# Manobala
**Manobala** (மனோபாலா) was the stage name of Balachandar (8 December 1953 – 3 May 2023), an Indian actor, director, producer, and comedian who worked mainly in Tamil-language cinema. He began his film career behind the camera as an assistant director to [Bharathiraja](https://www.edgepedia.org/bharathiraja), directed films for major stars through the 1980s and 1990s, and from the 2000s worked chiefly as a supporting and comic actor, appearing in more than 200 films[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1007581/fullcredits) • [2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/veteran-comedian-manobala-passes-away-42974.html).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / died | 1953; 3 May 2023, aged 69, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1007581/fullcredits) |
| Birth name | Balachandar; he adopted the pen and stage name Manobala while writing about cinema[3](https://bbclatestnews.pages.dev/tamil/articles/cpw246p2155o) |
| Entry into film | Assistant director to Bharathiraja from 1979's *Puthiya Vaarpugal*, on a recommendation from Kamal Haasan[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/veteran-comedian-manobala-passes-away-42974.html) • [4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/) |
| Directing debut | *Aagaya Gangai* (1982), starring Karthik and Suhasini[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/veteran-comedian-manobala-passes-away-42974.html) |
| Output | More than 200 films as an actor; 24 films as director[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/veteran-comedian-manobala-passes-away-42974.html) |
| Notable directing | *Oorkavalan* (1987) with Rajinikanth, *Pillai Nilla* (1985) with Mohan, *En Purushanthaan Enakku Mattumthaan* (1989) with Vijayakanth[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/veteran-comedian-manobala-passes-away-42974.html) |
| Producing | *Sathuranga Vettai* (2014), the debut of director H. Vinoth, plus *Pambu Sattai* and *Sathuranga Vettai 2*[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/) |
| Family | Survived by his wife Usha and son Harish[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/) |
## Early life and entry into cinema
Manobala was born in Marungoor, in [Tamil Nadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-nadu)[5](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2062012/). His birth name was Balachandar, and he worked in the film industry from the 1970s with the ambition of becoming a director; it was at this stage that Balachandar became Manobala[3](https://bbclatestnews.pages.dev/tamil/articles/cpw246p2155o). He entered the industry as an assistant director to Bharathiraja, beginning with *Puthiya Vaarpugal* (1979), after a recommendation from the actor [Kamal Haasan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kamal-haasan)[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/veteran-comedian-manobala-passes-away-42974.html) • [4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/).
## Directing career
Manobala made his debut as a director with *Aagaya Gangai* (1982), with [Suhasini Maniratnam](https://www.edgepedia.org/suhasini-maniratnam) and Karthik in the lead roles; it was the first of many collaborations between the director and the actress[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/veteran-comedian-manobala-passes-away-42974.html) • [6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/suhasini-maniratnam-you-can-never-find-a-director-who-can-plan-as-well-as-manobala-8589458/lite/). Suhasini Maniratnam, who acted in and assisted on several of his films, described him as a director of exceptional planning and recalled that he had a strong sense of music, dance, art, and costume[6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/suhasini-maniratnam-you-can-never-find-a-director-who-can-plan-as-well-as-manobala-8589458/lite/).
Through the 1980s and 1990s he directed films for the leading stars of the period, helming movies of [Rajinikanth](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajinikanth), Vijayakanth, Sivaji Ganesan, and Prabhu[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/). His noted directorials include *Pillai Nilla* (1985), a horror film headlined by Mohan, *Oorkavalan* (1987) with Rajinikanth, which was a box-office hit, and *En Purushanthaan Enakku Mattumthaan* (1989) with [Vijayakanth](https://www.edgepedia.org/vijayakanth), one of his most successful movies[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/veteran-comedian-manobala-passes-away-42974.html) • [4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/). He also worked outside [Tamil cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-cinema): he directed the Hindi film *Mera Pati Sirf Mera Hai* (1990), starring Jeetendra and Rekha, and sources describe him as a director in Tamil and Kannada cinema as well[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/) • [7](https://www.manoramaonline.com/news/latest-news/2023/05/03/actor-director-manobala-passes-away-at-in-chennai.html).
Counts of his directorial work differ by medium. Cinema Express credits him with 24 films as director[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/veteran-comedian-manobala-passes-away-42974.html), while Filmibeat Tamil puts the total at 40 films, 16 television serials, and 3 television films[8](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/celebs/manobala/biography.html). His IMDb filmography lists 22 directing credits, including the television film *Siragugal* (1999) and serials such as *Nandhini* (1997)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1007581/fullcredits).
## Acting career
In the 2000s Manobala turned to acting full time and became popular for his distinctive body language and intonation[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/). He played supporting and comic roles alongside the biggest stars of Tamil cinema, sharing screen space with Vijayakanth, Sathyaraj, Mohan, Rajinikanth, Ajith, and Vijay[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/veteran-comedian-manobala-passes-away-42974.html). Among his most noted performances are those in *Ghajini*, *Abhiyum Naanum*, *Thuppakki*, *Yaaradi Nee Mohini*, *Chandramukhi*, and *[Thamizh Padam](https://www.edgepedia.org/thamizh-padam)*[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/veteran-comedian-manobala-passes-away-42974.html) • [4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/). In *Thuppakki* (2012) he played Nisha's father, and in *Anniyan* (2005) he appeared as a ticket collector[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1007581/fullcredits). He also acted in Telugu and Malayalam films[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/).
His output in this phase was steady: IMDb lists 276 acting credits[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1007581/fullcredits), and his later films include *Bigil* (2019), *Naai Sekar* (2022), *[Aranmanai 3](https://www.edgepedia.org/aranmanai-3)* (2021), *Leo* (2023), and his final releases *Ghosty* and *Kondraal Paavam* (both 2023)[9](https://www.studioflicks.com/person/manobala/) • [2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/veteran-comedian-manobala-passes-away-42974.html).
## Producing and other work
As a producer, Manobala backed *[Sathuranga Vettai](https://www.edgepedia.org/sathuranga-vettai)* (2014), the directorial debut of [H. Vinoth](https://www.edgepedia.org/h-vinoth), which became a commercial success, and later *Pambu Sattai* and *Sathuranga Vettai 2*[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/) • [3](https://bbclatestnews.pages.dev/tamil/articles/cpw246p2155o). He also appeared on television serials and reality shows, including *Cooku with Comali*[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/) • [3](https://bbclatestnews.pages.dev/tamil/articles/cpw246p2155o).
On his YouTube channel, Manobala's Waste Paper, he regularly uploaded interviews with popular film personalities and shared his own recollections of the industry[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/).
## Death
Manobala died on 3 May 2023 at his residence in Saligramam, Chennai, at the age of 69, after a liver-related ailment for which he had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital for about 15 days[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1007581/fullcredits) • [2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/veteran-comedian-manobala-passes-away-42974.html) • [4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/). Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, and many other figures of Tamil cinema publicly expressed their condolences[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/) • [10](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/kamal-haasan-pays-tributes-to-manobala-42980.html).
## References
1. [Manobala (1953–2023), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1007581/fullcredits)
2. [Veteran director and actor Manobala passes away, Cinema Express (3 May 2023)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/veteran-comedian-manobala-passes-away-42974.html)
3. [இயக்குநரும் நடிகருமான மனோபாலா காலமானார், BBC News தமிழ் (3 May 2023)](https://bbclatestnews.pages.dev/tamil/articles/cpw246p2155o)
4. [Actor-filmmaker Manobala passes away at 69, The Indian Express (3 May 2023)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/actor-filmmaker-manobala-passes-away-at-69-8589206/lite/)
5. [Manobala, EL Cinema](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2062012/)
6. [Suhasini Maniratnam: 'You will never find a director who can plan as well as Manobala', The Indian Express (3 May 2023)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/suhasini-maniratnam-you-can-never-find-a-director-who-can-plan-as-well-as-manobala-8589458/lite/)
7. [പ്രമുഖ തമിഴ് ചലച്ചിത്ര നടന് മനോ ബാല അന്തരിച്ചു, Manorama News (3 May 2023)](https://www.manoramaonline.com/news/latest-news/2023/05/03/actor-director-manobala-passes-away-at-in-chennai.html)
8. [மனோபாலா பயோடேட்டா, Filmibeat Tamil](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/celebs/manobala/biography.html)
9. [Manobala filmography, StudioFlicks](https://www.studioflicks.com/person/manobala/)
10. [Kamal Haasan pays tributes to Manobala, Cinema Express (3 May 2023)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2023/May/03/kamal-haasan-pays-tributes-to-manobala-42980.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Tamil film actors › Surnames K to P*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license