JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
30 Best Tamil movies of all time & their IMDb rating
From Anbe Sivam to Bombay, here is a list of the best Tamil movies. Whether you want to watch a family movie or a thriller movie, don't surf anymore because we have every genre covered in the list.
The Tamil movie industry, popularly known as Kollywood, has grown exponentially from its origins in the early 1900s. There is no dearth of talent in the Tamil film industry, and this is why it has established a strong global presence. If you are planning to enjoy your time by binge-watching superhit Tamil movies, then here is a curated list of the best Tamil movies for you to enjoy. Don't waste more time surfing, start streaming now!
Best Tamil movies to watch now
1. Anbe Sivam (2003)
Anbarasu is a commercial director and prefers the abbreviated name A. Aras. While he waits for a flight to Chennai, he meets Nallasivam, a co-passenger, and starts a conversation with him. His life takes a different turn when he befriends him, and they both realize that they are in some ways bound together by fate.
Kamal Haasan's script shines with humor as well as thought-provoking word plays. Madhavan too shines in his role as Anbarasu and makes people fall in love with his character.
Genre: Comedy, Drama
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Cast: Madhavan, Kamal Haasan, Kiran Rathod
Directed by: Sundar C.
Watch Anbe Shivam on Amazon Prime
2. Jai Bhim (2021)
Jai Bhim is one of the best Tamil movies in 2021, it gained huge worldwide recognition and received universal acclaim from critics, with praise directed at the direction, story, acting performances, and social message. It was listed as one of the best Indian movies of 2021.
Rajakannu and Sengeni are a married couple from an oppressed tribe, and one day their life turns upside down when Rajakannu is arrested for a case of alleged theft. When she searches desperately for her husband, who is missing from police custody, a human-rights lawyer takes the matter into his hands and supports her to find Rajakanny and help them bring justice.
Jai Bhim won a lot of prestigious accolades and is one of the top-rated Tamil movies of all time.
Genre: Legal drama
IMDb Rating: 8.9/10
Cast: Lijomol Jose, Suriya and Manikandan
Directed by: T. J. Gnanavel
Watch Jai Bhim on Amazon Prime
3. Raatchasan (2018)
This is one of the best crime thriller Tamil movies that was released in 2018. Raatchasan, also known as Ratsasan, follows a cop and his attempts to track down a mysterious killer who targets teenage school-going girls and murders them brutally. Upon release, the movie received critical acclaim from the audience and critics and was a box office hit. It was remade in Telugu as Rakshasudu in 2019, and in Hindi as Cuttputlli in 2022.
Ram Kumar won the Best Director award at Filmfare Awards South 2019, and Vishnu Vishal and Saravanan won the awards at Norway Tamil Film Festival 2019 in the Best Actor and Best Villain categories respectively.
Genre: Psychology crime thriller
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Cast: Saravanan, Amala Paul, Vishnu Vishal
Directed by: Ram Kumar
Ratsasan is available to stream on Amazon Prime and Hulu
4. Nayakan (1987)
When compiling the list of Tamil movies, there is no way we can skip the classic movie Nayakan.
The movie follows Sakthivel who after witnessing the brutal murder of his father, kills a corrupt cop, and runs away to Mumbai. There, he is raised by Hussain, a smuggler living in a slum area. Eventually, Sakthivel becomes a don, who is loved by many people, but his growing power exacts a heavy toll.
The movie was released on October 21, 1987, and was a box office hit. It even received critical acclaim for direction and performance. Kamal Haasan bagged the National Film Award for Best Actor in 1988. The movie also earned other National Awards including Best Art Direction (Thotta Tharani) and Best Cinematography (P.C. Sreeram).
The movie also earned a place in TIME's "All-Time 100 Best Films", and News18's "100 Greatest Indian Films of all time". A Hindi remake of the movie was released in 1988 as Dayavan.
Genre: Gangster movie
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Cast: Saranya, Kamal Haasan and Karthika
Directed by: Mani Ratnam
Watch Nayakan on Amazon Prime
5. Thalapathi (1991)
Starring Rajinikanth and Mammootty, Thalapathi is one of the best Tamil movies of all time.
Surya is an orphan and is raised in a slum. He starts working for Devaraj, a gangster, but one day, an honest district collector enters their lives and changes their lives forever.
The movie was a commercial and critical success and earned various awards including two Filmfare Awards South in the category Best Director -Tamil (Mani Ratnam) and Best Music Director - Tamil (Ilaiyaraaja). Rajinikanth won the Best Actor - Tamil, and Srividya won the Best Character Actress award at the Cinema Express Awards, IN 1991.
The movie was remade in Kannada as Annavru and was released in 2003. Genre: Gangster drama
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Cast: Rajinikanth and Mammootty
Directed by: Mani Ratnam
The movie is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
6. Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru (2016)
Deepak is a retired police officer who met with an accident while investigating a case. Years later, he narrates a story of a twisted case to his friend's son and relives his past.
The storyline, narration, direction, and acting performances, everything is awesome in this movie. Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru is undoubtedly one of the best crime Tamil movies of all time.
A Kannada remake of the movie was released in 2019 as Aa Drushya. The Hindi remake of the movie is going to be released soon.
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 movie that was way ahead of its time.
The plot centers around Ramanujam "Ambi" Iyengar, who suffers from a psychological disorder. He despises those who do not abide by the law and works as a vigilante at night. For how long will his plan work? Will the cops be able to catch him? Watch Anniyan find out!
At the time of its release, it was one of the most expensive South Indian films ever made. It was both a commercial and critical success and was dubbed into Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi. Further, Anniyan was also dubbed into French and got released in various French-speaking countries by Columbia Tristar. The movie was highly praised for its storyline, action sequences, themes, direction, visual effects, social message, and performances.
Anniyan has bagged various awards including eight Filmfare Awards, six State Film Awards, and a National Award in the Special Effects category.
Genre: Psychological, action, thriller
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Cast: Vikram, Sadha
Directed by: S. Shankar
Watch Anniyan on Amazon Prime Video
8. Panchatanthiram (2002)
Panchatanthiram is one of the best comedy Tamil movies of all time. The movie revolves around Ramachandramurthy, a Canada-based Indian pilot who falls in love with a passenger Mythili and gets married to her. Before marriage, he was a womanizer, post his marriage with Mythili, he changes himself and remains loyal to her. However, things take a different turn when one day, due to a misunderstanding, Mythili thinks he is cheating on her and leaves him to be with her parents. To cheer him up, Ram's best friends arrange for a delightful evening with Maggie (Ramya Krishnan), but things soon go wrong when they are stuck with a dead body and diamonds.
Upon release, the movie received positive reviews from the critics, and Jayaram bagged Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor -Tamil at the
Filmfare Award 50th South Filmfare Awards in 2003.
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)
Kadalikka Neramillai is one of the best Tamil movies in the romantic comedy genre. The movie features an ensemble cast consisting of Muthuraman, Sachu, Nagesh, Balaiah, Kanchana, Rajasree, and Ravichandran.
The movie is about Ashok who falls in love with his boss's daughter Nirmala. He wants to get married to her and so he seeks help from his best friend Vasu, who disguises himself as his multi-millionaire father to convince Vishwanathan.
The movie over the years has developed a cult status in the Tamil movie industry. It was both a critical and commercial success and was remade in Telugu, Hindi, Marathi, and Kannada.
Genre: Romantic comedy
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Cast: Nagesh, Balaiah, Ravichandran, Muthuraman, Sachu, Rajasree, Kanchana
Directed by: C. V. Sridhar
Watch Kadalikka Neramillai on Amazon Prime Video
10. Thani Oruvan (2015)
Directed by Mohan Raja, Thani Oruvan is one of the must-watch Tamil movies.
Siddharth Abimanyu is a famous scientist and is also involved in illegal medical practices. His world turns upside down when Mithran, a young idealistic IPS officer is driven to expose him.
The movie opened to critical acclaim, and the critics praised the movie for its acting performances, and it also became one of the highest-grossing Tamil movies of 2015.
Genre: Action, Thriller
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Cast: Arvind Swamy, Jayam Ravi, and Nayanthara
Directed by: Mohan Raja
11. Kaakkaa Muttai (2015)
This movie is a perfect blend of comedy, drama, and emotions. The movie is about two slum kids who crave a pizza after being enticed by a pizza shop near their locality. Will they be able to satisfy their cravings? Watch the movie to find out!
Kaakkaa Muttai won various awards including Filmfare Awards South, National Film Awards, India, Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards, and Los Angeles Indian Film Festival.
Genre: Comedy-drama
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Cast: Ramesh, Ramesh Thilak, Aishwarya Rajesh, Vignesh
Directed by: M. Manikandan
12. Bombay (1995)
Bombay is one of the best super hit Tamil movies that is a must-watch.
The movie is about Shekhar and Shaila, who fall in love with each other and get into an inter-religion marriage. They lead a happy married life with their two children, but religious tensions and riots in Bombay threaten to disrupt their happy life and tear the family apart.
The movie was a massive hit, and the film's soundtrack (composed by A.R. Rahman) is considered one of the greatest Indian soundtracks of all time. Bombay is undoubtedly one of the best Tamil movies on Netflix.
Genre: Romantic drama
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Cast: Arvind Swamy and Manisha Koirala
Directed by: Mani Ratnam
Watch Bombay on Netflix
13. Karnan (2021)
Karnan is one of the best action Tamil movies of 2021 and is about Karnan, a fearless boy who sets out to fight for the rights of the people of his village.
It received positive reviews from critics, who praised the movie for casting, dialogue, direction, story, and performance. It was a commercial hit too and was one of the highest-grossing Tamil movies of 2021.
Karnan bagged three awards at the South Indian International Movie Awards 2022 in the categories Best Actress in a Supporting Role
(Lakshmipriyaa Chandramouli), Best Music Director (Santhosh Narayanan), and Best Playback Singer - Female (Dhee
for the song "Uttradheenga Yeppov")
Genre: Action, Drama
IMDb Rating: 8/10
Cast: Natarajan Subramaniam, Dhanush, Rajisha Vijayan, Lal, Yogi Babu
Directed by: Mari Selvaraj
14. Roja (1992)
Roja is one of the best thriller romantic Tamil movies that was released in 1992.
A woman from Tamil Nadu marries a sophisticated man who lives in the city, and after marriage moves with him to Kashmir. Everything is going well until one day he gets kidnapped by militants.
The movie received praise for its amazing soundtrack and patriotic theme. This was the debut movie of A.R. Rahman as a film composer and he received critical acclaim for his work. In fact, he even bagged the National Film Award for Best Music Direction, the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Music Director, and Filmfare Award for Best Music Director - Tamil for his work.
Genre: Romantic thriller
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Cast: Arvind Swami and Madhoo
Directed by: Mani Ratnam
15. Mahanadhi (1994)
This is one of the best Kamal Haasan movies and was released in 1994. An honest man is conned into a financial scam and imprisoned. Once out, he embarks on a difficult journey to free her daughter after he learns that she was sold into prostitution.
It received positive reviews from critics and was commercially successful. Mahanadi won two National Film Awards including Best Feature Film in Tamil and Best Audiography.
Genre: Crime, Drama
IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
Cast: Kamal Haasan and Sukanya
Directed by: Santhana Bharathi
16. Hey Ram (2000)
Starring Kamal Haasan and Rani Mukerji, this is one of the best Tamil movies of all time.
After Saketh Ram's wife is brutally raped and killed during riots in Calcutta, he sets out to kill Mahatma Gandhi who he finds responsible for the problems in the country.
Hey Ram garnered three National Film Awards including Best Supporting Actor (Atul Kulkarni), Best Costume Designer (Sarika Thakur), and Best Special Effects.
Genre: Period crime drama
IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
Cast: Kamal Haasan, Rani Mukerji, Hema Malini, Om Puri, Shah Rukh Khan, Naseeruddin Shah
Directed by: Kamal Haasan
17. 96 (2018)
Keep some tissue paper with you before you watch this movie as it is bound to make you cry.
Ram and Janaki, two high school lovers, meet after 22 years at a reunion and reminisce about their past. Will they confess their feelings to each other? Will Ram and Janaki end up together? Watch 96 to find out!
96 is one of the best romantic Tamil movies and won a lot of awards.
Another version of the movie was made in Kannada as 99, and in Telugu as Jaanu. 96 is listed as one of the "All Time 150 Cult Indian Films" in 2020 by Behindwoods.
Genre: Romantic, Drama
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Trisha Krishnan, Devadarshini Chetan, Adithya Bhaskar
Directed by: C. Premkumar
18. Vikram Vedha (2017)
Vikram Vedha is one of the best Tamil movies and centers around a cop Vikram and his partner Simon who set out to catch a murderer known as Vedha. Meanwhile, tension arises when Vedha tries to change Vikram's life.
Vikram Vedha won a lot of awards including the Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards, Filmfare Awards South, Norway Tamil Film Festival, South Indian International Movie Awards, and Vijay Awards. The movie was remade in Hindi under the same title and was released in 2022.
Genre: Neo-noir, Action, Thriller
Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Kathir, R. Madhavan, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Shraddha Srinath
Directed by: Pushkar–Gayathri
19. Alai Payuthey (2000)
This is a romantic drama movie about Karthik and Shakthi who fall in love with each other and get married in secret. Post-marriage they realize that marriage is not what they thought it would be. How will they deal with this? Watch Alai Payuthey and find out!
The movie was positively received by critics and was shown at various international film festivals. A Hindi remake of this movie was released in 2002 as Saathiya.
Genre: Romantic, Drama
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Cast: R. Madhavan, Swarnamalya, Jayasudha, Shalini
Directed by: Mani Ratnam
20. Iruvar (1997)
What will happen when two best friends fight to gain political power? If you want to know, then do watch this classic Tamil movie Iruvar.
The movie follows Anandan and Tamizhselvan who become friends and achieve great success in cinema and politics respectively. However, their relationship changes when they both fight for a political post in the state.
The movie won two National Film Awards in the categories of Best Supporting Actor (Prakash Raj) and Best Cinematography (Santosh Sivan).
Genre: Political drama
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Cast: Aishwarya Rai, Mohanlal, Tabu, Prakash Raj, Gautami, Revathi
Directed by: Mani Ratnam
You can watch Iruvar on Hulu
21. Super Deluxe (2019)
The movie is woven around four characters: a disloyal newly-wed wife, a priest, an estranged father, and an angry son. All these characters must face their demons and experience their destiny on a fateful day.
Super Deluxe won 14 prestigious awards and was screened at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (South Korea), the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, and the Fantasia International Film Festival (North America). Super Deluxe is one of the best Tamil movies in the black comedy genre.
Genre: Black comedy
IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
Cast: Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Vijay Sethupathi, Mysskin, Fahadh Faasil, Ashwanth Ashok Kumar, Ramya Krishnan, Bagavathi Perumal, Gayathrie
Directed by: Thiagarajan Kumararaja
Watch Super Deluxe on Netflix
22. Doctor (2021)
Varun is a military doctor and works in the Indian Army Medical Corps. One day, when he comes to know that his fiancee's niece is kidnapped, he along with his team plans a way to rescue her. The plan needs both wit and intelligence, but will they succeed in their rescue operation? Watch this action comedy movie to find out.
The movie received critical acclaim and was a box office hit.
It won four awards in the categories Best Debutant Actress (Priyanka Arulmohan), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Sivakarthikeyan), Best Comic Actor (Redin Kingsley), and Best Comic Actor (Deepa Shankar) at the South Indian International Movie Awards 2022.
Genre: Action, Comedy
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Cast: Priyanka Arul Mohan, Yogi Babu, Sivakarthikeyan, Vinay Rai
Directed by: Nelson
Doctor is available to stream on Netflix
23. Pariyerum Perumal (2018)
Perumal is a law student from an oppressed caste and befriends his classmate Jothi, a girl from a higher caste. But it is not so easy to maintain a good relationship with them as Jothi's family members start troubling him over this.
Pariyerum Perumal bagged various awards and was a commercial hit. It is considered one of the best family Tamil movies of all time.
Genre: Drama
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Cast: Yogi Babu, Kathir, and Anandhi
Directed by: Mari Selvaraj
You can watch Pariyerum Perumal on Amazon Prime Video
24. Thevar Magan (1992)
Saktivelu returns to India after completing his education in London and wishes to open a chain of restaurants in Chennai. However, his father disapproves of his decision and wants him to help the villagers. What will he choose? Watch Thevar Magan and find out!
The movie won a lot of prestigious awards including Cinema Express Awards, Filmfare Awards South, National Film Awards, Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, and Vijay Awards.
Genre: Drama
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Cast: Revathi, Sivaji Ganesan, Nassar, Kamal Haasan, Gautami
Directed by: Bharathan
25. Kaithi (2019)
Dili is an ex-convict and after being released from prison, he sets out to meet his daughter. But, Inspector Bejoy thwarts his plan by planning a drug raid.
Kaithi is one of the best Tamil movies of all time and opened to positive reviews from the audience and movie critics. It was a commercial hit and won various accolades.
Genre: Action thriller
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Cast: Karthi, Arjun Das, Harish Uthaman, Narain, Hareesh Peradi
Directed by: Lokesh Kanagaraj
26. Visaranai (2015)
A group of laborers is tortured to confess to a crime they have not committed. A policeman then offers them help to set them free, but they are not aware of the chaos they are getting themselves into.
The movie was a commercial hit and won a lot of prestigious awards including the Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards, Filmfare Awards South, Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Indian Film Festival, and Venice Film Festival. Visaaranai also won National Film Awards, India in the categories Best Feature Film in Tamil, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Editing.
Genre: Crime, Drama
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Cast: Samuthirakani, Kishore, Dinesh, Murugadoss, Anandhi, Pradheesh Raj, S Rathnasamy
Directed by: Vetrimaaran
27. Asuran (2019)
Asuran is one of the best Dhanush movies of all time and was released in 2019.
The story follows a man and his family who live in a remote place with smallholding crops. When a greedy baron in the town plans to take away their land, he is not sure of the best course of action to prevent him from doing so.
Asuran was one among the 10 Indian movies to be screened at the 78th Golden Globe Awards under the Best Foreign Film category. A remake of the movie is released in Telugu as Narappa (2021).
Genre: Action, Drama
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Cast: Ken Karunas, Dhanush, Teejay Arunasalam, Manju Warrier
Directed by: Vetrimaaran
28. Vikram (2022)
Vikram is one of the best Tamil movies of 2022. Vikram has an ensemble cast consisting of Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupati, Fahadh Faasil, and Suriya. Right from direction to acting, everything is mind blowing in the movie which is why it became the highest-grossing Tamil movie of the year.
The movie is about a special investigator who must track down and eliminate a gang of murderers. But, as soon as he takes the case, he realizes it is not what it seems to be.
Vikram is a must-watch movie, as it is filled with action, thrill, and drama.
Genre: Action, Thriller
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Kamal Haasan, Fahadh Faasil, Suriya
Directed by: Lokesh Kanagaraj
29. Peranbu (2018)
This is a beautiful story about a man who tries to raise his daughter and understand her struggles. She has cerebral palsy and he must work his best to connect with her.
The movie won a lot of awards and is considered one of the best Tamil movies.
Genre: Drama
IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
Cast: Mammootty, Anjali
Directed by: Ram
Watch Peranbu on Amazon Prime Video
30. Aruvi (2016)
The movie centers around a sweet girl from a middle-class family who finds it difficult to fit into society. She shares her life story with a directory, who puts it to use to increase ratings of his show. What happens next is the rest of the story.
The movie was a commercial hit and bagged six awards.
Genre: Political drama
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Cast: Anjali Varadhan, Padmashri Mohammad Ali, Aditi Balan, Lakshmi Gopalaswamy
Directed by: Arun Prabu, Purushothaman
You can watch Aruvi on Amazon Prime
This was the list of best Tamil movies of all time. Watch these great movies and tell us which one you liked the best in the comments section down below. Happy streaming!
Also Read: Top 25 Telugu films of all time according to IMDb
FAQs
You May Like This
Latest Articles
