indian male short story writers 20th-century Indian short story writers Writers from Kannur Screenwriters from Kerala 20th-century Indian novelists Indian male screenwriters Indian male novelists Novelists from Kerala 20th-century Indian male writers

Biography

''Ayussinte Pusthakam'' (The Book of Passing Shadows)

List of literary works

Novels

Novellas

Short story collections

Autobiography

Memoirs

Travelogues

Translations

Others

Filmography

Awards

References

Further reading

External links