Archive · 8 Sep 2026
Chidambaram Challenges Violence-Driven Ideas of Pan-Indian Cinema Through Balan
Balan - The Boy is a film about a mother and her son.
They leave prison, but the audience does not immediately know why they were there.
The story focuses on their close relationship.
It also uses suspense to keep the film exciting.
Director Chidambaram worked with writer-director Jithu Madhavan to develop the movie.
Most of the actors were newcomers, including the performers playing the mother and the boy.
Chidambaram believes stories with universal feelings can be understood across India.
He questions whether a pan-Indian film must have huge action scenes and violence.
He is now preparing a Hindi film with a well-known star.
Director Chidambaram says Balan - The Boy emerged from a story by Jithu Madhavan after Manjummel Boys became a major hit.
The film centers on a mother and son released from prison and uses a thriller structure to explore their emotional bond.
About 90 percent of the cast were newcomers, with auditions held across Kerala and nearly 2,000 entries considered for the mother’s role.
Chidambaram says universal emotions helped both Manjummel Boys and Balan - The Boy reach audiences across India.
He questions whether scale, action and violence should define pan-Indian cinema, and says his next project will be a Hindi film with a well-known star.
- Who
- Director Chidambaram, writer-director Jithu Madhavan, and the cast of Balan - The Boy.
- What
- An interview about the making of Balan - The Boy, casting, pan-Indian cinema, and Chidambaram’s future projects.
- When
- After Manjummel Boys became a pan-India hit in early 2024; a new project announcement may come within the next couple of months.
- Where
- The film was cast largely through auditions in Kerala and was discussed in an interview with NDTV.
- Why
- Chidambaram says Balan - The Boy appealed to him because of its mother-son relationship, thriller framework, and universal emotions.
Universal Emotion
Scale and Spectacle
What makes a film pan-Indian?
Universal Emotion
Chidambaram argues that a pan-Indian film is one whose emotions and story can be understood by audiences across India, regardless of scale.
Scale and Spectacle
Chidambaram says the term is increasingly associated with large-scale productions featuring action, set pieces, violence and gore.
- Film
- Balan - The Boy
- Director
- Chidambaram
- Writer
- Jithu Madhavan
- Cast composition
- Nearly 90 percent of the cast consisted of newcomers.
- Mother-role auditions
- Approximately 2,000 entries were received.
- Notable cameo
- Malayalam star Tovino Thomas appears in a cameo.
- Next project
- A Hindi film with a well-known star is in development.