Quick Info
| Profession | Filmmaker, Screenwriter |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Date of Birth | 09/01/1965 |
| Age | 61 years |
| Birthplace | Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India |
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Bio/Wiki
| Real Name | R. Balakrishnan |
|---|---|
| Nickname | R. Balki |
| Zodiac sign/Sun sign | Capricorn |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Ethnicity | Tamil |
Physical Stats & More
| Height | 5' 10" |
|---|---|
| Weight | 80 kg |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Salt & Pepper |
Educational Qualification(s)
| College | Not Known |
|---|---|
| Educational Qualification | Graduate (was expelled from a Masters in Computer Application (MCA) course owing to poor attendance) |
Personal Life
| Hobbies | Watching Cricket and Movies |
|---|
Relationships & More
| Marital Status | Married |
|---|---|
| Affairs/Girlfriends | Gauri Shinde |
| Wife/Spouse | Gauri Shinde (Filmmaker) |
| Marriage Date | Year- 2007 |
Family
| Father | Name |
|---|---|
| Mother | Name |
| Spouse | Gauri Shinde |
Career
| Debut | Direction: Cheeni Kum (2007) |
|---|---|
| Favourite Director | Ramesh Sippy, Manmohan Desai, SS Rajamouli, Balu Mahendra, Mani Ratnam |
| Favourite Music Composer | Ilaiyaraaja |
| Favourite Films | Bollywood: Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Neerja |
| Favourite Actors | Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan |
| Favourite Sport | Cricket |
| Advertising Career Start | 1989 (Mudra Communications) |
| Advertising Role | Creative Director at Lowe Lintas (1994 onwards), Former Group Chairman of Lowe Lintas (India) |
| Notable Ad Campaigns | Daag Achche Hain (Surf Excel), Jaago Re (Tata Tea) |
| Advertising Transition | 2011 (left Lowe Lintas to focus on filmmaking) |
| Directorial Debut | Cheeni Kum (2007) |
| Notable Films | Paa (2009), Ki & Ka (2016), Pad Man (2018), Mission Mangal (2019), Shamitabh, Chup: Revenge of The Artist (2022) |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. R. Balki smokes. | |
| 2. R. Balki drinks alcohol. | |
| 3. Balki's father was a film fanatic and often took him to cinema halls in their younger years. | |
| 4. At the time, Balki lived in Bangalore and wanted to join a prestigious film institute. | |
| 5. Due to his strong interests in Cricket and Movies, Balki struggled with meeting the class attendance requirements. | |
| 6. He noticed an advertisement in the newspaper posted by Ramesh Sippy's ad agency, Mudra, asking applicants to describe themselves in 100 words. | |
| 7. Balki created well-known TV ad taglines such as 'Daag Ache Hai' (Surf Excel) and Jaago Re (Tata Tea). | |
| 8. He rose quickly in his career and became the former Group Chairman of the advertising agency, Lowe Lintas. | |
| 9. Balki transitioned into directing feature films, starting with Cheeni Kum (2007) starring Amitabh Bachchan and Tabu. | |
| 10. As of June 2017, Balki has directed 4 commercial movies, all featuring Amitabh Bachchan. | |
| 11. His wife, Gauri Shinde, also transitioned from the ad-film industry. | |
| 12. His films are characterized by strong performances, innovative storytelling, and memorable dialogues that challenge societal norms. | |
| 13. The 'Daag Achche Hain' campaign challenged traditional stigmas associated with stains and celebrated the everyday dirt and grime of childhood. |