T.N.Balakrishna, Comedian,Interviewed By Dr.Basavaraja Sadar Oct 30 1991

T.N.Balakrishna (2 November 1911 - 19 July 1995) was an Indian actor in the Kannada film industry. He was said to have a hearing problem and some say that he was totally deaf. However, he would catch the lip movements of the artists and would narrate the dialogues spontaneously. He was popular for his comic and villainous roles in films like Muriyada Mane (1964), Bangaarada Manushya (1972), Gandhada Gudi (1973) and Kaamana Billu (1983) and appeared in over a hundred films that starred Rajkumar in the lead role.[2]
Balakrishna is known to have played the most number of roles in Kannada cinema, having appeared in over 560 films as a hero, villain, comedian, good Samaritan, loving father and lunatic.[2] Sudha Chandran is his ex-daughter in law.Balakrishna was born into a poor family on 2 November 1911 in Arsikere, Kingdom of Mysore. When he was four years old, his mother sold him to a couple for just ₹8 in order to provide treatment for her ailing husband. He ran away from his adopted parents after having been treated badly.
Career
Balakrishna first acted in the play, Shri Rama Pattabhishekha, in 1929. Following this, he worked as the painter of the stage backdrops for a drama company before becoming a professional sign painter. Later, he became a ticket collector in a drama company for a meagre salary. He returned to acting in theatre with Lakshmasana Drama Company and then with Gowrishankar Nataka Mandali. Following this, he joined the drama company of Gubbi Veeranna, a notable theatre director during the time.[3] Film director B. R. Panthulu happened to visit the drama company, saw his acting on stage and offered him a film role, beginning his career as a movie actor. He appeared as an antagonist in the film Kalachakra, a performance that was appreciated. He appeared in over a hundred Kannada films playing mostly comic roles, that starred Rajkumar in lead roles.
In order to make the Kannada film industry self-reliant and save money for the producers, he started the studio, investing all of his money and property. He built the Abhiman studio in Kengeri, Bangalore on a 20-acre plot in 1963, but faced difficulties initially.
When no Kannada films were being made, he got together with other actors like Rajkumar and G. V. Iyer and produced the film Ranadheera Kanteerava. He even raised money from the public at ₹1 per person to build the studio. The studio was a failure, and Balanna died in penury. Television serials are still being shot at the studio today which is being looked after by Balakrishna's son, B. Ganesh and grandson Karthik...[4]
Notable filmography
ಟಿ.ಎನ್.ಬಾಲಕೃಷ್ಣ (ಬಾಲಣ್ಣ) - ಕನ್ನಡ ಚಿತ್ರರಂಗದ ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಪ್ರತಿಭಾವಂಥ ನಟರಲ್ಲೊಬ್ಬರು. ಇವರು ಕನ್ನಡದ ಜನತೆಯನ್ನು ಹಲವು ದಶಕಗಳ ಕಾಲ ತಮ್ಮ ತೀಕ್ಷ್ಣ ಹಾಗು ನೈಜ ಅಭಿನಯದಿಂದ ರಂಜಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಕನ್ನಡ ಚಿತ್ರರಂಗದ ವಲಯದಲ್ಲಿ, ಹಾಗು ಚಿತ್ರಪ್ರೇಮಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಬಾಲಣ್ಣ ಎಂದೇ ಪರಿಚಿತರಾಗಿದ್ದ ಇವರಿಗೆ ಹುಟ್ಟಿನಿಂದಲೇ ಕಿವಿಯು ಸರಿಯಾಗಿ ಕೇಳಿಸುತ್ತಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ.
ಬಾಲಕೃಷ್ಣರ ಜನನ ನವೆಂಬರ್ ೨,೧೯೧೧ರಂದು ಹಾಸನ ಜಲ್ಲೆಯ ಅರಸೀಕೆರೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಆಯಿತು.ಇವರ ತಂದೆ ತಾಯಿಯರು ದಿನಗೂಲಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಜೀವಿಸುತಿದ್ದರು. ಈ ಶ್ರಮಜೀವಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಒಬ್ಬನೇ ಮಗ ಬಾಲಕೃಷ್ಣ.ಇದ್ದಕ್ಕಿದ್ದಂತೆ ತಂದೆಯು ಕಾಯಿಲೆ ತೀವ್ರ ಸ್ವರೂಪ ಪಡೆದಾಗ ತಾಯಿ ಕಂಡ ಕಂಡಲ್ಲಿ ಬಿಕ್ಷೆ ಬೇಡಿ ಹಣ ಹೊಂದಿಸಲು ಶ್ರಮ ಪಟ್ಟಳು,ಅದೂ ಸಾಲದಾದಾಗ ಬೇರೆ ದಾರಿ ಕಾಣದೆ ಅರಸೀಕೆರೆಯ ಮಂಡಿ ವ್ಯಾಪಾರಿಯ ಉಪ ಪತ್ನಿಗೆ ಮಗು ಬಾಲಕೃಷ್ಣನನ್ನು ಎಂಟು ರೂಪಾಯಿಗೆ ಮಾರಿದಳು.ಆ ಸಾಕು ತಾಯಿ ಬಾಲಕನನ್ನು ಅರಸೀಕೆರೆಯ ಶಾಲೆಗೆ ಸೇರಿಸಿದಳು.
ಆದರೆ ಎಂಟನೆ ವಯಸ್ಸಿಗೆ ಬಾಲಣ್ಣನ ಶ್ರವಣಶಕ್ತಿ ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣ ಮಾಯವಾಯಿತು.ಕಲಿಕೆ ಕಷ್ಟವಾಯಿತು.ಲೋಯರ್ ಸೆಕಂಡರಿ ದಾಟುವುದೇ ಕಷ್ಟವಾದಾಗ ಕಲೆಯ ಕಡೆಗೆ ಆಸಕ್ತಿ ಹೊರಳಿತು.ಸ್ನೇಹಿತರ ಜೊತೆಗೂಡಿ ನಾಟಕವಾಡುವ ಹವà

[@dboss8372]

ಆಕಾಶವಾಣಿ, ದೂರದರ್ಶನ, ಈ ಎರಡು ಮಾಧ್ಯಮಗಳು.. ನಮ್ಮ ಕನ್ನಡ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಹೆಮ್ಮೆ..

[@sandeepk.s1556]

One of greatest actor of Indian film industry. Unfortunately did not get what he deserved. My Salute to the legend 🙏

[@suniln5967]

Probably the most talented of all actors in Kannada

[@dharmannadhanni9134]

ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಆಕಾಶವಾಣಿ ಕೇಂದ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಗಣ್ಯರ ಸಂದರ್ಶನಗಳು ಧ್ವನಿ ಭಂಡಾರದಲ್ಲಿರುವುದು ತುಂಬಾ ಖುಷಿ ಆಯ್ತು.ಅದರಲ್ಲೂ ಕುವೆಂಪು,ಬಾಲಕೃಷ್ಣ,ಡಾ ದ ರಾ ಬೇಂದ್ರೆಯವರ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿದ ಸಂದರ್ಶನಗಳು ಮತ್ತೆ ಮತ್ತೆ ಕೇಳುವಂತ್ತಿವೆ.ಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳು

[@manjulagowda6680]

ಅಭಿನಯ ಚತುರ ನಮ್ಮ ಬಾಲಣ್ಣ.

[@rajivkrishna8287]

ಅತ್ಯಮೂಲ್ಯವಾದ ನಟರತ್ನಾಕರ ಇಂತಹ ಅದ್ಭುತ ನಟರನ್ನು ಪಡೆದಂತಹ ನಾವೇ ಧನ್ಯರು...🙏🌿🌿🌿

[@avanishk7535]

He was not only a comedian, but an extremely versatile actor

[@vijayboratti2788]

Balanna is one of the four ever green and best actors of kannada film industry. The other three being Annavaru, Ashwath and Ananth Nag.

[@rajukrishna7441]

Balanna 💖, when I was studying 10th we had a chapter about him in English Subject. legendary Actor 😍

[@pandurangahubli79]

My favourite Actor Sri.T.N.Balakrishna.

[@abhishekdurgakeri9587]

One of the senior most actors in kannada film industries

[@anilkumarhalimani3204]

DR Raj, Balanna, Narasimharaju these are greatest actors of Indian cinema

[@manjurayanna26]

ಫಸ್ಟ್ ಟೈಮ್ ಬಾಲಣ್ಣ ಇಂಟರ್ ವ್ಯೂ ಕೇಳ್ತಿರೋದು ವಾವ್ ಸೂಪರ್ ಸೂಪರ್ ಅಂಡ್ ಥ್ಯಾಂಕ್ಯೂ ಫಾರ್ ದಿ ಅಪ್ಲೋಡ್.. 🙏❤

[@doredore1350]

LOVE you balanna

[@Punarvgowdru4979]

Abhha ole actor balanna😍🥰

[@pandurangahubli79]

We Remain to Akashwani .Akashwani is a well store house of rare collection of interviews of our great film Personalities. One of our Great personalities is Balanna. Balakrishna and Narasimha Raju are famous pair.

[@haridasshenoy8334]

I am from Udupi. Before he started his Studio in Kengeri, he had come to Udupi and given a talk on a stage with open ground near the old Municipal Office. I think it was sometime in early 60s. He made a very emotional speech about the need to have a film studio for Kannada Films which were very few and were then being produced in Madras. His Kannada pride was vibrant and he was collecting Re 1 from each person to fund the studio. I did a lot of research about Kengeri studio which is what I remember. I now know it is Abhiman Studios and is being managed by his grandson. Best wishes to him. I am 80 now and even after sixty years of his talk, his voice reverberates in my head.

[@RamaKrishna-ce4cv]

ಅಪರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಪರೂಪದ ನಟ ನಮ್ಮ ಬಾಲಣ್ಣ...

[@thippeswamyg7155]

GREAT INSTITUTION ALL INDIA RADIO.SALUTES.

[@meghanamegha3861]

Am I really hearing Balanna ?!!? Wow ❤️ Thanks Akashavani🙏

[@Shivakumar-mg9vg]

Superb talk our artist ever remember 🎉🎈🎉🙏🙏

[@gsrinivas1400]

ನಮ್ಮ ಬಾಲಣ್ಣ ನಮ್ಮ ಮನೆಯ ಬಾಲಣ್ಣ

[@SanjuKumar-dx1el]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@ravindrarajansn4223]

Very good collection.

[@abhishekdurgakeri9587]

Balana balana matthe banni sir 🙏

[@pandurangahubli79]

Please upload interviews of Narasimha Raju/ Kalyan Kumar/ Udayakumar/ Arun Kumar/ Gangadhar/ Kalpana/

[@rajeshraju259]

Nijjvda kandiga🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@raajegowda54]

Supar Balanna💐

[@mamathar6786]

Sir ಇವರ ಕುಟುಂಬದ ಪೋಟೋ upload ಮಾಡಿ

[@saraswathijadhav9676]

He was a very nice gentle man He was my father's friend. He used to come to my house. Sweet memories.It was in the year 1968-70.

[@cinnamon4605]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@jagannatham7714]

He is legend in sandal world great actor kannaada film history we will memoriial situation film industry

[@vikranthgowda7034]

Sir nanu ninage chiraguni.
Hats off Sir. May your heart rest in peace.

[@santoshhb3083]

🙏

[@Lachamanna.1975]

ಜೈ ಬಾಲಣ್ಣ 🙏🙏🙏

[@incharaslk]

ಬೆಲೆ ಕಟ್ಟಲಾಗದವು..

[@Arunkumar-hg3er]

Dheemantha Nataa Namma Balanna

[@gnewsmysuru2732]

Thums ಡೌನ್ ಮಾಡೋರು ಲೋಫರ್ಸ್

[@user-iq1tk2bl3p]

100% talking is right

[@RaghuDevanahalli]

ಇವರಿಗೆ, ದಾದಸಾಹೇಬ್,ಆಸ್ಕರ್ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ ಬರಬೇಕಿತ್ತು

[@harishaur8289]

garat sir tn balakrishana sir

[@UdayKumar-zo4qn]

7.15 he said was so nice 😂 present actors must follow you.The legend balanna u're always a gem to a kannada industry

[@manjulaprakash2733]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@vinayg2594]

Sravana dosha iddaru spashta vaada maatu mattu adbutha natane.. naadu kanda adbutha naata🙏

[@hyz344]

Bigg selute for u sir ...mattomme Karnataka Dallai hutti banni

[@nageshnagesh-cv2bf]

TN Balakrishna ravaru AJARAMARA ,

[@ssmallikarjuna]

Yavnri avanu dislike kotirodu😡

[@gsrinivas1400]

ನಮ್ಮ ಬಾಲಣ್ಣ ನಮ್ಮ ಮನೆಯ ಬಾಲಣ್ಣ