# List of awards and nominations received by K. Balachander

K. Balachander is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer who works mainly in the Tamil film industry. He is well known for his distinct film-making style often dealing with interpersonal relationships and themes of social relevance.
Starting his career as a playwright, he made his cinematic debut as a dialog writer for Dheiva Thaai in 1964. The following year he made his directional debut through Neer Kumizhi a film based on his own play. He secured his first National Film Award for Iru Kodugal, a family drama film released in 1969. His 1975 film Apoorva Raagangal won the award for the Best Feature Film in Tamil. The 1981 Tamil film Thanneer Thanneer that dealt with social issues such as water scarcity and political corruption fetched him the National Film Award for Best Screenplay and the Best Regional Film award. He started his own production house in 1981 and named it Kavithalayaa Productions which produced several of his award-winning films like Achamillai Achamillai and Sindhu Bhairavi. His three films were included in CNN-IBNs List of the 100 Greatest Indian Films of All Time - Maro Charitra, Ek Duuje ke liye and Thanneer Thanneer. He also made forays into Telugu cinema, Hindi cinema and Kannada cinema. His Maro Charitra and its Hindi remake Ek Duuje Ke Liye were huge box-office success and received critical acclaim. For Ek Duuje Ke Liye he received three Filmfare nominations—Best Story, Best Screenplay and Best Director—eventually winning the award for the Best Screenplay. The film was highly responsible in catapulting Balachander to national acclaim. Rudraveena fetched him the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration in 1988. Four years later Roja, a Kavithaalaya production won the same award.
As of 2013, Balachander has directed over 80 films and has worked in more than 100 films either as director or a screenwriter. In 1987 he was honoured with the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour. He has won nine National Film Awards and multiple Filmfare Awards. Balachander is also a recipient of various state awards like the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards and the Nandi Awards, instituted by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. In 2010 the Dadasaheb Phalke Award was bestowed upon him for his contributions to Indian cinema; he was the second personality and the first director from Tamil cinema to receive the award. The following year he was awarded with the ANR National Award by the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

## Civilian honors

| Year | Award | Honouring body | Outcome | Ref |
| 1987 | Padmashri | Government of India | Won | |

## National Film Awards

| Year | Film | Category | Outcome | Ref |
| 1969 | Iru Kodugal | Best Tamil Film | Won | |
| 1975 | Apoorva Raagangal | Best Tamil Film | Won | |
| 1981 | Thaneer Thaneer | Best Tamil Film | Won | |
| 1981 | Thaneer Thaneer | Best Screenplay | Won | |
| 1984 | Achamillai Achamillai | Best Tamil Film | Won | |
| 1988 | Rudraveena | Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration | Won | |
| 1991 | Oru Veedu Iru Vaasal | National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues | Won | |
| 1992 | Roja | Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration | Won | |
| 2010 | Dadasaheb Phalke Award | Dadasaheb Phalke Award | Won | . |

## Filmfare Awards

| Year | Film | Category | Outcome |
| 1981 | Ek Duuje Ke Liye | Best Screenplay | Won |
| 1981 | Ek Duuje Ke Liye | Best Director | Nominated |
| 1981 | Ek Duuje Ke Liye | Best Story | Nominated |

## Filmfare Awards South

Balachander holds the record for being nominated for the Filmfare Best Tamil Director Award most number of times, being eighteen. He has won the award 7 times.
| Year | Film | Language | Category | Outcome |
| 1974 | Aval Oru Thodar Kathai | Tamil | Best Tamil Director | Won |
| 1975 | Apoorva Raagangal | Tamil | Best Tamil Director | Won |
| 1976 | Moondru Mudichu | Tamil | Best Tamil Director | Nominated |
| 1976 | Anthuleni Katha | Telugu | Best Telugu Director | Nominated |
| 1977 | Avargal | Tamil | Best Tamil Director | Nominated |
| 1978 | Maro Charitra | Telugu | Best Telugu Director | Won |
| 1979 | Ninaithale Inikkum | Tamil | Best Tamil Director | Nominated |
| 1979 | Guppedu Manasu | Telugu | Best Telugu Director | Nominated |
| 1980 | Varumayin Niram Sivappu | Tamil | Best Director | Won |
| 1981 | Thaneer Thaneer | Tamil | Best Director | Won |
| 1982 | Agni Sakshi | Tamil | Best Tamil Director | Nominated |
| 1984 | Achamillai Achamillai | Tamil | Best Film | Won |
| 1984 | Achamillai Achamillai | Tamil | Best Director | Won |
| 1985 | Sindhu Bhairavi | Tamil | Best Director | Won |
| 1985 | Sindhu Bhairavi | Tamil | Best Director | Nominated |
| 1986 | Punnagai Mannan | Tamil | Best Director | Nominated |
| 1988 | Rudraveena | Tamil | Best Director | Nominated |
| 1988 | Unnal Mudiyum Thambi | Tamil | Best Director | Nominated |
| 1989 | Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal | Tamil | Best Director | Won |
| 1990 | Oru Veedu Iru Vaasal | Tamil | Best Director | Nominated |
| 1991 | Azhagan | Tamil | Best Director | Nominated |
| 1992 | Roja | Tamil | Best Film | Won |
| 1992 | Vaaname Ellai | Tamil | Best Director | Won |
| 1993 | Jathi Malli | Tamil | Best Director | Nominated |
| 1994 | Lifetime Achievement Award | Lifetime Achievement Award | Lifetime Achievement Award | Won |
| 2004 | Saamy | Tamil | Best Film | Nominated |
| 2006 | Ayya | Tamil | Best Film | Nominated |

## Government of Tamil Nadu

| Year | Award | Honouring body | Outcome | Ref |
| 1973 | Kalaimamani | Government of Tamil Nadu | Won | |
| 1992 | Arignar Anna Award | Government of Tamil Nadu | Won | |

## Honorary doctorate

| Year | Honour | Honouring body | Outcome |
| 2005 | Doctor of Letters | Sathyabama University | Won |
| 2005 | Doctor of Letters | Alagappa University | Won |
| 2007 | Doctor of Letters | Madras University | Won |

## Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

| Year | Film | Category | Outcome |
| 1968 | Ethir Neechal, Thamarai Nenjam | Best Dialogue Writer | Won |
| 1978 | Thappu Thalangal | Best Dialogue Writer | Won |
| 1980 | Varumayin Niram Sivappu | Best Director | Won |
| 1982 | Agni Sakshi | Best Film (Second prize) | Won |
| 1989 | Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal | Best Director | Won |
| 1989 | Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal | Best Film (Second prize) | Won |
| 1992 | Vaaname Ellai | Story Writer | Won |
| 1992 | Vaaname Ellai | Special Prize (Best Film) | Won |
| 1992 | Roja | Best Film (First prize) | Won |
| 1993 | Jathi Malli | Best Film (First prize) | Won |
| 1990 | Various films | Tamil Nadu State Film Honorary Award | Won |

## Nandi Awards

| Year | Film | Category | Outcome |
| 1976 | Anthuleni Katha | Best Feature Film (Third prize) | Won |
| 1981 | Tholikodi Koosindi | Best Feature Film (Second prize) | Won |
| 1981 | Tholikodi Koosindi | Best Director | Won |
| 1982 | Kokilamma | Best Screenplay | Won |

## Santhome Awards

| Year | Film | Category | Outcome | Ref |
| 1988 | Manathil Uruthi Vendum | Best Film | Won | |

## ANR National Award

| Year | Recipient | Outcome | Ref |
| 2010 | K. Balachander | Won | |

## Cine Technicians Association Awards

| Year | Film | Award | Category | Outcome | Ref |
| 1983 | – | – | Best Technician | Won | |
| 1988 | Rudraveena | MGR Award | Best Director | Won | |

## Other awards

* The TV series Kai Alavu Manasu written and directed by him won the Onida Pinnacle Award in 1995.
* "Lifetime Achievement award" at the 39th International Film Festival of India in 2008.
* Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan Award for Excellence in Indian Cinema, Vijay Awards awarded in 2011