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Top 10 best Tamil sports movies to watch; from Bigil to Sarpatta
Ahead of Lal Salaam’s release, check out 10 Best Tamil sports dramas you should watch; from Bigil, Sarpatta Parmabarai, Natpe Thumai, and more
Rajinikanth and Vishnu Vishal's Lal Salaam, directed by Aishwarya Rajinikanth is all set to hit the screens on February 9. This is not the first time a film with a sports backdrop has been made in Tamil as previously, several sports dramas have been made in the Tamil film industry.
Ahead of the release of Lal Salaam, here are the Top 10 Tamil sports dramas you should watch.
Top 10 Tamil sports-based films you should watch
1. Bigil
- Running Time: 2 hour 59 min
- IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
- Movie Genre: Action, Drama, Sport
- Movie Star Cast: Thalapathy Vijay, Nayanthara, Jackie Shroff
- Director: Atlee
- Writer: Atlee
- Year of release: 2019
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Amazon Prime
Bigil has Thalapathy Vijay in the titular role and is directed by Atlee Kumar. The lead actor plays dual roles in this film which focuses on football. Vijay plays Michael, a footballer who gives up the dream after his father's murder. What convinces him to become a football coach for the women's football team forms the crux of the story.
2. 800
- Running Time: 2 hours 38 min
- IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
- Movie Genre: Biography, Sport
- Movie Star Cast: Madhur Mittal, Mahima Nambiar, Nassar
- Director: MS Sripathy
- Writer: Shehan Karunatilaka, MS Sripathy
- Year of release: 2023
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Amazon Prime
800 is based on the life of legendary Srilankan spinner Muthiah Muralidharan. The film has Madhur Mittal playing the lead role and talks about Muralidharan's journey in the world of cricket and the challenges he faced while heading towards success. The film has Mahima Nambiar as the leading lady.
3. Sarpatta Pramabarai
- Running Time: 2 hour 53 min
- IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
- Movie Genre: Action, Drama, Sport
- Movie Star Cast: Arya, John Kokken, Pasupathy
- Director: Pa Ranjith
- Writer: Tamizha Prabha, Pa Ranjith
- Year of release: 2021
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Amazon Prime
This film, based on boxing, has Arya playing the lead role. Pa Ranjith, the director of the film has also written this edge-of-seat thriller. Sarpatta Parambarai is a do-or-die match where Kabilan, a young laborer, steps into the shoes of a boxer to bring victory to his clan. Now will he succeed or will the politics put his life in danger?
4. Gatta Kusthi
- Running Time: 2 hours 25 min
- IMDB Rating: 6.5/10
- Movie Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Movie Star Cast: Vishnu Vishal, Aishwarya Lekshmi
- Director: Chella Ayyavu
- Writer: Chella Ayyavu
- Year of release: 2022
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Netflix
Gatta Kusthi, starring Vishnu Vishal and Aishwarya Lekshmi in the lead roles, revolves around wrestling. At the same time, the plot focuses on the ambitions of a woman and how she gets married to Veera, a male chauvinist who marries her with a set of conditions. While both of them are opposites to each other, what will happen when Veera comes to know that Keerthi, his wife is a wrestler?
5. Natpe Thunai
- Running Time: 2 hour 34 min
- IMDB Rating: 6.4/10
- Movie Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sport
- Movie Star Cast: Hip Hop Tamizha, Anagha
- Director: Prathiban Desingu
- Writer: Devesh Jeyachandran, Sreekanth
- Year of release: 2019
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Sun Nxt
Directed by Parthiban Desingu, the film has Hiphop Tamizha as an international hockey player who decides to stay away from the sport for personal reasons. However, he picks up the sport once again to save a local team in his town where this time.
6. Irudhi Suttru
- Running Time: 1 hour 49 min
- IMDB Rating: 7.6
- Movie Genre: Action, Drama, Sport
- Movie Star Cast: R. Madhavan, Ritika Singh
- Director: Sudha Kongara
- Writer: Sudha Kongara
- Year of release: 2016
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Amazon Prime
Written and directed by Sudha Kongara, Irudhi Suttru narrates the tale of a retired boxer who leaves the sport due to a dispute with the authorities regarding political issues. However, he finds a new purpose by coaching a fisherwoman to achieve his dream. The movie received widespread acclaim and was subsequently adapted into other languages.
7. Blue Star
- Running Time: 2 hour 46 min
- IMDB Rating: 7.7
- Movie Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sport
- Movie Star Cast: Ashok Selvan, Shanthanu Bhagyaraj, Keerthi Pandian
- Director: Dhinakaran Sivalingam
- Writer: Jayakumar S
- Year of release: 2024
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: TBA
Blue Star, a Tamil sports film marks S. Jayakumar's directorial debut and is co-produced by Pa. Ranjith under Neelam Productions, along with R. Ganesh Murthy and G. Soundarya under Lemon Leaf Creation Pvt. Ltd. The film hit the screens on January 25, 2024 and garnered a positive response. Set in Arakkonam, the movie explores the intense cricket rivalry between two groups, each influenced by rival factions.
8. Kanaa
- Running Time: 2 hour 25 min
- IMDB Rating: 7.6
- Movie Genre: Sport, Drama
- Movie Star Cast: Sathyaraj, Aishwarya Rajesh, Sivakarthikeyan, Darshan
- Director: Arunraja Kamaraj
- Writer: Arunraja Kamaraj
- Year of release: 2018
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Amazon Prime Video, Sony LIV
In a departure from the usual male-centric cricket narratives, Kanaa, featuring Aishwarya Rajesh in the lead role, took a unique approach to showcase a woman's struggle in the field. The film, directed by Arunraja Kamaraj, serves as his directorial debut and received backing from Sivakarthikeyan's production banner, Sivakarthikeyan Productions. Aishwarya's portrayal earned praise for shedding light on the challenges women encounter in sports. Alongside her, the cast includes prominent names like Sathyaraj, Darshan, Ilavarasu, and others, contributing to the film's well-rounded ensemble.
9. Clap
- Running Time: 2 hour 09 min
- IMDB Rating: 6.7
- Movie Genre: Sport, Drama
- Movie Star Cast: Aadhi Pinisetty, Aakanksha Singh, Nassar, Prakash Raj, Krisha Kurup
- Director: Prithivi Adithya
- Writer: Prithivi Adithya
- Year of release: 2022
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Sony Liv
Clap, a 2022 Indian sports drama film directed by debutant Prithivi Adithya, unfolds a compelling narrative. Shot simultaneously in Tamil and Telugu languages, the film follows the story of a former athlete, an amputee dealing with a unique condition known as PLP (Phantom Limb Pain). The plot takes an inspiring turn as he takes a girl from a village under his wing, training her for a national championship event. The film explores how he realizes his dream through the determination and journey of the young girl. Clap promises to deliver a poignant tale of resilience, mentorship, and the success of dreams against the backdrop of sports, making it a noteworthy addition to the Indian cinema landscape in 2022.
10. Dhoni Kabadi Kuzhu
- Running Time: 2 hour 00 min
- IMDB Rating: 5.5
- Movie Genre: Sport, Drama.
- Movie Star Cast: Abhilash, Leema Babu, Thenaali
- Director: P. Iyyappan
- Writer: P. Iyyappan
- Year of release: 2018
- Where to Watch / OTT Platform: TBA
Dhoni Kabadi Kuzhu, a 2018 Indian Tamil sports drama directed by P. Iyyappan, explores the clash between two sports, cricket and kabaddi. The storyline revolves around Tharani (Abhilash) and his friends, passionate fans of MS Dhoni, whose lives revolve around playing gully cricket in their local ground. Their world is disrupted when they discover that their beloved playground has been sold to a local goon. The film delves into the challenges and determination of this group of friends as they navigate the unfamiliar territory of kabaddi to save their cricket ground. After its theatrical release on December 7, 2018, the film received extremely negative reviews from critics.
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