Balamurali Balu

{{Short description|Indian film composer}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Balamurali Balu | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = July 16 | birth_place = Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India | othername = | occupation = Music director<br>lyricist<br>music producer | years_active = 2012–present }}

'''Balamurali Balu''' is an Indian film music director and lyricist who has worked predominantly in the Tamil film industry. His first movie was ''Madhiyal Vell'' and composed music for ''Pallu Padama Paathuka''. Subsequently, he composed music for ''Peechankai''. This critically acclaimed film<ref name="IRAA_2018" /> was Balu's debut as a composer. He was praised for "adding the quirkiness"<ref name=":0" /> to the music aligning with the theme of the movie's script.

==Early life== Balu is a professional music composer in South India. He has also worked as a music director and a film score composer. Balu was born on the 16th of July and was raised in Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India. Prior to his music career, Balu completed his PhD from Georgia Tech in chemical engineering in 2009<ref>{{cite web |title=Plasma processing of cellulose surfaces and their interactions with fluids |url=https://smartech.gatech.edu/handle/1853/31675 |accessdate=16 June 2018}}</ref> and worked as a Process Engineer with Intel Technologies.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hess Group Alumni - Georgia Institute of Technology |url=http://hess.chbe.gatech.edu/members/alumni/ |accessdate=16 June 2018}}</ref> He is also an alumni from the Berklee College of Music.<ref>{{cite web |title=Berklee College of Music - Alumni Member |url=http://network.online.berklee.edu/members/21935 |accessdate=16 June 2018}}</ref> He entered the music industry through Tamil cinema since 2016.

==Career== In 2012, he worked on the short film ''Tamil Ini''. In 2017, Balu got his first chance in the Tamil film industry when he was offered an opportunity to score music for the movie ''Peechankai''. The music was well-received and appreciated for adding value to the quirkiness of the script.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/reviews/peechankai-review-the-left-comes-to-power/article19087971.ece|title=‘Peechankai’ review: the left comes to power|first=Srinivasa|last=Ramanujam|date=16 June 2017|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web |last=Rao |first=Subha |date=June 15, 2017 |title=Director Ashok talks about his first feature, the quirky 'Peechaankai' |url=http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/director-of-peechaankai-ashok-talks-about-his-film/article19055414.ece |accessdate=16 June 2018 |website=The Hindu}}</ref> He won the Best Music Producer Award in the Regional Film Category at the Indian Recording Artists Association Awards 2018 for the movie.<ref name="IRAA_2018">{{cite web |title=IRAA Awards - 2018 Winners |url=http://www.iraa.in/Winner.aspx#Winners |accessdate=16 June 2018}}</ref>

In 2018, Balu joined hands with director Santhosh P. Jayakumar to score music for the film ''Hara Hara Mahadevaki'', which starred Gautham Karthik. The music created a lot of attention, especially with the title song "Hara Hara Mahadevaki" becoming a viral hit.<ref>{{cite web |title=Viral Hit: Hara Hara Mahadevaki- Official Video Song |date=25 October 2017 |url=https://www.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies-cinema-news-16/hara-hara-mahadevaki-official-video-song.html |accessdate=16 June 2018}}</ref> With the success of ''Hara Hara Mahadevaki'', Balu continued with ''Iruttu Araiyil Murattu Kuththu'', his second collaboration with Jayakumar and Gautham Karthik. He later composed the biographical film ''Traffic Ramasamy'', based on the life of activist Traffic Ramaswamy. Afterwards, Balu collaborated with Jayakumar for the third time with the Arya-starrer ''Ghajinikanth'', a remake of the Telugu film ''Bhale Bhale Magadivoy''.

In 2019, Balu composed music for ''Chikati Gadilo Chithakotudu'', the Telugu remake of ''Iruttu Araiyil Murattu Kuththu'', which marked his Telugu film debut. In 2022, Balu produced the soundtrack for ''Kuthukku Pathu'', a comedy-drama web series.

==Discography==

=== Films === {| class="wikitable" |- style="text-align:center; background:LightSteelBlue; width:60%;" ! Year !! Film title (Tamil) !! Language !! Notes |- | rowspan=2|2016 || ''Madhiyal Vell'' || rowspan="7" | Tamil|| Unreleased film<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/music/this-song-is-for-indian-women/articleshow/49319277.cms|title=This song is for Indian women|date=14 January 2017|via=The Economic Times - The Times of India}}</ref> |- |''Thagadu Thagadu'' ||Unreleased film |- | rowspan="2"|2017 || ''Peechankai''|| Best Music Producer (IRAA Awards - 2018)<ref name="IRAA_2018" /> |- | ''Hara Hara Mahadevaki'' || <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/music/music-review-hara-hara-mahadevaki/articleshow/60528884.cms|title=Music Review: Hara Hara Mahadevaki|date=16 September 2017|via=The Economic Times - The Times of India}}</ref> |- | rowspan="3"|2018 || ''Iruttu Araiyil Murattu Kuththu'' || |- | ''Traffic Ramasamy'' || |- | ''Ghajinikanth'' || |- |2019 |''Chikati Gadilo Chithakotudu'' |Telugu | |- | 2020 || ''Thatrom Thookrom''|| rowspan="2" | Tamil|| |- |2023 | ''Pallu Padama Paathuka''<ref>{{cite web |title=Pallu Padama Paathuka, Tamil cinema's second zombie film |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/tamil/2018/mar/20/pallu-padama-paathuka-tamil-cinemas-second-zombie-film-1789538.html |access-date=16 June 2018}}</ref>|| |- | rowspan="2" |2024 | ''Chiclets'' || Tamil Telugu | |- | ''Amigo Garage''|| Tamil|| |- |TBA | ''Nabika'' || Malayalam || Upcoming |- |}

=== Television === {| class="wikitable" |- style="text-align:center; background:LightSteelBlue; width:60%;" ! Year !! Series !Language!! Notes |- |2022|| ''Kuthukku Pathu'' |Tamil|| Released on Aha |}

=== Albums === Balu has collaborated with Lady Kash as a music producer in her albums Rap Smash and Villupaattu.

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==

* {{imdbname|5028969}} {{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balu, Balamurali}} Category:Musicians from Chennai Category:Living people Category:Tamil film score composers Category:1970 births