Nireekshana is a 1986 Indian Telugu-language romantic drama film co-written, directed, filmed, and edited by Balu Mahendra. Produced by Linga Raju, the film stars Bhanu Chander and Archana. Allu Ramalingaiah, P. L. Narayana and Rallapalli play supporting roles. The music was composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The film is a remake of the director's own Malayalam film Yathra. The film won two Nandi Awards. The film was dubbed and released in Tamil, under the title Kanne Kalaimane.

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.