Ramkumar Balakrishnan, the debutant director of the Tamil film Parking, is experiencing a whirlwind of emotions as his movie clinched three National Awards at the 71st National Film Awards. The film won Best Regional Film in Tamil, Best Screenplay (shared with Telugu movie Baby), and Best Supporting Actor for M.S. Bhaskar.
Balakrishnan, visibly elated, expressed disbelief and gratitude for the recognition. He acknowledged the challenges the film faced during its theatrical release in December 2023, which coincided with severe floods in Chennai. Despite the obstacles, the audience braved the weather to watch the film, and word-of-mouth publicity further boosted its popularity upon its release on Disney+ Hotstar.
Parking revolves around the conflict between Eshwar, a young IT professional, and Ilamparuthi, his downstairs neighbor, over a shared parking space. What starts as a minor disagreement escalates into a battle of egos, exploring themes of pride, power, and the complexities of urban coexistence. Harish Kalyan plays Eshwar, while M.S. Bhaskar portrays Ilamparuthi, with Indhuja Ravichandran as Eshwar's pregnant wife.
The producers, K.S. Sinish and Sudhan Sundaram, lauded Balakrishnan's "unusual and bold thinking" in shaping a narrative that resonates with a global audience. They also praised the performances of Harish Kalyan and M.S. Bhaskar, whose compelling portrayals anchored the film. Harish Kalyan also expressed his delight, stating he had confidence in the screenplay from the beginning, believing the audience would connect with it. He specifically thanked Ramkumar Balakrishnan for his direction, full of twists and turns, and called the Best Screenplay award the "highest recognition" for the film's writing. He also lauded M.S. Bhaskar, calling him "Nadippu Arakkan" (Acting Demon) lovingly, believing the award is a culmination of Bhaskar's "full body of work".
M.S. Bhaskar's win for Best Supporting Actor is particularly significant, marking a high point in his career, which includes numerous comedic and villainous roles. He shares the award with Vijayaraghavan, who won for the Malayalam film Pookkaalam.
Balakrishnan also expressed his gratitude to the producers, Sinish and Sudhan, for their support in transforming a small idea into a film. He sees the National Awards as a responsibility to put in even more effort in his future projects.
The film's success extends beyond critical acclaim, as it was also a commercial success, grossing approximately ₹17 crore (US$2.0 million) against a budget of ₹6 crore (US$710,000). The film's screenplay has also been added to the library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Parking's triumph at the National Film Awards is a testament to the power of compelling storytelling and the talent of its cast and crew. It also highlights the growing recognition of Tamil cinema on a national stage. In addition to Parking's wins, G.V. Prakash Kumar won Best Music Direction (Songs) for Vaathi, marking his second National Award. He joins Ilaiyaraaja and A.R. Rahman as composers from Tamil who have won for both songs and background music. Shah Rukh Khan also received his first National Award for Jawan, directed by Atlee.
