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'After the success of Manjummel Boys, I was jobless for two years': Filmmaker Chidambaram on new film Balan
The film revolves around a teenager's search for his mother and has stunning visuals that are likely to make an impression
- PUBLISHED: Thu 18 Jun 2026, 4:36 PM
Two years after his super successful and much acclaimed Manjummel Boys, director Chidambaram S. Poduval is all set for his next release Balan : The Boy. The film revolves around a teenager's search for his mother. The psychological thriller has stunning visuals that are sure to stay with you, interspersing elements of childhood, trauma, familiar but dark spaces, a frantic search for the mother, and more.
“There is a certain level of expectation after Manjummel Boys and for the audience that has trusted us, we aim to deliver a good film. The pressure is there but sometimes, I delete the pressure and go to work,” says Chidambaram who was flooded with offers post his second film.
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“Lots of doors opened after Manjummel Boys and everything was big and would take a lot of time. I was confused, sad, jobless for two years despite a successful film. As I was sitting around, actor Sachin, who is also my friend, told me that director Jithu Madhavan who directed films such as Aavesham and Romancham has a few stories.”
The duo met and hit off, and Chidambaram picked up on one of Jithu’s best stories of a child in search of his mother. “The story and screenplay is by Jithu but we sat together to write 10 drafts,” says Chidambaram.
So, how do two directors work together? Especially if one of them has turned writer for the film.
“As directors, both of us have a different language of filmmaking. I had to first make Balan my own film and Jithu was very helpful in that process. He was busy with his Suriya project but he still managed to travel with me for three months. He understands me well and he knows that he can let me take over.”
The film stars child actor Adhisheshan K.R. as Balan and Farzana Palathingal as his mother.
Was it a task directing a child actor? “ No, I was very lucky to have had a very bright child like him act in my film. He understands concepts far better than I imagined.The main task for me was to keep him interested. At the end of the day at 7 pm, after 4 days, he would come and tell me that his battery had drained out and he wanted to go home. Now, the task was to motivate him since we had 80 more days to shoot.”
So how did he handle it? “Adisheshan wants to be a star and that helped. I pointed at Tovi ( Tovino Thomas) and told him, if Tovi comes on time, you can come too and become a big actor like him. When he was too tired and cranky, I would tell him what do you think superstar Mammootty is doing. He would get up and get to work.”
How different was the mother character from the ones we have seen in the past? "She is a normal human being with all the bearings of a protective parent to the child. But she has her moods — is cranky and not the epitome of a filmy mother.”
The 'Thakol' song in the film is an interesting song for children. It is like a rhyme for children.
“Thakol or key in Malayalam is about a frog that loses its key and goes around asking other animals if they saw it. The brief to the lyricist was that the song should be easy, simple and innocent and should be reminded of the poems you learnt in school like the well known Kaake Kaake Kood Evide. We don't have enough literature for kids these days in Malayalam though, a lot of books are being written. This song hopefully will add to that collection.”
Does the frog find the thakol (key) in the end? “When he finally finds the key, it is a snake. This search for the key is the protagonist’s search for the mother that takes him to various kinds of animals. So the question is, does he find the mother he expects ?
The teenaged Balan is played by actor Mohammed Zinaan and Chidambaram feels that a lot will come of him after audiences watch him onscreen.
The film was shown and lauded at the Cannes Film Festival this year. “There were Iraqis, Russians, Italians and French people in the audience and I was watching their faces while they were watching the film. It was a kind of experiment but I noticed that other cultures got it and that it was internationally understood. The concept was universal — wherever there is a child there is a mother and if there is a mother, there has to be a child."
Chidambaram largely works with newcomers in Kerala and he has a theory.
“There are a lot of great actors in Kerala but this film hinges on unpredictability. We don't know the mother character’s next move and that is why I wanted a new face so that you can't predict her next expression."
A lot of praise for the film has come from veteran directors like Priyadarshan and Ram Gopal Verma. “When I meet them I pick on their brains and have meaningful conversations with them. In my Mumbai office, I showed RGV the clips and he loved it. Both directors are great inspirations to my work.”
A big Anurag Kashyap fan, Chidambaram has had lengthy discussions with the ace director. “Anurag hasn't seen Balan yet and said he wants to watch the film in theatres in India, not at Cannes. I met him when I used to assist Rajiv Ravi and whatever he says I take it as golden word.”
With an office in Mumbai, does he have a wish list of Bollywood actors he wants to work with? “A lot of them. The three Khans, Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Vicky Kaushal. Tabu madam is fantastic. So are Kriti Sannon, Kareena Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor…” From working with newcomers in Kerala, Chidambaram is all set to wow stars in Bollywood!