Today marks two years since the release of director Ramkumar Balakrishnan’s film Parking. It won Best Tamil Film, Best Screenplay in Tamil, and Best Supporting Actor for MS Bhaskar at the 71st National Film Awards. On the occasion, Ramkumar took to X and wrote, “Deeply overwhelmed by the love and appreciation our film Parking has been receiving. My heartfelt gratitude to God for His endless blessings on me and my team. Thank you all for embracing our film with so much warmth and support. Your love truly means the world to us.”
Ramkumar recently expressed that his biggest dream is to direct Rajinikanth in a film. He specifically credited the superstar's film Baasha for igniting his passion for cinema. The filmmaker said in a recent interview that he watched Baasha numerous times. Consequently, there has been strong buzz among film circles that he is among the frontrunners to direct Rajinikanth’s 173rd film, also involving Kamal Haasan as a producer.
Interestingly, Parking is Ramkumar Balakrishnan’s first film as a director. Also starring Harish Kalyan in a lead role, the film’s 2023 release was heavily affected by Cyclone Michaung, especially hindering collections in the opening weekend. Regardless, the film’s layered screenplay and performances made sure that it found its audience later on.
At a time when Tamil Nadu faces another cyclone threat, it is worth remembering that Parking's success is a testament to how quality content towers over any and all obstacles.