These Young Directors Struggle Despite Delivering Massive Hits

In Tamil cinema, it’s often said that talent finds its way. But lately, some of the most promising young directors seem stuck at a crossroads, even after proving themselves with big hits. The industry has been leaning heavily on veterans like Lokesh Kanagaraj, Nelson, and Vetrimaaran to keep the momentum going, while legends like Mani Ratnam, Shankar, and Gautham Vasudev Menon struggle to find box office magic. Amid this, a fresh wave of directors, like Arun Matheswaran and Ashwath Marimuthu, has shown there’s no shortage of creativity. Yet, moving from a breakout debut to a second film has become a tough climb.

Take Ram Kumar Balakrishnan, whose Parking won the National Award this year. His talent was enough to get actor Simbu on board for a new film. But just when things looked set, Vetri’s arrival in the project caused Simbu’s 49th film to be postponed indefinitely. Similarly, Tamilarasan Pachamuth, who struck gold with Lubbar Pandhu, has a story ready but is stuck waiting for Dhanush, who’s busy with other commitments.

The same story repeats with Nithilan Swaminathan. After delivering the blockbuster Maharaja with Vijay Sethupathi, he has been linked with projects starring Nayanthara and even Rajinikanth. Yet, nothing has rolled into production. And then there’s Abhishan Jeevanth of Tourist Family fame, who has now turned towards acting, perhaps tired of waiting for a green light.

The irony is sharp, Kollywood has the talent and the hunger, but the system keeps young directors waiting for star heroes instead of letting them tell their stories. Until that changes, these promising filmmakers will remain in limbo, their second films stuck in the shadows of their first successes.