These Tamil Films Deserve To Be On Your Watchlist, Stat
| ...before someone spoils the plot twists, says Subha J Rao
| TAMIL CINEMA has been on a remarkable run in the last couple of years, with stories that balance heart, craft and social relevance. From tender family dramas and coming-of-age tales to edgy thrillers and unflinching social commentaries, here are seven films on JioHotstar (now part of OTTplay) you shouldn’t miss. *** TOURIST FAMILY (2025) Let’s begin with the pick of 2025. Debut director Abhishan Jeevinth wrote and directed a film that left most audiences smiling due to its sheer feel-good factor. A Tamil family from Sri Lanka — Das, Vasanthi, Mithu and Mulli — lands in India seeking better fortunes. Before you know it, they integrate themselves beautifully into the homes and hearts of people in a locality. And, slowly, a colony where everyone lives in their own world turns into a happy community. | The fabulous performances by Shashi Kumar, Simran, Mithun Jai Shankar and Kamalesh, besides Yogi Babu, add tremendously to the movie. There was some criticism, however, about how the film glossed over forced migration and the politics behind it, presenting a rather basic and diluted version instead. LOVER (2024) | A rare Tamil film that called out a toxic relationship for what it was, without making the hero look good at the end of it. Prabhuram Vyas turns the spotlight on a relationship that’s crumbling and ready to break. Arun (a brilliant Manikandan) does not want to let go, but Divya (Sri Gouri Priya) is feeling stifled. After much back and forth, they finally move on. Not one does Prabhram make Arun the virtuous one — he shows him for what he is, a self-absorbed person who finally faces his demons. There’s no sympathy-generating moment. And, unlike routine film heroines, Divya actually moves on, without being derided. GOOD NIGHT (2023) | The last couple of years have been great for Manigandan as he has waited to choose good scripts. In Good Night , he plays Mohan, a hard-working IT guy whose English and habit of snoring give him grief. He meets the very reticent Anu (the wonderfully quiet Meetha Raghunath) and discovers she cannot get a good night’s sleep because of his snoring. His family is all love — his sister has married his best friend — and their genuine care is evident in every organic interaction. Director Vinayak Chandrasekaran slowly helps you unfurl layers in each character, and when the end credits roll, you’re smiling. VAAZHAI (2024) Director Mari Selvaraj goes back to his roots in Vaazhai , a searing tale of growing up by a banana plantation. Sivanendhan, a bright young student, hates working in the plantain groves — the work is brutal, the sticky liquid from the cut bunches sticks to the skin — and all the child can think about is school, his Poongodi teacher, and friends. But his mother has taken a loan, and she struggles to keep the family afloat after the death of his father. Sivandendhan, for all his impishness, understands her plight. | Vaazhai is literally a tale of growing up, but not one filled with light and joy. It makes you think of opportunities denied to many, of how some children are still forced to let go of their childhood. PARKING (2023) There’s renewed interest in this well-written, directed and performed thriller that’s about a single parking space. Debut director Ramkumar Balakrishnan hits it out of the park with his detailing. The film won big at the 71st National Film Awards — for Best Tamil Feature Film, Best Supporting Actor (MS Bhaskar) and Best Screenplay for Ramkumar. | The gradual breakdown of two people because of their egos makes for a fascinating watch. It helps that Ramkumar has fine actors in Harish Kalyan and Bhaskar who bring alive his vision. The supporting cast, Indhuja and Rama, are pitch-perfect. Philomin Raj’s editing adds to the tension. But, it all goes back to the writing — when a director writes with such clarity about the fight for a simple parking space, even that becomes a perfect playground for a big-ticket match. LUBBER PANDHU (2024) | Actor Harish Kalyan has the knack for picking subjects that look simple on paper but are backed by teams that implement them very well. On the face of it, Tamizharasan Pachamuthu’s film is about people’s love for cricket in Tamil Nadu’s hinterland, and the ego clashes that follow. But where Tamizharasan scores is in how he gently knits in the various issues there — caste, perception of how a man should be, and more. And so, you’re involved in the stories of Anbu, who is denied a seat at the table because of his caste, and Poomalai (a brilliant Dinesh), a painter and talented cricketer whose wife Yasodha (a fiery Swasika) does not like him playing. It does not help that Anbu falls in love with Durga (Sanjana Krishnamoorthy), Poomalai’s feisty daughter. The film brought alive ‘Nee Pottu Vecha’ , a song picturised on the late Vijaykanth, and resurrected many careers. CHITHTHA (2023) | SU Arun Kumar writes and directs this aching story of an uncle Eswaran (a sincere Siddharth) and his niece Sundari or Settai (Sahasra Shree), who dotes on him. Child sexual harassment is at the root of this film, and it speaks about what happens to individuals and families when a child at home is affected. Do you try to punish the perpetrator or be there for the survivor? Do you pander to the male ego and seek retribution, or do you act prudently and hope justice will be served? The film is set in a small town in India, and there’s also a beautiful love story between Eswaran and Shakti (a lovely Nimisha Sajayan), who makes him see why his path is wrong. The performances are sensitive and the children are handled beautifully — not as mini adults, but as just children — free, innocent, and all giving. | Like what you read? Get more of what you like. Visit the OTTplay website or download the app to stay up-to-date with news, recommendations and special offers on streaming content. Plus: always get the latest reviews. Sign up for our newsletters. Already a subscriber? Forward this email to a friend, or use the share buttons below. | | | This weekly newsletter compiles a list of the latest (and most important) reviews from OTTplay so you can figure what to watch or ditch over the weekend ahead. | | Each week, our editors pick one long-form, writerly piece that they think it worthy of your attention, and dice it into easily digestible bits for you to mull over. | | In which we invite a scholar of cinema, devotee of the moving image, to write a prose poem dedicated to their poison of choice. Expect to spend an
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