Tamil cinema has seen a significant transformation in recent years. It has constantly altered and remade itself to portray and confront the various aspects of modern life and culture. Nowadays, filmmakers are focused on more content-driven movies that deal with socially relevant issues. If you’re new to South Indian cinema, here are some of the best contemporary Tamil movies you should see.
- Madras
Madras is Pa Ranjith’s second film, following his indie effort Attakathi (2012). Ranjith came up with a refreshing voice and visual paradigm for the portrayal of the subaltern in Tamil cinema, and the movie has become a major turning point. Ranjith’s deception was so subtle that if you weren’t paying attention, you’d miss the cues for some scathing societal satire.
- Visaranai
Vetrimaaran wrote and directed the criminal drama. In 2015, Visaranai was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The events depicted in M Chandrakumar’s 2017 novel Lock-Up: Jottings of an Ordinary Man are based on true occurrences. Visaranai brazenly walks us through the police brutality one encounters in prison, which is currently the most discussed topic. In the movie, four Tamil laborers are falsely accused of a crime by politically motivated cops in Andhra Pradesh. Dinesh, Anandhi, Samuthirakani, Aadukalam Murugadoss, and Kishore, among others, play significant roles in the film.
- Onnayum Aatukuttiyum
Without the contributions of an auteur like Mysskin, the new age of Tamil cinema will be lacking in zeal. The director’s aesthetics are unique, and no one in film history has ever shot Chennai at night like he has. He enters the nooks and crannies of everyday existence, both physically and metaphorically. Among his extensive filmography, Onaayum Aatukuttiyum stands out as an analysis of strong and weak, good and wrong. It’s both his most assured and innovative movie to date.
- Aruvi
The movie was like a breath of fresh air. Arun Prabhu Purushothaman’s film is a coming-of-age story that deals with formative years or spiritual education of a woman. She is rejected by everyone, including her parents. Arvi is backed by great music—a concept album from independent musicians Bindhu Malini and Vedanth Bharadwaj. Her discredit is channelled into a hostage situation in a TV studio, where she is conducting a program that is dishonest about working for the welfare of humanity. Despite the numerous tonal swings, some of which work better than others, Aruvi is one of the few movies with an unapologetic female character playing the lead.
- Super Deluxe
Thiagarajan Kumararaja’s moderately controversial film, Super Deluxe is a must-watch Tamil movie. Kumararaja made his debut with a movie that has since become a cult classic among cinephiles of all stripes. Super Deluxe, starring Vijay Sethupathi, Fahadh Faasil, Samantha Akkineni, and Ramya Krishnan, is a creation of such exceptional thought and care that its simplicity completely escapes our understanding. It explores everything from love and life to morality and sex, even venturing beyond the known world.
- Pariyerum Perumal
Pariyerum Perumal is directed by Mari Selvaraj and produced by Ranjith. The Tamil movie is based on a true story about an underprivileged teenager carving out a place for himself in the cruel world. The perfect storyline will have you feeling as if you are reading someone’s personal diary. Every actor’s powerful performance connects well with the audience, bringing out the characters’ actual emotions. The movie stars Kathir and Anandhi in the lead roles with Yogi Babu in a supporting role.