Top 10 best Tamil movies: The Tamil film industry, known as Kollywood, has seen remarkable growth since its beginnings in the early 1900s. With immense talent and creativity, Tamil cinema has carved a niche for itself globally. If you’re planning a movie marathon, here’s a list of the top Tamil movies you should watch. Don’t waste time browsing—start streaming these gems now!
1. Anbe Sivam (2003)
Anbe Sivam follows the story of Anbarasu, a commercial director who prefers to be called A. Aras. While waiting for a flight to Chennai, he meets Nallasivam, a co-passenger. This chance encounter leads to an unexpected bond and changes their lives in unforeseen ways.
Kamal Haasan’s script blends humor with deep, thought-provoking dialogues. Madhavan’s portrayal of Anbarasu is equally commendable.
– Genre: Comedy, Drama
– IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
– Cast: Madhavan, Kamal Haasan, Kiran Rathod
– Directed by: Sundar C.
– Available on Amazon Prime
2. Jai Bhim (2021)
Jai Bhim gained immense acclaim for its powerful storytelling, direction, and performances. It follows the plight of Rajakannu and Sengeni, a couple from an oppressed tribe after Rajakannu is falsely accused of theft and goes missing from police custody. A dedicated human rights lawyer steps in to help Sengeni in her search for justice.
– Genre: Legal Drama
– IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
– Cast: Lijomol Jose, Suriya, Manikandan
– Directed by: T. J. Gnanavel
– Available on Amazon Prime
3. Raatchasan (2018)
This gripping crime thriller centers on a cop’s quest to catch a serial killer targeting schoolgirls. Raatchasan (also known as Ratsasan) received critical acclaim and was a commercial success, leading to remakes in Telugu and Hindi.
– Genre: Psychological Crime Thriller
– IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
– Cast: Saravanan, Amala Paul, Vishnu Vishal
– Directed by: Ram Kumar
– Available on Amazon Prime, Hulu
4. Nayakan (1987)
Nayakan is a classic film that tells the story of Sakthivel, who becomes a don after fleeing to Mumbai following his father’s murder. His rise in the underworld brings both admiration and heavy costs.
– Genre: Gangster Film
– IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
– Cast: Saranya, Kamal Haasan, Karthika
– Directed by: Mani Ratnam
– Available on Amazon Prime
5. Thalapathi (1991)
Thalapathi stars Rajinikanth and Mammootty in a story about Surya, an orphan raised in a slum who works for a gangster named Devaraj. The arrival of an honest district collector disrupts their lives.
– Genre: Gangster Drama
– IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
– Cast: Rajinikanth, Mammootty
– Directed by: Mani Ratnam
– Available on Amazon Prime
6. Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru (2016)
This neo-noir crime thriller follows a retired police officer, Deepak, who recounts a complex case he once handled. The film is praised for its narration, direction, and performances.
– Genre: Neo-Noir, Crime Thriller
– IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
– Cast: Prakash Vijayaraghavan, Rahman, Sharath Kumar, Ashwin Kumar
– Directed by: Karthick Naren
7. Anniyan (2005)
Anniyan is a psychological thriller about Ramanujam “Ambi” Iyengar, who becomes a vigilante due to a psychological disorder. The film was a significant commercial success and was dubbed into several languages, including French.
– Genre: Psychological, Action, Thriller
– IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
– Cast: Vikram, Sadha
– Directed by: S. Shankar
– Available on Amazon Prime
8. Panchatanthiram (2002)
This comedy revolves around Ramachandra Murthy, a pilot who changes his ways after marrying Mythili. Misunderstandings lead to Mythili leaving him, and his friends’ efforts to cheer him up result in a series of humorous mishaps.
– Genre: Comedy
– IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
– Cast: Jayaram, Kamal Haasan, Ramesh Aravind, Yugi Sethu, Simran, Ramya Krishnan, Sriman
– Directed by: K. S. Ravikumar
9. Kadalikka Neramillai (1964)
This romantic comedy features Ashok, who seeks his friend’s help to marry his boss’s daughter. The film has gained a cult status over the years and was remade in several languages.
– Genre: Romantic Comedy
– IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
– Cast: Nagesh, Balaiah, Ravichandran, Muthuraman, Sachu, Rajasree, Kanchana
– Directed by: C. V. Sridhar
– Available on: Amazon Prime
10. Thani Oruvan (2015)
Thani Oruvan tells the story of an idealistic IPS officer, Mithran, who aims to expose the illegal activities of a prominent scientist, Siddharth Abimanyu. The film received critical acclaim and was one of the highest-grossing Tamil movies of 2015.
– Genre: Action, Thriller
– IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
– Cast: Arvind Swamy, Jayam Ravi, Nayanthara
– Directed by: Mohan Raja
Bonus:
11. Kaakkaa Muttai (2015)
This comedy-drama follows two slum children who long for pizza after seeing a new pizza shop in their area. The film won numerous awards for its heartfelt and humorous portrayal of their quest.
– Genre: Comedy-Drama
– IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
– Cast: Ramesh, Ramesh Thilak, Aishwarya Rajesh, Vignesh
– Directed by: M. Manikandan
12. Bombay (1995)
Bombay is about Shekhar and Shaila, whose inter-religion marriage faces challenges amid the Bombay riots. The film’s soundtrack by A.R. Rahman is legendary.
– Genre: Romantic Drama
– IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
– Cast: Arvind Swamy, Manisha Koirala
– Directed by: Mani Ratnam
– Available on: Netflix
