Balanathan Benjamin Mahendran, commonly known as Balu Mahendra, cinematographer, director, screenwriter and film editor who worked in various Indian film industries, primarily in Tamil and Malayalam cinema. Born in Sri Lanka, Mahendran developed a passion for photography and literature at a young age, after witnessing the shoot of David Lean's The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) during a school trip in Sri Lanka, he was drawn towards filmmaking. After graduation he joined as an Aerial photographer in the Sri Lankan Government. In 1966, he moved to India and gained admission to the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) to pursue a course in motion picture photography. Upon completion of his diploma, he entered Malayalam cinema as a cinematographer in the early 1970s.
Balu Mahendra
Bharathiraja and Mahendran attending the funeral
Image: David Lean 1965
Image: Satyajit Ray
The Bridge on the River Kwai
The Bridge on the River Kwai is a 1957 epic war film directed by David Lean and based on the 1952 novel written by Pierre Boulle.
American theatrical release poster, "Style A"
Chandran Rutnam and William Holden while shooting The Bridge on the River Kwai.
The bridge at Kitulgala, Sri Lanka, before the explosion seen in the film.
A photo of Kitulgala, Sri Lanka in 2004, where the bridge was made for the film.
