Balachandran Chullikkadu

Balachandran Chullikkadu Biography

Balachandran Chullikkadu is a leading writer of Malayalam. He is a poet, short story writer and novelist. Occasionally he appears in movies and television serials also. He is also known as a lyricist and screenwriter. He is one among those great names of modern Malayalam literature who can be placed under, modern face of Malayalam writings. His noted poems include - Pathinettu Kavithakal, Amaavaasi, Ghazal, Maanasaanthara and Dracula. A compilation of his full collection of poems was published by DC Books in the year 2000, titled - The Poems of Balachandran Chullikkad. His memoirs were published in the year 2001 titled – Chidambarasmarana.

He has embraced Buddhism at present and often opposes the views of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and its affiliated bodies. He has admitted that he was inspired by Kamala Das to embrace Buddhism. Incidentally, Kamala Das's son, Monu Nalapat has also adopted Buddhism. He got National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film Narration / Voice Over for The 18 Elephants – 3 Monologues in 2003.

Balachandran Chullikkadu was born in Paravur on July 30, 1957. He took BA in English literature from Maharajas College, Ernakulam. From his school days he was interested in writing. During college days too, he was active in writing and one of the popular names. His relationship with Vijayalakshmi started during college days and he carried romance and poetry side by side. Later they got married. She too, is a well known poet of present times. Yet he was a person with no penny left in pocket. Though his mind was filled with revolutionary ideas and had huge fan followers, his youth days were spent without any money. Very often, he spent his days in hunger and deep distress. Later through his literal pieces, he became one of the top names of Malayalam literature.    

G. Aravindan's Pokkuveyil (1981) saw the talents of Chullikad as an actor. In 1988, he played the lead role of P. K. Radhakrishnan’s Marikkunnilla Jnan. Though the movie was a failure, it’s still remembered for the melodious song, Chandana mani vaathil, sung by Venugopal. He has participated in many national literary seminars organised by Central Academy of Letters. He also represented the cultural delegation of India as one among the ten members who were invited by Nobel Academy and Swedish Writers Union to Sweden in 1997.

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Updated: January 10, 2014