{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox film | name = Balan | image = Balan film poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[S. Nottani]] | producer = [[T. R. Sundaram]] | screenplay = [[Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai]] | based_on = ''Vidhiyum Mrs. Nayarum'' by A. Sundaram | starring = [[K. K. Aroor]]<br />[[M. K. Kamalam]]<br />Master Madanagopal<br />M. V. Shanku<br />K. Gopinath<br />Alleppey Vincent<br />C. O. N. Nambiar<br />K. N. Lakshmi<br />Baby Malathi | narrator = | music = [[K. K. Aroor]]<br />Ibrahim | cinematography = Bado Gushwalker | editing = Varghese and [[K. D. George|K.D. George]] | studio = [[Modern Theatres]] | distributor = Shyamala Pictures | released = {{Film date|1938|1|19|ref1=<ref>{{cite news|url=http://newindianexpress.com/entertainment/malayalam/article1426434.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814175201/http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/malayalam/article1426434.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 August 2014 |title=Remembering Malayalam's first talkie |work=The New Indian Express}}</ref>|df=y}} | runtime = | country = India | language = Malayalam }}
'''''Balan''''' is a [[Lost film|lost]] 1938 Indian [[Malayalam]]-language [[drama]] film produced by [[T. R. Sundaram]] under the banner of [[Modern Theatres]], directed by [[S. Nottani]] and written by [[Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai]].<ref name="popculture3">{{cite book |last=Kasbekar |first=Asha |title=Pop culture India : media, arts and lifestyle |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2006 |isbn=978-1-85109-636-7 |edition=Illustrated Hardcover |series=Popular Culture in the Contemporary World |location=USA |page=233 |chapter=Cinema}}</ref> It is notable for being the first [[sound film]] in the Malayalam language, and the third [[feature film]] in Malayalam cinema after ''[[Vigathakumaran]]'' and ''[[Marthanda Varma (film)|Marthanda Varma]].''<ref>{{cite web |date=15 August 2004 |title=A nostalgic look at Malayalam cinema |url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/09/07/stories/2009090750600400.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923204358/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/09/07/stories/2009090750600400.htm |archive-date=23 September 2009 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref><ref name="NYT3">{{cite web |author=Jonathan Crow |date=2012 |title=Balan (1938) |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/253937/Balan/overview |url-status=dead |work=[[The New York Times]] |accessdate=2011-01-01 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103165835/https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/253937/Balan/overview |archivedate=3 November 2012 |department=Movies & TV Dept.}}</ref> Based on the short story ''Vidhiyum Mrs. Nayarum'' by A. Sundaram. The film is a [[melodrama]] about the struggle of two orphaned children. The film stars [[K. K. Aroor]] in the title role and [[M. K. Kamalam]] as the female lead, with Master Madanagopal, M. V. Shanku, [[K. Gopinath]], [[Alleppey Vincent]] and [[A. C. N. Nambiar|C. O. N. Nambiar]] in supporting roles.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen |title=Encyclopaedia of Indian cinema |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=1999 |isbn=0-85170-455-7 |pages=274}}</ref><ref name="History3">{{cite web |date=n.d. |title=Balan: The First Talkie |url=http://www.cinemaofmalayalam.net/malayalam_his_1.html |url-status=dead |publisher=Cinemaofmalayalam.net |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140730234852/http://www.cinemaofmalayalam.net/malayalam_his_1.html |archivedate=30 July 2014}}</ref>
The film was produced by [[T. R. Sundaram]], a [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]]-based producer under the banner of [[Modern Theatres]]. German cinematographer [[Gus Walker|Bado Gushwalker]] handled the camera while Varghese and [[K. D. George|K.D. George]] did the editing. The film's music was composed by [[K. K. Aroor]], himself, with lyrics written by [[Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai]]. ''Balan'' is the first Malayalam film to have a soundtrack. The sound of the film was recorded using German-made technology {{citation needed|date=October 2022}}. The film features twenty-three songs. ''Balan'' was shot in [[Chennai|Madras]] and on the sets of Powerful Studios. The filming of the film was done in five months.<ref name="Balan3">{{cite book |last=M. A. Oommen, Kumbattu Varkey Joseph |title=Economics of Indian cinema |publisher=Oxford & IBH Publications |year=1991 |isbn=81-204-0575-7 |location=India |page=45}}</ref>
==Reception==
''Balan'' was released with high expectations on 19 January 1938. It was the only Malayalam film to be produced and released that year. Despite numerous technical flaws, it received critical acclaim, with praise for the film's [[Social|social theme]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Menon |first=Ajay |date=2009-09-07 |title=Old is Gold: Balan (1938 ) |url=http://oldmalayalam.blogspot.com/2009/09/balan-1938.html |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=Old is Gold}}</ref> The film was a major box office success, becoming the first commercially successful Malayalam film.<ref name="NYT3" /> Because only a few stills and the [[Song book|songbook]] are known to survive, it is a [[lost film]]. K. K. Aroor and Alleppey Vincent also starred in the second Malayalam talkie ''[[Gnanambika]]'' two years later.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gnanambika (1940) |url=https://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=4 |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=www.malayalachalachithram.com}}</ref>
==Cast== [[File:Balan-malayalam.jpg|thumb|Screenshot from this first Malayalam sound movie, released in 1938]] *Master Madanagopal as young Balan *M. V. Shankar as Dr. Govindan Nair *K. Gopinath as Kittu Panicker *[[Alleppey Vincent]] as Shanku *C. O. N. Nambiar as Prabhakara Menon *K.N. Laxmikutty as Meenakshi *Baby Malathi as young Sarasa *A. B. Pious *Subhadra *Ammu *M.K.K Nambyar *Sivanandan *Parukkutty *Baby Kausalya *A. P Padmanabha Menon
==Production== There were several attempts to make a talkie in Malayalam, right from the days ''[[Vigathakumaran]]'' (1928) got released. One among them, A. Sundaram Pillai, had an unpublished story entitled ''Vidhiyum Mrs. Nayarum'' (''Mrs. Nair and the Fate'') with him. He contacted several production houses to adapt this story into a film. Several of his attempts failed, but at last he got a letter from T. R. Sundaram, a Tamil-based producer informing him that he was ready to produce the film.<ref name="Balan"/> T. R. Sundaram owned the production company Modern Theatres, which he established in 1936.<ref name="Balan"/> A. Sundaram had already finished casting, which included several theatre artists from Malayalam. K. Kunjunair, credited as [[K. K. Aroor]] in the film, of the Kottakkal Nataka Samithi was selected to do the title role. [[M. K. Kamalam]] was chosen as the heroine.
A. Sundaram wanted himself to direct the film, but later agreed to sign S. Nottani as the director. Nottani rejected the screenplay of A. Sundaram and wanted to rewrite it. Eventually, he signed renowned writer [[Muthukulam Raghavan Pillai]], who wrote the screenplay and dialogues, as well as lyrics for the songs. The filming was started on 17 August 1937 from Salem.<ref name="Balan"/> After completing a length of 2000 feat, T. R. Sundaram dropped the project following differences in opinion with A. Sundaram. T. R. Sundaram had spent {{INR}} 30,000 on the project. A. Sundaram himself financed the project thereafter. Most parts of the film was shot from Powerful Studios.<ref name="NYT">{{cite web |author=Jonathan Crow |date=2012 |title=Balan (1938) |url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/253937/Balan/overview |url-status=dead |work=[[The New York Times]] |accessdate=2011-01-01 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103165835/https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/253937/Balan/overview |archivedate=3 November 2012 |department=Movies & TV Dept.}}</ref> The filming was completed within five months, in December 1937.<ref name="Balan">{{cite book | title=Economics of Indian cinema | publisher=Oxford & IBH Publications | last=M. A. Oommen, Kumbattu Varkey Joseph | year=1991 | location=India | page=45 | isbn=81-204-0575-7}}</ref> A. Sundaram could not find a distributor for many months. Later, Shyamala Pictures, [[Madras]] bought the rights and the film was released on 19 January 1938.<ref name="Balan"/> The theatrical release poster of Balan read ''Malayalathile adyathe social'' ''padam vegam varunnu'' (The first social film in Malayalam is coming out soon).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Balan - first featured film in Malayalam |url=http://www.keralaculture.org/ |access-date=2022-10-01 |website=www.keralaculture.org |language=en}}</ref>
==Songs== ''Balan'''s music was composed by [[K. K. Aroor]], who played the male lead, and Ibrahim. It had 23 songs, most of them recorded by the actors themselves.<ref name="Balan 1938">{{cite web |author=B. Vijayakumar |date=7 September 2009 |title=Balan 1938 |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/article632365.ece |url-status=live |work=The Hindu |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161016061658/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/article632365.ece |archivedate=16 October 2016 |df=dmy}}</ref> K. N. Lakshmi, [[K. K. Aroor]], [[M. K. Kamalam]] and Master Madanagopan are the credited singers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinidiary.com/cinema1928_m1.php?searchcin=&cyear=1930&Search=Search |title=മലയാള സിനിമ ഇതുവരെ (1928-50) |trans-title=Malayala cinema till here (1928-50) |publisher=Cini Diary |work=മലയാളസിനിമ ചരിത്രം [Malayalacinema History] |language=Malayalam |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708154642/http://cinidiary.com/cinema1928_m1.php?searchcin=&cyear=1930&Search=Search |archivedate=8 July 2011 }}</ref> [[Playback singer|Playback singing]] was not possible that time, so the producer had to sign actors those who could excel in singing also.
== Legacy == The film was a milestone in Malayalam film history, not only for being the first talkie, but also for being one of the first commercially successful films.<ref name="Balan 19383">{{cite web |author=B. Vijayakumar |date=7 September 2009 |title=Balan 1938 |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/article632365.ece |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161016061658/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/article632365.ece |archivedate=16 October 2016 |work=The Hindu |df=dmy}}</ref> Through the film, Alleppey Vincent became the first "speaking person" of Malayalam cinema, [[K. K. Aroor]] the first "speaking hero" and [[M. K. Kamalam]] the first "speaking heroine". "Hello Mister" was the first recorded sound, which was in the voice of [[Alleppey Vincent]]. The film is considered [[Lost film|lost]]; only the song book and a few stills survive to this day.<ref name="Balan 19383" /> The film also introduced many of early Malayalam cinema's recurring archetypes, including the evil step-mother and innocent orphans.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://twitter.com/nfaiofficial/status/986151268996526080 |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=Twitter |language=en}}</ref>
==See also== * [[Malayalam cinema]] * [[Vigathakumaran]] * [[Marthanda Varma (film)]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *http://www.malayalachalachithram.com/movie.php?i=3 *{{IMDb title|0213481|Balan}} {{T. R. Sundaram}} {{Modern Theatres}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balan (film)}} [[Category:1938 films]] [[Category:1938 drama films]] [[Category:1938 lost films]] [[Category:1930s Malayalam-language films]] [[Category:1930s melodrama films]] [[Category:Films directed by S. Nottani]] [[Category:Films shot in Chennai]] [[Category:Indian black-and-white films]] [[Category:Lost Indian drama films]]