Bhadran Matel was born on 22 November 1952. Initially, he was known by the name of Thomas. However, his mischief and notoriousness during his school days earned him the name Bhadrakali which his father later on shortened to Bhadran. Also there was a noble intention; by giving a Hindu name, the father wanted his child to stay separated from the barriers of caste.[clarification needed]Bhadran moved to Chennai from Kerala at an early age to make his mark in the South film industry and. His career has spanned over 32 years. He was impassioned about music in his early years and his talent as a singer became apparent from his childhood. He even also took formal training in music. He also loved acting in plays and had won many accolades during his academic years for acting and writing. He had always aspired to become a great film director. Bhadran believed that a good director must also be a musician, singer, actor and writer.His struggle for gaining a foothold in the fiercely competitive scenario bore fruit when he got the opportunity to work as the 8th Assistant Director in the ambitious Project of Hariharan – Rajahamsam under the banner of Supriya, the legend production house. Starting from that film, he assisted Hariharan in 14 films wearing the caps of an apprentice to an associate director.The first movie under his direction was released in 1982. Ente Mohangal Poovaninju starring Shankar, Mohanlal, Menaka, Kala Ranjini received immense critical appreciation and was liked by viewers. He embarked on the venture of directing films that drew inspiration from lives of common people and was blended with creative surrealism.