Top 10 Tamil Movies

Tamil films or movies have come a long way since their inception in 1913. For many decades, people have found pleasure in Tamil movies. There are some of the longest-lasting movies in cinema history from the Tamil industry. From classic black-and-white movies to modern-day blockbusters, Tamil films have always had a unique charm that no other film industry can match. Tamil films have consistently been able to win over the audience's hearts.

In this list, we will be discussing the top 10 Tamil movies that have been the most successful at the box office and have earned the highest praise from both critics and audiences. These films have all been able to captivate the viewers with their unique storylines, beautiful music, and powerful performances. So without any further ado, let's take a look at some of the best Tamil movies ever made:

1. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion

In 2017, S. S. Rajamouli directed his father K. V. Vijayendra Prasad's written film and released the epic action movie named Baahubali 2: The Conclusion. It was created by the Tollywood production company Arka Media Works. The events of its previous part, titled "Baahubali: The Beginning", are continued in this film. Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah, Ramya Krishnan, and Sathyaraj play key roles in the movie.

In all languages, the movie grossed more than 1,780 crores (about US $250 million) after its global release on April 28, 2017, making it one of the highest-grossing Indian movies of all time. It is also the first South Indian movie to earn over $1 billion globally.

The movie made 1,210 crores (about US $170 million) in India. In just ten days, it succeeded in bringing 505 crores (about US $70 million) at the domestic box office and 735 crores (almost US $100 million) internationally. The movie made around 500 crores ($70 million) in China throughout its cinema release.

Baahubali 2 won the 2017 Best Telugu Feature Film award as well as the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. It was also the first Indian film to be recognized with a nomination for a Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film.

2. Kabali

Pa. Ranjith wrote and directed the action-crime movie Kabali, which is in the Tamil language. Along with Radhika Apte, Kishore, Dhansika, Dinesh Ravi, Kalaiyarasan, and John Vijay, Rajinikanth plays the lead role in the movie. It portrays the story of an elderly mafia boss named Kabali who decides to take revenge on those who have mistreated him.

On July 22, 2016, Kabali received mixed reviews from reviewers upon its global premiere. The movie was a commercial blockbuster, earning more than $6 billion globally. It was one of the top South Indian films of all time until Baahubali 2: The Conclusion overtook it.

The movie Kabali was released in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi. The movie has the largest global release of any Indian production, playing in more than 4,000 theatres. Additionally, Chinese, Japanese, and French dubbings were also made.

In 2016, the movie with the highest box office earnings that year was Kabali. The movie received an incredible response when it aired in India and sold out in all multiplexes. The movie made an estimated 1.2 billion dollars internationally, with around 450 million dollars coming from the United States and 150 million dollars coming from the United Kingdom. The movie made around $4.80 billion in India.

3. Mersal

Atlee, K. V. Vijayendra Prasad, and S. Ramana Girivasan collaborated on the script for Mersal, an action-thriller Tamil movie that was released in 2017. The main character of the movie is an investigative journalist who attempts to find out why some medical experts have been dying inexplicably. Alongside Samantha, Nithya Menen, and Kajal Aggarwal, Vijay plays three roles in the film.

The movie's global release on October 18, 2017, was a huge commercial success. It rose to the third-highest-grossing Tamil film ever and the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2017 in terms of box office earnings. The narrative, direction, acting, music, and script of the movie got high praise from critics.

With a global box office take of 246 crores against a production budget of 100 crores, Mersal was a huge financial success. The movie earned 175 crore rupees in Tamil Nadu, making it the third-highest-grossing Tamil movie of all time and the highest-grossing Tamil movie of 2017.

Mersal became the first Tamil film to surpass the $100 billion mark in international markets, marking a rare milestone in Indian cinema history. It became the first Tamil film to make 40 crores in foreign markets.

As a result of the movie's box office performance, Vijay's films have now surpassed the $100 billion milestone four times in a row. The movie was also a huge hit in Malaysia, where it set a record for the highest-grossing Tamil movie ever.

Mersal also had several accolades and honours, including the four Filmfare Awards South and the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Furthermore, Behindwoods named it the year's top Tamil film.

4. Nayakan

Mani Ratnam wrote and directed the Indian crime movie Nayakan (1987) in Tamil. Kamal Haasan plays the lead in the movie with Saranya, Karthika, Nassar, and Janagaraj. A slum dweller who ascends to the top of the criminal underworld and the difficulties he encounters in his quest for dominance are the central themes of the movie.

Upon its premiere, Nayakan was a critical and economic triumph. The movie earned 3.5 crores at the box office, making it the highest-grossing Tamil movie of the year (1987). With nearly ten crores made internationally, it was also one of the highest-grossing Indian movies of the year.

The movie received other honours and prizes as well, including three National Film Awards, five Filmfare Awards, and three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, among others.

One of the finest Indian movies of all time, Nayakan has also gotten high praise from critics. On IMDb, the movie has an 8.5/10 rating and a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is based on 33 reviews. Additionally, the movie was listed as one of the 100 greatest movies ever in Time Magazine. One of Kamal Haasan's greatest performances is also thought to have been in this movie. Nayakan is widely considered to be the film that launched Mani Ratnam's career and has been credited with ushering in a new era of Tamil cinema.

5. 2.0

Filmmaker S. Shankar and co-writer B. Jeyamohan collaborated on the 2018's science fiction action movie 2.0, which was made in Tamil. With Adil Hussain, Sudhanshu Pandey, and Aditi Rao Hydari playing supporting parts, the movie is produced by Subaskaran under the Lyca Productions label. It stars Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar, and Amy Jackson.

The movie focuses on the fight between Pakshi Rajan, an ornithologist seeking retribution against mobile phone users to stop the decrease of the bird species. With this movie, there was the rebirth of Chitti, a humanoid robot that was previously disassembled in the previous part of the movie. Madhan Karky and Na. Muthukumar wrote the lyrics for the movie's music, which were composed by A. R. Rahman.

The movie had a $543 crore ($76 million) budget, making it the most costly Indian movie ever filmed. The Hindi version, with the working title Enthiran 2.0, was shot concurrently with the Tamil version. The visual effects, performances, and musical score of 2.0, which was published on November 29, 2018, were well-received by critics. At the global box office, the movie brought in 800 crores (US$110 million), making it the fourth-highest-grossing Indian movie of all time. Additionally, it was the most successful Indian movie of 2018.

Rajinikanth reprises his roles as Dr Vaseegaran and Chitti, as was shown in the sequel to the 2010 Tamil film Enthiran, which also starred Akshay Kumar and Amy Jackson. The film begins considering the year 2045, and the world is threatened by the apparent emergence of a "Fifth Force", a mysterious and deadly form of energy that can destroy anything it comes into contact with.

Dr Vaseegaran, a scientist, is forced to reassemble Chitti in order to combat the Fifth Force. But, as shown in its sequel, Chitti becomes disobedient, so the government asks Dr Vaseegaran to find another solution. Meanwhile, a former ornithologist, Pakshi Rajan, blames cell phone users for the decreasing bird population and seeks revenge against people. He is eventually captured and transformed into a half-man, half-bird hybrid by the Fifth Force. At last, Chitti and Vaseegaran team up to take on Pakshi Rajan and save the world from the Fifth Force.

2.0 received several awards, including two National Film Awards: Best Special Effects and Best Production Design. At the 91st Academy Awards, the movie received a nomination for Best Visual Effects.

6. Ponniyin Selvan: I

Ponniyin Selvan: I is a 2020 Indian historical drama film in the Tamil language that was written, produced, and directed by Thirumalai Mahadevan. Radikaa Sarathkumar, M. S. Bhaskar, R. Sarathkumar, and K. Bhagyaraj play the key roles in the movie, with Vivek and K. Bhagyaraj playing supporting parts. Ponniyin Selvan, a book by Kalki Krishnamurthy, served as the inspiration for the movie scripting.

The story follows the life of Arulmozhi Varman (R. Sarathkumar), a Chola prince who is sent to the Pandya kingdom to prove his loyalty to the Chola kingdom. The story revolves around Arulmozhi's journey to prevent the powerful Vengi Chola from taking over his kingdom and his attempt to build a strong alliance between the two kingdoms. Characters in the movie include the Pandya King, the Chola King, the Vengi Chola, and the courtiers. The movie is set in the tenth century.

Critics gave the movie favourable reviews after its release on 7 February 2020. The actors, production qualities, and directing of the movie received high reviews. With a global box office take of over 100 crores (US $14 million), the movie was a financial hit. At the 67th National Film Awards, the movie also won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. The movie was also made available in Telugu and Hindi.

7. Anbe Sivam

The Indian Tamil drama film Anbe Sivam enjoyed a successful 2003 release. It was written and directed by Sundar C. with Kamal Haasan, R. Madhavan, Kiran Rathod, and Nassar in the lead roles. The film tells the tale of two people who would go on a road journey together and how that experience changes their lives.

After their bus breaks down at the beginning of the film, Anbarasu (R. Madhavan) and Nallasivam (Kamal Haasan), two strangers, are forced to take a road journey together. They learn the importance of friendship and grow to respect one another while on their voyage despite having come from different backgrounds and having quite different outlooks on life.

They come into contact with a variety of people who help them on their journey and impart valuable life lessons.

With funny dialogue and heartwarming scenes, the movie tells a moving tale of friendship and human ties. The music is terrific, and the performances of the principal actors are superb. The movie also subtly emphasizes the importance of doing good things and having a positive outlook on life.

The motivational film Anbe Sivam has received a lot of awards and accolades. It was nominated twice: once for the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film and once for the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.

8. Enthiran

S. Shankar wrote and directed the 2010 Tamil film Enthiran, which translates to "Robot" in English. Enthiran is an Indian-Tamil film. Throughout the narrative, Chitti, an artificial robot built by a scientist, confronts that scientist and becomes a danger, making many similar robots for his own evil plans. The film's major actors are Rajinikanth, Danny Denzongpa, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The film's cinematography and editing were separately handled by R. Rathnavelu and Anthony, and A. R. Rahman created the soundtrack.

Enthiran, an Indian film which was the costliest film at that time, broke both domestic and international box office records. It was the first Indian film to be presented in both 2D and 3D formats. After getting favourable reviews from both critics and viewers, it went on to become the most popular Indian movie of all time and the first to gross more than 1.00 billion (US $14 million) internationally. It was also the first film from India to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects.

Seven Filmfare Awards South and eight Vijay Awards were among the accolades for which Enthiran was nominated. It received five major awards, including Best Film, at the 57th National Film Awards. Rajinikanth won Best Actor and Best Film at the 2010 Filmfare Awards, while it received five nominations for the 2010's International Indian Film Academy Awards, including Best Film of the Year. The film received praise for its excellent visual effects at the 2011's Asian Film Awards.

9. Bigil

Atlee wrote and directed the action sports drama film Bigil, which was published by AGS Entertainment and produced by Kalpathi S. Aghoram. In the film, Vijay portrays the identical twins Michael and Bigil in lead roles, while the supporting cast includes Nayanthara and Jackie Shroff. The soundtrack was written by A. R. Rahman, while the cinematography and editing were handled by G. K. Vishnu and Ruben, respectively.

The main character of the movie is Bigil, a former football player who decides to coach a women's football team in order to fulfil the request of his deceased friend. On October 25, 2019, Bigil was launched during the Diwali festival.

Bigil received positive reviews from critics who praised the language and music as well as the performances of the key characters. The film was well-received by critics and audiences alike. It had the third-highest box office revenues in Tamil in 2019 and the fourth-highest box office earnings among South Indian films that year. With 295 crores ($42 million) in total box office earnings globally, it became the highest-grossing Tamil film of 2019.

Bigil was nominated for and won a number of awards, including the SIIMA Award for Best Actor, the Vijay Award for Best Story, the Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Film, and the Vijay Award for Best Entertainer of the Year (Male). In addition, it won four National Film Awards, including ones for Best Choreography and Best Popular Film Offering Ample Entertainment. In the category of Best International Feature Film, the film had also been selected to represent India at the 92nd Academy Awards.

10. Darbar

The action-thriller film Darbar, which was released in Tamil in 2020, was produced by Allirajah Subaskaran and written and directed by A.R. Murugadoss. The principal characters in the film were portrayed by Rajinikanth, Nayanthara, Nivetha Thomas, Yogi Babu, Thambi Ramaiah, Sunil Shetty, and other performers.

The main character of the film is Mumbai police officer Aditya Arunachalam, who is trying to bring down a well-known mafia lord. While on his journey, he encounters a fascinating woman, and she offers to assist.

Darbar was made available both locally and globally on January 9, 2020. More than Rs. 200 crores were made at the box office worldwide. Critics gave mixed reviews, praising Rajinikanth's performance and Murugadoss' direction while criticizing the film's length and lack of innovation.

The film was a commercial success and was hailed as a box office smash. It went on to become one of the highest-grossing Tamil films of 2020 and a great box office hit. It also rose to become the top-grossing South Indian film of 2020 and the fourth-highest-earning movie worldwide that year.

Darbar went on to receive several accolades and awards, including the Filmfare Award for Best Film, the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Entertainer, and the Zee Cine Award for Best Film. The movie received multiple nominations for Filmfare Awards, including Best Actor and Best Director. Darbar was also selected for the Indian Panorama category at the 49th International Film Festival of India.

Conclusion

Last but not least, these top 10 Tamil films have been a magnificent representation of the Tamil film industry and its distinct storytelling approach. These movies, which range from affecting dramas to exhilarating blockbusters, have entertained and inspired audiences all around the world. With their wide range of topics, aesthetics, creativity, uniqueness, and philosophies, they have shown the best of Tamil cinema. As time passes and Tamil cinema develops, these top 10 movies will continue to be a great representation of the industry and its impact on the world. These top 10 Tamil films won't disappoint you whether you're looking for a sentimental classic or thrilling entertainment. Prepare some popcorn, relax and get ready to explore the vast world of Tamil cinema.