Kozhikode: Years ago, Balan (Gandhimathi Balan) was watching a movie in a theatre in Thiruvananthapuram. The chair he was sitting in was in terrible condition, and his shirt was torn. When he complained about the same to the theatre employee, he gave a sarcastic response: 'If you want to comfortably watch the movie, you will have to buy this theatre'.

The cold response from the owner is what prompted the late Malayalam producer to buy the theatre. He later renovated the theatres and named them Dhanya and Ramya. 

In the years that followed, Balan, who passed away on Wednesday, became a film producer and went on to produce some of the most iconic movies in the Malayalam industry. He was the most sought-after producer, distributor, and close friend of Padmarajan, K G George, and Venu Nagavally.

Born into a family involved in the farming sector, Balan, whose real name was KPB Nair, was an active member of the local library movement during his childhood. He completed his graduation from St. Thomas College, Kozhencherry, and shifted to Thiruvananthapuram after his marriage.

Being a theatre owner helped Balan befriend the producers and actors in the industry. He was also close to Balachandra Menon, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Century Kochumon. The friendship helped Balan try his luck as a film producer. 

In 1982, Balan became the producer of Balachandra Menon's film 'Ithiri Neram Othiri Karyam'. He later produced K G George's 'Panchavadi Palam', J Sasikumar's 'Pathamudayam', and Venu Nagavally's 'Sukhamo Devi'.

He became close with Padmarajan after meeting him during the preview of the movie 'Mangalam Nerunnu'. He later produced Padmarajan's 'Nombarathi Poovu', 'Moonnam Pakkam', 'Thoovanathumbikal', and 'Ee Thanutha Veluppan Kalathu' (directed by Joshiy). 

Initially, he was a distributor of the iconic movie 'Thoovanathumbikal'. During the filming, producer Stanly had a heart attack, and Balan stepped in to assist Padmarajan in finishing the project. Balan went as far as crediting Stanley as the producer when the movie was released. This is how he expressed his thoughts on the matter afterwards: "Stanley was the person who unearthed the gem that is the movie Thoovanathumbikal. This choice was made with the understanding that a name alone cannot accomplish anything."

Balan was really affected by Padmarajan's untimely demise. While returning from the funeral, Balan's car met with an accident, and he was bedridden for a long time. When he returned to normal life, he distanced himself from the film industry.