ClariceLinderman at 06:00, 21 February 2026

2026-02-21T06:00:50Z

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{{short description|Indian film director}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Balaji K. Kumar
| image =
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| occupation = [[Film Director]]
| years_active = 2013–present
| spouse =
| website =
}}

'''Balaji K. Kumar''' is an Indian film director. His first film as a director in [[Tamil cinema]] was ''[[Vidiyum Munn]]'' (2013), a [[neo-noir]] [[crime thriller]]. Upon release, it received critical acclaim from both the critics and audience, alike. Then he started his career as story board artist for advertising firms like Ogilvy & Mather, JWT, Saatchi & Saatchi.

== Career ==
Balaji K. Kumar studied cinematography at [[UCLA]]. He directed various advertisements for European and American companies. He directed the English-language film ''Twelve Twisted Tricks'' (2003) and the film's trailer premiered at the [[Cannes Film Festival]].<ref>https://www.oocities.org/etmassey/twelvetwistedtricks.htm</ref> The trailer won [[Golden Trailer Awards#2003|Best Trailer – No Movie]] award since the film was not released. His next film was ''9 Lives of Mara'' (2007), which received many awards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/audio-beat-vidiyum-munn-new-album-new-voice/article5055596.ece|title=Audio Beat: Vidiyum Munn - New album, new voice|date=24 August 2013|work=[[The Hindu]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130827190611/https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/cinema-reviews/audio-beat-vidiyum-munn-new-album-new-voice/article5055596.ece|archive-date=27 August 2013|first=S. R. Ashok|last=Kumar}}</ref> He then debuted in Tamil with ''[[Vidiyum Munn]]'' (2013). The film released to critical acclaim despite being a box office failure. A critic wrote that "Director Balaji undoubtedly is at the top of his game".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/review/vidiyum-munn-is-brilliant/20131130.htm |title=Vidiyum Munn is brilliant |work=Rediff.com |access-date=2013-11-30}}</ref> According to Balaji Kumar, "We have made ''Vidiyum Munn'' like a new generation film for a matured audience. The film deals with an universal issue".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sify.com/movies/pvr-picks-up-vidiyum-munn-news-tamil-nl1jMGbfjdf.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131130095915/http://www.sify.com/movies/pvr-picks-up-vidiyum-munn-news-tamil-nl1jMGbfjdf.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-11-30 |title=PVR picks up 'Vidiyum Munn' |website=[[Sify]]|access-date=2013-11-30}}</ref> After working on scripts, he returned after ten years with ''[[Kolai (film)|Kolai]]'' (2023), which is a based on a real incident that took place in New York in 1923.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2021/oct/25/balaji-kumar-vijay-antony-s-kolai-is-inspired-by-a-real-life-incident-27482.html|title=Director Balaji Kumar: Kolai is inspired by a real-life incident|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>

==Filmography==

===As director===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Year !! Film !! Language !! Notes
|-
| 2007 || ''9 Lives of Mara'' || English || <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://films-list.com/film/9-lives-of-mara/|title=FILM REVIEW - 9 Lives of Mara|first=|last=|website=films-list.com}}</ref>
|-
| 2013 || ''[[Vidiyum Munn]]'' || Tamil || Inspired by ''[[London to Brighton]]''
|-
| 2023 || ''[[Kolai (film)|Kolai]]'' || Tamil || also writer
|-
|}

===Other films===
* ''Twelve Twisted Tricks'' - Golden Trailer Award (2003)

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kumar, Balaji K}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Tamil-language film directors]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]

{{India-film-director-stub}}

Balaji K. Kumar - Revision history

ClariceLinderman at 06:00, 21 February 2026