Balaji sits at the cross-section of pop culture, films and cricket.

As a leading radio jockey-turned-actor-turned-director, he is steeped in Tamil cinema references.

As an enthusiastic sportsman, having played cricket for a local team called Venus 11 when he was a child, he understands Chennai’s street-cricket culture.

This is reflected when he sits on the commentary panel of Star Sports Tamil. His vibrant delivery represents the ebb and flow of a viewer’s mind during the course of a thrilling match; it is a big change from the more demure rhythm associated with English cricket commentary over the decades.

During the recent T20 World Cup, which India won, and the upcoming IPL, Balaji makes a grand comeback to Tamil commentary after a gap of two years – during which he was directing his upcoming film, Karuppu, starring Suriya and Trisha. “I realised how much I missed this medium. A shooting spot is usually very stressful as it involves managing a big team of people and comes with the responsibility of helming big stars. My absolute mad energy was at its peak when I used to host my radio show and now, it is during cricket commentary. It’s a strong spiritual connection between live media and me,” says Balaji.

RJ Balaji (R) with cinematographer G.K. Vishnu (L)
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Beyond technique

Balaji does not just add humour to your cricket evenings. He infuses an infectious energy to supplement the adrenaline-filled sporting moments. Some of his doubts may come across as frivolous – but they all add to the overall idea of including a common viewer’s perspective rather than a cricketing expert in the mix.

What is it about Tamil commentary that has clicked with the masses? “Earlier, the man of the house used to own the TV remote during a cricket match. Today, I see elderly women following the sport, because it is spoken about in a language they are comfortable in, with references that they understand. Along with the rise of the IPL, regional commentary has democratised the sport,” he explains. “Today, we watch a CSK match in the IPL, just the same way we watch a Super Singer show or a Ghilli on a Sunday evening.”

Balaji’s popularity as a cricket commentator has also been opening doors in unexpected places. “When I was doing my film Mookuthi Amman, I wanted to shoot in a particular house, but the elderly lady who owned the place was reluctant to give it out for film shoots. She was 87. But when she saw me, she recognised me from commentary and immediately gave me the go-ahead, stating that she was my fan.”

Not everyone likes Balaji. Many traditional cricket viewers, who have been following the sport for decades, disapprove of his eccentricities in the commentary box. “I am signed up to represent the common viewer and not please the purists. So, for example, when we see the camera pan on a cricketer eating in the dressing room, I say something like, ‘Do these players get everything they wish?’ It connects what audiences are thinking rather than focussing on game and technique,” says the commentator, whose on-air banter with former players like Krishnamachari Srikanth, Subramaniam Badrinath, Lakshmipathy Balaji and Yo Mahesh adds to the zest of the broadcast.

Director RJ Balaji on the sets of Suriya’s ‘Karuppu’
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

On the job

Balaji also loves being on sets. Today, he is an established filmmaker – his big-ticket Suriya-starrer Karuppuis set to release on May 14 – and movie references casually slip when he is talking live during a cricket match. “As a director, this film is 15 times bigger in scale from my previous flick. I was not equipped for such a grand project, but I prepared myself on the job,” he says, discussing the upcoming film.