Chennai: Septuagenarian Dhakshaini S was at director K. Balachander’s house on Wednesday.Although she is not connected to the legendary director or associated with the film industry in any way, she went to his residence on Warren Road only to have a glimpse of her favourite filmmaker, a desire that she had had since the 1960s.“My bus stopped at Luz corner. I came walking from there. Inspired by his movies, I always wanted to act and as a young girl I tried meeting him in vain. Today, I saw him”, said a weeping Dakshaini.
She stepped aside to let a seven-year-old boy living in the neighbourhood catch a glimpse of the legend; he had rushed back from school to do so. The 84-year-old ‘Iyakunar Sigaram’ was indeed a phenomenon.The mood at his Warren Road residence was sombre. Almost everyone from the film industry was there there to pay their last respects to their beloved ‘director sir’. Celebrities consoled the weeping family.
The mood at his Warren Road residence was sombre. Almost everyone from the film industry was there there to pay their last respects to their beloved ‘director sir’. Celebrities consoled the weeping family. His assistants and other close associates stood, surrounding the freezer box. Once the body was lifted, his assistants, Ameer, Samuthirakani, Vasanth and Prakashraj, along with others, accompanied the director’s family in a procession to the Besant Nagar crematorium, thousands of well-wishers in tow.
Throngs of people lined up on both sides of the road to have a glimpse of their beloved filmmaker for the last time. All along the route, in Mylapore, Mandaveli, Adyar and Besant Nagar, people from apartment complexes and commercial high-rise buildings watched the funeral procession as it proceeded to the electric crematorium in Besant Nagar. police had a tough time regulating the crowd. The cremation took place around 5.30 pm.
Those who knew him personally found KB a humble, down-to-earth person, his apartment, filled with books and adorned with photographs, speaking for his simplicity. Maliga.S, who has been working in KB’s house for almost 12 years now, said, “I used to always get excited when I saw his movies on television. I would come next day and share my delight with Amma (K. Balachander’s wife, Rajam). We will all miss him terribly.”
Kalyani, whose husband was Balachander’s driver, said, “I used work in S. S. Rajendran sir’s house and would sometimes come here to clean their house. Sir always loved plants and trees.”
As someone who carved a niche for himself, he was instrumental in bringing many new faces and young talents to the cinema industry. The directors, actors and his friends from the industry who were there to pay their homage said he was their inspiration. He would always be their dear ‘KB sir’.
