T. S. Balaiah

**Tirunelveli S. Balaiah** (; 23 August 1914 – 22 July 1972) was an Indian actor best known for playing supporting roles in the Tamil films. He was introduced to the cine field by director Ellis R. Dungan in Sathi Leelavathi (1936), along with M. G. Ramachandran, N. S. Krishnan and M.K. Radha. He was one of the very few actors who excelled as a villain, as well as in character roles and comic roles.

## Early life

T. S. Balaiah was born on 23 August 1914. He was born in Sundankottai, now in Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu. He ran away from home at young age and joined a Circus. Later joined Jagannatha Iyer’s famous drama company which was working in Tirunelveli and from which no turning back.

## Career

Balaiah began his film career through the Tamil film Sathi Leelavathi in 1936. Balaiah played first lead role in Mohini paired opposite Madhuri Devi, where he played elder brother to V. N. Janaki and supporting role by M. G. Ramachandran. He gained lot of weight at the age of 40 in 1954, hence started getting more character roles.  Among his villain roles, Ambikapathy, Madurai Veeran, Thaikkupin Tharam, Hello Mister Zamindar and Thiruvilaiyadal were critically acclaimed. Balaiah also excelled in comedy roles in movies such as Kavalai Illaadha Manithan, Kadhalikka Neramillai, Bama Vijayam and Thillana Mohanambal. Actor Sivaji Ganesan had once mentioned that Balaiah along with M. R. Radha was his most admired actor.

## Personal life

Actress Manochithra is his daughter, while one of his sons Junior Balaiah has also appeared in films. Another son, Sai Baba, was part of MSV's troupe and sang a few song.

## Partial filmography

|Year|Movie||Role|Director|Notes|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1972|_Agathiyar_|||||
|1969|_Kanne Pappa_||K. R. Vijaya, R. Muthuraman, Baby Rani|P. Madhavan||
|1968|_Thillana Mohanambal_|||A. P. Nagarajan||
|1967|_Ooty Varai Uravu_||Vedachalam|C. V. Sridhar||
|1967|_Bama Vijayam_||Ethiraj|K. Balachander||
|1966|_Yarukaka Azhudan_|||||
|1965|_Vaazhkai Padagu_|||C. Srinivasan||
|1965|_Thiruvilayadal_||Hemanatha Bagavathar|A. P. Nagarajan||
|1965|_Hello Mister Zamindar_|||K. J. Mahadevan||
|1964|_Karuppu Panam_||Sattanathan|G. R. Nathan||
|1964|_Kaadhalikka Neramillai_||Vishwanathan|C.V.Sridhar||
|1962|Kavitha||Malaiyappan|T.R. Raghunath||
|1961|_Thayilla Pillai_||Pathanjali Sasthri|L. V. Prasad||
|1961|_Pavamanippu_|||||
|1961|_Kumara Raja_||Wealthy man (Chandrababu's father)|G. K. Ramu||
|1960|_Kavalai Illaadha Manithan_|||K.Sankar||
|1960|_Parthiban Kanavu_||Marappa Bhupathi|D. Yoganand||
|1959|_Vaazha Vaitha Deivam_|||M. A. Thirumugam||
|1959|_Orey Vazhi_|||K. Shankar||
|1959|_Bhaaga Pirivinai_|||A.Bhimsingh||
|1957|_Neelamalai Thirudan_||Police Inspector|M. A. Thirumugam||
|1957|_Allauddin Adhbhuta Deepam_|||||
|1956|_Kaalam Maari Pochu_|||Tapi Chanakya||
|1956|_Madurai Veeran_||Thalapathi Marappan|Yoganand||
|1955|_Maaman Magal_||Kanniyappan|R. S. Mani||
|1955|_Chella Pillai_||Director Yaman|M. V. Raman||
|1954|_Nallakalam_|||K. Vembu, J. Sinha||
|1954|_Ratha Paasam_||Madhu|R.S.Mani||
|1953|_Gunasagari_ (Kannada film)|||H.L.N. Simha||
|1951|_Manamagal_|||N.S.Krishnan||
|1950|_Ezhai Padum Padu_|||Ramnath||
|1949|_Velaikkari_||Mani|A.S.A.Samy||
|1946|_Chitra_|||Wahab Kashmiri||
|1945|_Meera_||Jayaman|Ellis Dungan||
|1945|_Burma Rani_|||T. R. Sundaram||
|1937|_Ambikapathy_||Rudrasenan|Ellis Dungan||
|1936|_Sathi Leelavathi_|||Ellis Dungan||

## Other websites

- http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2319/stories/20061006000707900.htm
- The Three-in-One T. S. Balaiah in My Movie Minutes
- 100 years of laughter