C. V. Balakrishnan


C. V. Balakrishnan is an Indian writer of Malayalam literature. His novels and short stories encompass the emotional issues related to mass culture, sexual politics, fate of the marginalised and institutionalised religions. An author of more than 60 literary works along with a few film scripts and film criticisms, his best known work is the novel Ayussinte Pusthakam. He received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award thrice and the Kerala State Film Award for Best Book on Cinema in 2002 for Cinemayude Idangal. In 2014, he won the Padmaprabha Literary Award.

Biography

Balakrishnan was born in Payyannur, Kannur district, Kerala. After completing his school education, he took training in teaching and worked in various schools before shifting to Calcutta in 1979 where he worked as a freelance journalist. It was in Calcutta he began writing Ayussinte Pusthakam.

''Ayussinte Pusthakam'' (The Book of Passing Shadows)

Ayussinte Pusthakam is considered one of the major works in the post-modernist Malayalam literature. Balakrishnan began writing this novel when he moved to Calcutta in late-1970s. An old edition of the Bible at St. Paul's Cathedral in Calcutta triggered the book in him. It took him three years to complete the novel. Says the author: "All the characters and villages of Christian settlers were in my mind long before I began thinking about writing Ayussinte Pusthakam. The characters are based on people I met during my course as a school teacher in a village in Kasaragod. I wrote Ayussinte Pusthakam at a time when I was going through an emotionally difficult period; my relation with my father was strained and I was feeling very lonely. Ayussinte Pusthakam is about loneliness." The book is also about sin and sadness, written in a style and language that have been judiciously borrowed from The Bible."
The novel was successfully adapted for the stage by suveeran in 2008. It won many Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Awards including one for the best play.

Novels

Ayussinte Pusthakam Aathmavinu Sariyennu Thonnunna Karyangal Avanavante Anandam Kandethanulla Vazhikal Disa Ennum Njayarazhcha Aayirunnenkil Jeevithame Nee Enthu? Kannadikkadal Kamamohitham Kalamezhuthu Librarian Uparodham Varu Daivame Varu
  • ''Arul''

Novellas

AadhiAavanakkinte Oru Poovu Allenkil Erikkinter Oru PoovuAagola GrameenarOzhiyabadhakal DrushtiAsthikalile VenalEenthappanayude ThottamEllinpadangal Poovidumbol Globinte Ee VasathIrattakkuttikalude AchanParimalaparvatham VilakkumadamManassinu Ethra ThiraseelakalManjuprathimaMeen Pidikkaan Poya GabrielNarthanasalaAmen AmenPrappitiyanSari, Pisachineppatti SamsarikkamTharangaleelaVishadakalaViva Goa VellivelichathilIthivritham Kadal GuhakalOru Gothra Katha, Oru Charitra Katha, Oru Chalachitra KathaMaranam Ennu PerullavanOttakkoru Penkutty Jwalakalapam Etho Rajavinte Prajakal Ente Pizha Ente Pizha Ente Valiya Pizha Bhavabhayam
  • ''Rathisandratha''

Short story collections

Bhumiye Patti Adhikam Parayanda Daivam Piano Vaayikkumbol Edwin Paul Ente Bhranthan Kinavukal Ente Priyapetta Kathakal Katha Kulirum Mattu Kathakalum Malakhamar Chiraku Veesumbol Makkalum Mattu Kathakalum Mamool Marukara Pranayakalam Sareeram AriyunnathuSnehavirunnu Thiranjedutha Kathakal Ulkrushtaraaya Manushyarum UnduUrangan Vayya
  • ''Vishudha Chumbanam''

Autobiography

  • ''Paralmeen Neenthunna Paadam''

Memoirs

Saannidhyam Sugandha Sasyangalkidayiloode Vaathil Thurannitta Nagarathil
  • ''Aathmaavinodu Cherunnathu''

Travelogues

Ethetho SaranikalilYathrapathangalil
  • ''Scottish Dinarathrangal''

Translations

Parethan Anyadesha Kathakal Vegetarian
  • ''Vruddhanum Vankatalum''

Others

Cinemayude Idangal Mechilsthalangal Thathyakal Mithyakal Nerkazhchakalude Neru

Filmography

; Story, screenplay and dialoguesMattoral Puravrutham Sammanam Kattathoru Penpoovu Orma Mathram Vellivelichathil
; StoryIrattakuttikalude Achan Kochu Kochu Santhoshangal Kottaram Veettile Apputtan Thoramazhayathu

Awards