Santhy Balachandran

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Santhy Balachandran
Born
EducationPost-graduation in Anthropology
Alma materOxford University
OccupationActress
Years active2017–present

Santhy Balachandran is an Indian film and theatre actress who works predominantly in Malayalam cinema.[1][2] She made her feature film debut as the heroine in the 2017 Malayalam comedy thriller film Tharangam, opposite to Tovino Thomas.[3]

Career[edit]

Theatre[edit]

Santhy played the lead role in Harold Pinter's play The Lover directed by Sanal Aman. After the play was staged in Kochi she was approached by director Arun Dominic with an offer of a role in his film Tharangam.[4] She has also acted in plays including A Very Normal Family directed by Roshan Mathew were she played Sweety. She was approached to play the role after her performance in The Lover.[5]

Feature films[edit]

Santhy made her feature film debut in Arun Dominic's fantasy black comedy film Tharangam (2017), opposite Tovino Thomas. Her role was that of a contemporary girl, Malini, who is in a relationship with Pappan, played by Thomas.[6] Santhy described her character as a "bold, independent guest lecturer who is quite a bossy and serious type but ends up being funny".[4] Reviewer Anjana George of The Times of India wrote that Santhy "deserves a special mention as she has given life to Malu, the otherwise loving girlfriend with an interesting psychological disorder, pretty well".[7] She played the lead role in Randu per which went on to be included in the International competition section of International Film Festival of Kerala in 2017.[8] She played a young lady on the verge of break-up in the film.[9] The film was released in 2021 through OTT platforms.[10]

She enacted the only female character in Lijo Jose Pellissery's Jallikkattu (2018) where she played Sophie, "somebody with her own agenda and who is no pushover", according to Santhy.[11] She also added that "it was interesting to be cast as a character who was very unlike her and that she had to run up against the idea that she was too urban and cannot be cast in a role that is rooted in the local space".[12] In the 2020 film Paapam Cheyyathavar Kalleriyatte she played Linda who according to her takes "actions that are abnormal by others’ standards, but is doing what comes naturally to her“. She admitted that "it was a challenge to be impulsive without being over-the-top".[13] Sajin Shrijith of The New Indian Express wrote: "Santhy Balachandran shines in a role that evokes the yesteryear performances of Revathi and Urvashi".[14] In 2021, she featured in Bibin Paul Samuel's film Aaha, co-starring Indrajith Sukumaran.[15][16] Arun George of OnManorama labelled her performance as Mary "powerful and graceful".[17]

Santhy starred opposite Soubin Shahir in the fantasy drama film Djinn, directed by Siddharth Bharathan.[18] She also appeared in Siddharth Bharathan's Chathuram opposite Swasika, Alencier Ley Lopez and Roshan Mathew.[19]

Filmography[edit]

Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Film Role Notes Ref.
2017 Tharangam Malini [20]
2019 Jallikkattu Sophie [21]
2020 Paapam Cheyyathavar Kalleriyatte Linda [22]
2021 Randuper Ria OTT release [23]
Aaha Mary [24]
2022 Chathuram Jijimol [25]
2023 Djinn Safa [26]
Gulmohar Reshma Saeed Hindi debut
Hotstar release
[27]
Ennennum Devi [28]
TBA Sambhava Vivaranam Naalara Sangham Filming [29]

Web series[edit]

Year Series Role Notes Ref.
2019 Meen Aviyal Assistant director & Dubbing artist [citation needed]
2023 Sweet Kaaram Coffee Niveditha Tamil debut [30]

Music videos[edit]

Year Film Role Director Notes Ref.
2021 Oblivion Dominic Arun Writer & Executive Producer [31]

Personal life[edit]

Santhy hails from Kottayam district of Kerala.[32] She has lived in different parts of India because of her parents' transferable jobs.[12] She holds a postgraduate degree in anthropology from Oxford University.[33] She is also an artist who has conducted six solo exhibitions in various cities and has been part of various group exhibitions.[4]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Native, Digital (4 September 2019). "Santhy Balachandran will be part of Lijo Jose Pellissery's 'Jallikattu'". The News Minute. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  2. ^ "ACT One, Scene One". The Hindu. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Tharangam – the curious case of Kallan Pavithran". Manorama Online.
  4. ^ a b c "Santhy Balachandran's lucky stars". Deccan Chronicle. 4 June 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  5. ^ Cris (4 February 2019). "'A Very Normal Family' at Mathrubhumi Lit Fest: Meet the fun cast and crew". The News Minute. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  6. ^ Meera, Suresh (2 June 2017). "'I had vibrant days on the sets of Tharangam' Meet Santhy Balachandran, the lead lady in the Tovino Thomas-starrer". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  7. ^ Anjana George. "Tharangam Movie Review". The Times of India.
  8. ^ Thangal, Shihabudeen (9 December 2017). "Got many offers, yet to commit new projects: Shanthi Balachandran". English.Mathrubhumi. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Of Human relationships : Randuper". The New Indian Express. 10 December 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  10. ^ Anasuya Menon (9 July 2021). "Malayalam film 'Randuper' to be released across OTT platforms". The Hindu. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  11. ^ "Santhy Balachandran plays Sophie in 'Jallikkattu'". The Times of India. 14 September 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  12. ^ a b Mathews, Anna (23 October 2019). "Santhy Balachandran: Happy Lijo Jose Pellissery could see me as a character in the local space". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  13. ^ "I would love to play flawed characters : Santhy Balachandran". The News Minute. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  14. ^ "Paapam Cheyyathavar Kalleriyatte movie review: A well-written, superbly staged satire". The New Indian Express. 22 February 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  15. ^ Mathews, Anna (8 May 2020). "Santhy Balachandran: Dubbing for Aaha, energy levels were off the charts". The Times of India. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  16. ^ "Santhy Balachandran is the heroine in 'Aaha'!". Sify. 3 September 2019. Archived from the original on 3 September 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  17. ^ Arun George. "Aaha', the sports drama Malayalam has long deserved". On Manorama.
  18. ^ Mathews, Anna (26 March 2020). "Santhy Balachandran: I was thrilled to be able to learn and bond with the talented Djinn team'". The Times of India. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  19. ^ "Sidharth Bharathan's next film is Chathuram". On Manorama. 13 February 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  20. ^ George, Anjana (2 November 2017). "Black is still the old black : In Mollywood, colour prejudice is as alive as ever". The Times of India. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  21. ^ Shrijith, Sajin (19 September 2019). "I'm grateful to have been part of 'Jallikattu': Santhy Balachandran". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  22. ^ Staff, Onmanorama (2 February 2020). "Arun Kurian and Santhy Balachandran's 'save the date' photo is viral!..." Onmanorama. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  23. ^ "New divas of Mollywood | Santhy Balachandran". The Times of India. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  24. ^ .Com, TimesOfIndia (4 March 2020). "Santhy Balachandran sharing the teaser, says, 'Aaha' is a film that is very close to my heart'". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  25. ^ "Roshan Mathew's character in Sidharth Bharathan's film Chathuram aims to go abroad". The Times of India. 27 July 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  26. ^ .Com, TimesOfIndia (10 March 2020). "Santhy Balachandran in 'Djinn': The Sidharth Bharathan directorial is heading towards its final schedule". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  27. ^ Lijin K Eappen (29 December 2022). "നാടകത്തിൽ അഭിനയിച്ചപ്പോൾ ആത്മവിശ്വാസം തോന്നി, കഥാപാത്രത്തിൻ്റെ പ്രത്യേകത മേൽവിലാസമായി മാറണം!". Samayam (in Malayalam).
  28. ^ https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/2023/12/13/ennennum-movie-shalini-ushadevi-iffk-2023-screening.html
  29. ^ https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2024/jan/16/krishands-sambhava-vivaranam-naalara-sangham-begins-51280.html
  30. ^ "Lakshmi, Madhoo and Santhy Balachandran team up for Sweet Kaaram Coffee". Cinema Express. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  31. ^ Mathews, Anna (14 June 2021). "Santhy Balachandran: I had fun telling a layered story in Oblivion music video". The Times of India.
  32. ^ മേലേടത്ത്, ധന്യ. "ജീപ്പിന്റെ ടയറുകള്‍ മണലില്‍ താഴ്ന്നു, ആ രാത്രി ശരിക്കും ഭയന്നു; അനുഭവം പറഞ്ഞ് ശാന്തി". Manorama Online. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  33. ^ Soman, Deepa (10 August 2017). "Santhy gives anthropology a break to play a 'bossy' babe". The Times of India. Retrieved 23 May 2021.

External links[edit]