25 Tamil Films You Have to Watch Before You DIe
by shaolincage | created - 11 Feb 2012 | updated - 11 Feb 2012 | PublicHere's a list of the top Kollywood/Tamil fans ANYONE has to watch (both Tamil and Non-Tamil speaking fans) before they die
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1. Nayakan (1987)
Not Rated | 145 min | Crime, Drama
A common man's struggles against a corrupt police force put him on the wrong side of the law. He becomes a don, who is loved and respected by many, but his growing power and influence exact a heavy toll.
Director: Mani Ratnam | Stars: Kamal Haasan, Saranya Ponvannan, Delhi Ganesh, Janakaraj
Votes: 23,002
2. Kannathil Muthamittal (2002)
Not Rated | 136 min | Action, Drama, War
A little girl is told by her parents that she is adopted. Determined to find her real mother, she begs to be taken to Sri Lanka, where her mother works with a militant group of activists.
Director: Mani Ratnam | Stars: Keerthana Parthiepan, Simran, Madhavan, Nandita Das
Votes: 9,227
3. Anbe Sivam (2003)
Not Rated | 160 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Two men, one young and arrogant, the other damaged - physically but not spiritually - by life, are thrown together by circumstances, and find that they are in some ways bound together by fate.
Director: Sundar C. | Stars: Kamal Haasan, Madhavan, Kiran Rathod, Nassar
Votes: 25,317
4. Roja (1992)
137 min | Drama, Romance, Thriller
A woman from a village in Tamil Nadu marries a sophisticated city dweller and moves with him to Kashmir, where all is rosy - until he gets kidnapped by militants.
Director: Mani Ratnam | Stars: Arvind Swamy, Madhoo, Pankaj Kapur, Nassar
Votes: 13,718
5. Bombay (1995)
Not Rated | 130 min | Drama, Romance
A Hindu man and a Muslim woman fall in love in a small village and move to Mumbai, where they have two children. However, growing religious tensions and erupting riots threaten to tear the family apart.
Director: Mani Ratnam | Stars: Arvind Swamy, Manisha Koirala, Nassar, Kitty
Votes: 13,711
6. Thevar Magan (1992)
145 min | Action, Drama, Romance
The urbane son of a village chieftain struggles between his personal aspirations and those of his family.
Director: Bharathan | Stars: Kamal Haasan, Shivaji Ganesan, Nassar, Revathi
Votes: 8,027
7. Deiva Magan (1969)
166 min | Drama, Family
The story is about a father and his sons--all three roles played by Sivaji Ganesan. One son who had disappeared shortly after his birth reappears, spends time with his father, and solves ... See full summary »
Director: A.C. Trilogchander | Stars: Shivaji Ganesan, Jayalalitha J, Pandari Bai, Major Sundarrajan
Votes: 157
8. Mynaa (2010)
Not Rated | 144 min | Action, Romance
Village boy make an affair with girl and they continue it even if they grownup. Accidentally boy happened to caught in jail. But after small time he escaped from the jail and come to the ... See full summary »
Director: Prabu Solomon | Stars: Vidharth, Amala Paul, Thambi Ramaiah, Sethu
Votes: 1,101
9. Vaaranam Aayiram (2008)
Not Rated | 169 min | Action, Drama, Musical
A father and son help each other through growing up, romance, tragedy, and adventure.
Director: Gautham Vasudev Menon | Stars: Suriya, Simran, Ramya, Sameera Reddy
Votes: 14,352
10. Thalapathi (1991)
Not Rated | 157 min | Action, Crime, Drama
An orphan named Surya raised in a slum befriends a good crime boss named Devaraj and works for him. Their existence is threatened when a new honest district collector arrives.
Director: Mani Ratnam | Stars: Rajinikanth, Mammootty, Shobana, Arvind Swamy
Votes: 13,246
11. Paruthiveeran (2007)
Not Rated | 162 min | Action, Drama, Romance
A village tough finally succumbs to the unconditional love of his angelic cousin, but his romance faces insurmountable challenges, including family opposition and his own delinquent personality.
Director: Ameer Sultan | Stars: Karthi, Priyamani, Saravanan, Ponvannan
Votes: 4,036
12. Dil Se.. (1998)
Not Rated | 163 min | Drama, Romance
A radio broadcaster's intense attraction to a mysterious woman opens the door to a tidal wave of powerful emotions and desires.
Director: Mani Ratnam | Stars: Shah Rukh Khan, Manisha Koirala, Preity G Zinta, Raghubir Yadav
Votes: 31,171
13. Alai Payuthey (2000)
Not Rated | 156 min | Drama, Musical, Romance
After a difficult romance in a class-divided society, the love birds find out marriage is not what they thought it would be.
Director: Mani Ratnam | Stars: Madhavan, Shalini, Swarnamalya, V. Natarajan
Votes: 7,364
14. Anjali (1990)
Not Rated | 150 min | Drama
After a few years, Chitra learns that her child, who was believed to be dead, is alive but is suffering from a mental illness. However, her family faces many challenges while looking after her child.
Director: Mani Ratnam | Stars: Shamili, Revathi, Raghuvaran, Tarun
Votes: 3,178
15. Pathinaru Vayathinile (1977)
Not Rated | 139 min | Drama, Romance
The movie revolves around the struggle and vulnerability of 16-year old Mayil (Sridevi) when in love.
Director: Bharathiraja | Stars: Kamal Haasan, Sridevi, Rajinikanth, Gandhimathi
Votes: 1,243
16. Iruvar (1997)
140 min | Biography, Drama
A struggling actor and a writer-politician become friends as young men and rise to great heights in cinema and politics respectively. But when both become contenders for the top political post in the state, a rift develops between them.
Director: Mani Ratnam | Stars: Mohanlal, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Prakash Raj, Gautami
Votes: 7,331
17. Indian (1996)
Not Rated | 185 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
A veteran freedom fighter enraged with the rising crime and corruption in the society murders all the wrong doers one by one using an ancient martial arts technique.
Director: S. Shankar | Stars: Kamal Haasan, Sukanya, Manisha Koirala, Urmila Matondkar
Votes: 13,866
18. Mudhalvan (1999)
Not Rated | 169 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
A man accepts a challenge to act as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for one day only, and makes such a success of it that soon he is embroiled in political intrigue.
Director: S. Shankar | Stars: Arjun Sarja, Manisha Koirala, Raghuvaran, Vadivelu
Votes: 8,448
19. Pithamagan (2003)
Not Rated | 139 min | Action, Drama
Chittan, a social outcast, has grown up in a cemetery. A drug dealer finds him a job in a cannabis farm. In prison, he meets a conman, Shakti. This friendship transforms him from his stony existence.
Director: Bala | Stars: Vikram, Suriya, Laila, Sangeetha
Votes: 7,493
20. Deiva Thirumagal (2011)
Not Rated | 166 min | Drama
A man with disabilities fights for custody of his 7-year-old daughter, and in the process teaches his opponent lawyer the value of love and family.
Director: A.L. Vijay | Stars: Vikram, Anushka Shetty, Amala Paul, Nassar
Votes: 6,488
21. Vaanam (2011)
Not Rated | 140 min | Action, Crime, Drama
The lives of five individuals living in different places converge at a point, resulting in the transformation of their persona and purpose.
Director: Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi | Stars: Silambarasan Rajendar, Bharath Srinivasan, Anushka Shetty, Jasmine Bhasin
Votes: 1,962
22. Anniyan (2005)
Not Rated | 181 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Ramanujam, who suffers from multiple personality disorder, works as a lawyer by day and a vigilante at night, using tips from the 'Garuda Purana' as his tools to punish various antisocial elements.
Director: S. Shankar | Stars: Vikram, Sada, Prakash Raj, Vivek
Votes: 21,473
23. Mouna Ragam (1986)
146 min | Drama, Romance
Divya, a woman grieving over the death of her lover, is convinced into an arranged marriage with Chandra Kumar. Over a year the couple attempt to adjust to each other's presence and live with each other.
Directors: Ambili, Mani Ratnam | Stars: Revathi, Mohan, Karthik, V.K. Ramasamy
Votes: 4,274
24. Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000)
151 min | Drama, Romance
An Indian adaptation of Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility" focusing on two sisters of opposing temperaments.
Director: Rajiv Menon | Stars: Ajith Kumar, Tabu, Mammootty, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Votes: 3,590
25. Raavanan (2010)
Not Rated | 128 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A bandit leader kidnaps the wife of the policeman who killed his sister, but later falls in love with her.
Director: Mani Ratnam | Stars: Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Priyamani
Votes: 4,590
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