C. V. Balakrishnan

C. V. Balakrishnan (Malayalam: സി. വി. ബാലകൃഷ്ണൻ; born 24 September 1952) 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 40 literary works along with a few film scripts and film criticisms, his best known work is the novel Ayussinte Pusthakam (Book of Life). He received the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award thrice[1] and the Kerala State Film Award for Best Book on Cinema in 2002 for Cinemayude Idangal. In 2014, he won the Padmaprabha Literary Award.[2]

C. V. Balakrishnan
Born24 September 1952
Payyannur, Kerala, India
OccupationWriter, teacher, freelance journalist
LanguageMalayalam
NationalityIndian
GenreNovel, novella, short story, essay, screenplay
Notable worksAyussinte Pusthakam
Disa
Kamamohitham
Atmavinu Sariyennu Thonnunna Karyangal
Notable awardsKerala Sahitya Akademi Award
Kerala State Film 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
Main article: Ayussinte Pusthakam

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."[3] 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.

List of works

Novels
  • Aathmavinu Sariyennu Thonnunna Karyangal
  • Avanavante Anandam Kandethanulla Vazhikal
  • Ayussinte Pusthakam
  • Disa
  • Kannadikkadal
  • Kamamohitham
  • Librarian
  • Varu Daivame Varu

Novellas
  • Aadhi
  • Aavanakkinte Oru Poovu Allenkil Erikkinte Oru Poovu
  • Aagola Grameenar
  • Ozhiyabadhakal
  • Drushti
  • Asthikalile Venal
  • Eenthappanayude Thottam
  • Ellinpadangal Poovidumbol
  • Globinte Ee Vasath
  • Irattakkuttikalude Achan
  • Parimalaparvatham
  • Vilakkumadam
  • Manassinu Ethra Thiraseelakal
  • Manjuprathima
  • Meen Pidikkaan Poya Gabriel
  • Narthanasala
  • Amen Amen
  • Prappitiyan
  • Sari, Pisachineppatti Samsarikkam
  • Tharangaleela
  • Vishadakala
  • Viva Goa
  • Vellivelichathil
  • Ithivritham
  • Kadal Guhakal
  • Oru Gothra kadha, Oru Charithra kadha, Oru Chalachithra kadha
  • Maranam Ennu Perullavan
  • Ottakkoru Penkutty
  • Jivithame Nee Enth?
  • Jwalakalapam
  • Etho Rajavinte Prajakal
  • Ente Pizha Ente Pizha Ente Valiya Pizha
  • Bhavabhayam

Short story collections
  • Bhumiye Patti Adhikam Parayanda
  • Katha (Selected stories)
  • Kulirum Mattu Kathakalum
  • Malakhamar Chiraku Veesumboima
  • Pranayakalam
  • Sareeram Ariyunnathu
  • Snehavirunnu
  • Urangan Vayya
  • Vishudha Chumbanam

Translations

Others
  • Cinemayude Idangal (essays)
  • Ethetho Saranikalil (travelogue)
  • Mechilsthalangal (essays)
  • Paralmeen Neenthunna Paadam (autobiography)
  • Saannidhyam (memoirs and travel notes)
  • Sugandha Sasyangalkidayiloode (memoirs)
  • Yathrapathangalil

Filmography
Story
story, screenplay and dialogues

Awards

References
  1. "Kerala Sahitya Akademi Awards". Archived from the original on 24 September 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  2. "Novelist C.V. Balakrishnan Chosen for Padmaprabha Award". Outlook. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  3. "Book of life"
  4. "കേരള സാഹിത്യ അക്കാദമി അവാർഡുകൾ പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചു; വി.ജെ.ജയിംസിന്റെ 'നിരീശ്വരൻ' മികച്ച നോവൽ". ManoramaOnline. 23 January 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
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