B. Lenin

B. Lenin
Lenin during documentary film shoot at the Chavvara Hills, Kerala.
Born
Bhimsingh Lenin

(1947-08-15) 15 August 1947
NationalityIndian
Occupation(s)Film editor, director, writer
Years active1966–present
RelativesA. Bhimsingh (father)

Bhimsingh Lenin is an Indian film editor, writer and director who works in Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi films. The son of Tamil film maker A. Bhimsingh, Lenin entered the film industry as an assistant editor and went on to work in numerous projects before making his debut as an independent editor with Mahendran's Uthiripookkal (1979). In the mid 1980s, Lenin started jointly working with his long-time assistant V. T. Vijayan and the duo has so far edited over a hundred films.[1]

As of 2017, Lenin has won five National Film Awards, including the awards for Best Direction and Best Editing. He was the chairman of the Film Federation of India of India in 2011.

Biography

Lenin was born in a Bondil Rajput family consisting of eight children. His father A. Bhimsingh was a well known director in Tamil and Hindi films.[2] Lenin started his career as an associate director of his father and assisted in editing many of his films.[3] He also had experience as a lab technician and sound engineering department as well.[3]

After several films working as an assistant, Lenin first worked independently on Kalank, a Fiji-based production, in 1978.[4] He made his debut as an independent editor in Indian cinema with the 1979 Tamil film Uthiripookkal which was directed by Mahendran. Although he started as an independent editor, he later associated himself with his assistant V. T. Vijayan, and the duo went on to work together in a number of films during the 80s and 90s, including Nayakan, Geethanjali, Anjali and Kaadhalan, which won them the National Film Award for Best Editing.[5]

He made his directorial debut in 1983 with Ethanai Konam Ethanai Parvai (1983), and went on to direct four feature films and four non-feature films. His short film Knock-out (1992) was critically acclaimed as it went on to win the Islamia critics Award for Best Short Film at the Cairo International Film Festival.[6] It also won the National Film Award for Best First Non-Feature Film of a Director for Lenin.[7] The jury noted: "The director has given us a powerful insight into the labyrinth of the human mind faced with a disaster situation".[7] Three years later, he directed his second short film tilted Kutravali, which won the Best Editing at the 43rd National Film Awards.[6] In 2002, Lenin made Ooruku Nooruper. The film fetched him the Best Direction award, apart from winning the Best Regional Film (Tamil).[3] The film dealt with capital punishment and was received with critical response.[3][8] He has also directed a few TV serials including Solladi Sivasakthi.[7] Lenin has held important positions such as the jury member of 57th National Film Awards (2010) and the chairman of Oscar selection committee (of FFI) in 2011.[6][9] And now he is contributing heavily to the education society thorough various institutions like Pune Film Institute, Lenin now works along with a reputed film institute in Coimbatore named Clusters media college as its dean helping its students gain knowledge in real time professional movie making and guiding them through his wide experience in film industry[10][11]

Selected filmography

As editor

Year Film Language Notes
1979 Uthiripookkal Tamil
1980 Poottaatha Poottukkal Tamil
1981 Panneer Pushpangal Tamil
1982 Kozhi Koovuthu Tamil
Metti Tamil
Azhagiya Kanney Tamil
1983 Pallavi Anu Pallavi Kannada
Ethanai Konam Ethanai Parvai Tamil
1984 Parannu Parannu Parannu Malayalam
Unaroo Malayalam
Sahasame Jeevitham Telugu
Kai Kodukkum Kai Tamil
Pozhuthu Vidinchachu Tamil
1985 Meendum Oru Kaathal Kathai Tamil
Thendrale Ennai Thodu Tamil
Pagal Nilavu Tamil
Idaya Kovil Tamil
Thinkalaazhcha Nalla Divasam Malayalam
1986 Kariyilakkattu Pole Malayalam
Arappatta Kettiya Gramathil Malayalam
Kannukku Mai Ezhuthu Tamil
Desatanakkili Karayarilla Malayalam
Mouna Ragam Tamil
Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal Malayalam
1987 Rithubhedam Malayalam
Nombarathi Poovu Malayalam
Thoovanathumbikal Malayalam
Nayakan Tamil
1988 Solla Thudikuthu Manasu Tamil
Aparan Malayalam
Andru Peytha Mazhaiyil Tamil
Abhinandana Telugu
Daisy Malayalam
Moonnam Pakkam Malayalam
1989 Rajadhi Raja Tamil
Geethanjali Telugu
Ulsavapittennu Malayalam
Innale Malayalam
Apoorva Sagodharargal Tamil
Vetri Vizha Tamil
Season Malayalam
1990 My Dear Marthandan Tamil
Thazhvaram Malayalam
Anjali Tamil
1991 Thalattu Ketkuthamma Tamil
Amaram Malayalam
Thayamma Tamil
Kadavu Malayalam
Chaitanya Telugu
Vasanthakala Paravai Tamil
1992 Singaravelan Tamil
Suriyan Tamil
Magudam Tamil
Malootty Malayalam
Nakshthrakoodaram Malayalam
Aavarampoo Tamil
Meera Tamil
1993 I Love India Tamil
Venkalam Malayalam
Chamayam Malayalam
Athma Tamil
Padheyam Malayalam
Gentleman Tamil
Sopanam Tamil
1994 Priyanka Tamil
Seevalaperi Pandi Tamil
May Madham Tamil
Kaadhalan Tamil National Film Award for Best Editing (shared with V. T. Vijayan)
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Editor
Vanaja Girija Tamil
1995 Lucky Man Tamil
Mogamul Tamil
Mayabazar Tamil
Highway Malayalam
Kutravali Tamil Short film
National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film Editing (also for Oodaha)
Islamia critics Award for Best Short Film
Oodaha Tamil Short film
National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film Editing (also for Kutravali)
1996 Desadanam Malayalam
Mahaprabhu Tamil
Sivasakthi Tamil
Devaraagam Malayalam
Senathipathi Tamil
Indian Tamil
Kadhal Desam Tamil
Alexander Tamil
1997 Oru Yathramozhi Malayalam
Guru Malayalam
Ratchagan Tamil
1998 Kaadhale Nimmadhi Tamil
Velai Tamil
Aval Varuvala Tamil
Kallu Kondoru Pennu Malayalam
Jeans Tamil
1999 Vaalee Tamil
Mudhalvan Tamil
2000 Kushi Tamil
2001 Looty Tamil
Kushi Telugu
Dhill Tamil
12B Tamil
Nayak: The Real Hero Hindi
Ooruku Nooruper Tamil
2005 Ullam Ketkume Tamil
Thavamai Thavamirundhu Tamil
2006 Sasanam Tamil
2007 Chennai 600028 Tamil
Periyar Tamil
2008 Mudhal Mudhal Mudhal Varai Tamil
Manjadikuru Malayalam
Meipporul Tamil
2009 Kulir 100° Tamil
2010 Namma Gramam Tamil Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Editor
2011 Paal Tamil
Help English short film
Uchithanai Muharnthaal Tamil
Roadside Ambanis Tamil Short film
2012 Suzhal Tamil
Karuppampatti Tamil
Kizhakku Paatha Veedu Tamil
2014 Ramanujan Tamil
2015 The Yellow Festival Tamil Short Film
Appavum Veenjum Malayalam
2016 Edavappathy Malayalam
Ishti Sanskrit
2017 Kalavaadiya Pozhuthugal Tamil
2021 Ainthu Unarvugal Tamil
2023 Karumegangal Kalaigindrana Tamil
2025 Kooran Tamil

As director

Year Film Language Notes
1980 Nathiyai Thedi Vandha Kadal Tamil
1982 Pannaipurathu Pandavargal Tamil
1983 Ethanai Konam Ethanai Parvai Tamil
1988 Solla Thudikuthu Manasu Tamil
1992 Knock-out Tamil Short film
National Film Award for Best First Non-Feature Film of a Director
2001 Ooruku Nooruper Tamil National Film Award for Best Direction
National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil
2016 Kandadhai Sollugiren Tamil

As actor

Year Film Language Notes
1998 Kaadhale Nimmadhi Tamil Cameo appearance in song "Kandhan Irukkum Idam"

As assistant editor

Year Film Language Notes
1970 Gopi Hindi
1972 Maalik Hindi
Bombay to Goa Hindi
Joroo Ka Ghulam Hindi
1974 Do Phool Hindi
Naya Din Nai Raat Hindi
1976 Sabse Bada Rupaiya Hindi

Awards

National Film Awards

Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

Kerala State Film Awards

Vijay Awards

Rotary Club Of Madras East

References

  1. ^ "Master of creative final touches". Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  2. ^ S. R., Ashok Kumar (29 September 2006). "Veterans recapture the past". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 28 June 2008. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d "49th national Film Awards". Directorate of Film Festivals. p. 77. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  4. ^ "South holds sway". The Hindu. 23 June 1995. Archived from the original on 22 December 1996. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  5. ^ "42nd National Film Awards". Directorate of Film Festivals. pp. 44–46. Archived from the original on 23 May 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  6. ^ a b c "57th National Film Awards". Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  7. ^ a b c "40th National Film Awards". Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  8. ^ "Lagaan sweeps national film awards". The Indian Express. 26 July 2002. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  9. ^ "Malayalam film 'Adaminte Makan Abu' is India's entry for Oscar". The Indian Express. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2013.
  10. ^ "Realism, a myth". The Hindu. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  11. ^ "A new diploma course in Film Technology in Coimbatore". The Hindu. 25 July 2019.