Best Tamil Actor of 2021- (Actors & Entertainers)

Best actors in Tamil Cinema - 2021 

1. Arya : Amidst a flurry of his usual releases, Arya - the actor made a big comeback this year with Sarpatta Parambarai. Besides half-selling the role of Kabilan with his in-shape physicality, Arya was effortless in portraying the ambitious yet naïve boxer. The effort he put into making onscreen love for the sport more authentic was visible throughout the film.

2. Dhanush: Be it giving a lit performance as the vibrant gangster in Jagame Thandhiram or playing his part to a T in Galatta Kalyaanam's twisted love triangle, Dhanush was at his versatile-best this year. His ace performance however was in Karnan where he portrayed a young revolt with insatiable rage, stemming from years of suppression and injustice.

3. Suriya: In a film that revolved around other prominent characters, 'Chandru' became the center-point because of 'the actor' Suriya. He made a role with limited scope his own and cake-walked the firebrand advocate character by adding his own suave to it.

4. Yogi Babu: Yogi Babu owned the role of a suppressed-barber-with-a-survival-instinct in Mandela. His best performance to date, the actor transitioned from a supporting actor to a bankable lead this year.

5. Samuthirakani: Another actor who was a just a treat to watch in multiple movies, Samuthirakani was vibrant as Muthukutty in Aelay, subtle in Vinodhaya Sitham and impactful as the fatigued policeman in Writer.

Top 5 Entertainers of Tamil Cinema - 2021

The scope of entertaining extends beyond just acting and In Tamil movies this year, there were the top 5 names, whose mere presence on screen commanded attention.

1. Vijay : Master had a lead protagonist dealing with insomnia, alcoholism and no clear reasons for the same, so the film majorly banked on the charisma of the star playing it. Vijay breezed through Master with ease and the swag he carried throughout the film, was a perfect treat for movie lovers.

2. SJ Suryah : SJ Suryah's roles in Nenjam Marapathillai and Maanaadu was at par with lead performances, in terms of entertainment this year. The actor ably pulled off both over-the-top and contained characters, and churned them out to be equally enjoyable. A special mention to the fact that these were roles, only he could have made impactful.

3. Silambarasan TR: It was a refreshing sight to witness Silambarasan TR back on track this year. If Eeswaran gave a complete physical transformation of the actor, Silambarasan kept it effortlessly interesting in Maanaadu,

4. Sivakarthikeyan: Breaking away from their signature template seemed to be the theme for Tamil stars this year, and besides Vijay actor Sivakarthikeyan was the one with most impact in this route in 2021. The subtle hero he played in Doctor was a step away from his constant ball-of-energy mould, yet he retained viewer engagement with intentional monotone dialogue delivery and an almost expression-less performance.

5. Rajinikanth: It is very rare to see a 70 year old play an active hero who dances and fights, much less someone with an ability to hold audience interest, even in a poorly scripted film. Annaatthe this year was yet another reminder of this is how good Rajinikanth - the entertainer is.