Balakumaran, veteran novelist passes away

Balakumaran (71), the veteran Tamil novelist, has passed away in Chennai, Tamil Nadu on May 15, 2018. He was famous for his novels like ‘Mercury Pookal’ and ‘Irumbu Kuthiraigal’ which earned him a good fan following. He created strong women characters, probably cast in the mould of his mother, whom he adored. Balakumaran in a way also liberated women in his works. He had a strained relationship with his father. He also published a number of short stories and later entered Tamil cinema through script and dialogue writing. He had worked with top two stars Rajinkanth (film “Baasha”) and Kamal Haasan (“Nayagan” and “Guna”). Balakumaran was a recipient of a number of awards, including the state government’s ‘Kalaimamani’ honour.