MovieCrow Annual Ranking - Best Tamil Movies of 2024

2024 might have painted a dull year for Tamil cinema with no big commercial blockbusters or head-turners, but there were some gems that managed to keep the industry afloat. The top Tamil movies 2024, in order of their MovieCrow aggregate listed below: 

1. Lubber Pandhu

Contrary to the notion that cricket-themed movies cater primarily to a male audience, Lubber Pandhu succeeds in appealing to all sections of viewers. Touching on diverse topics such as the game itself, caste, gender, love, and family, not a single scene in Lubber Pandhu feels out of place. The director smartly incorporates these elements, creating a flawless narrative flow within the world he constructs. The dialogues are simple, relatable, precise, and impactful. Lubber Pandhu a pitch perfect film grabs top spot this year.

2. Amaran

Amaran is a biopic on Major Mukund Varadarajan, tracing his journey from childhood to his heroic sacrifice in the Qazipathri counterterrorism operation, which earned him the Ashoka Chakra. Sivakarthikeyan delivers a transformative performance, evolving from a spirited college student to a committed officer, while his chemistry with Sai Pallavi beautifully captures Mukund and Indu’s pure, poetic love. Balancing authenticity with commercial appeal, the director crafts a compelling narrative, securing Amaran the second spot in our rankings.

3. Maharaja

Nithilan Saminathan's Maharaja is a film that deserves to be dissected and discussed in movie forums. The filmmaker clearly knew what he was doing, skillfully employing clever narrative techniques such as a non-linear timeline, a story centered around a dustbin, and glimpses into the protagonist's personal life, to keep the audience constantly thinking.

While the confusion may be ours, it is certainly not the maker's. Director Nithilan even paints the dustbin as sinister at first, only to reveal its true significance as the story unfolds. Despite juggling multiple subplots, the film masterfully connects every element by the end.

Crime, deed, and justice - Maharaja wins his justice.

4. Meiyazhagan

The film beautifully captures the journey of rekindled relationships and heartfelt emotions. With gradual and organic storytelling, it highlights pure, brotherly love and deep-rooted bonds, enriched by slice-of-life moments that resonate effortlessly. Nostalgia and warmth take center stage, making the Karthi, Arvind Swami starrer Meiyazhagan by C Prem Kumar a heartwarming experience.

5. Vaazhai

Maari Selvaraj's Vaazhai brings to life a true incident and the larger issue surrounding it. What sets this film apart is its refreshing approach, told through the innocent perspective of a child who remains unaware of the harsh realities unfolding around him.

The boy is deeply invested in his school life, excelling academically as a topper, and cherishing his newfound bond with his teacher. He detests going to work (to harvest banana plantations), yet as events unfold, the audience begins to feel not only the weight on his young shoulders but also the burden carried by labourers who have been wronged for generations.

With Vaazhai, Maari Selvaraj delivers yet another powerful and poignant winner.

6. Garudan

It is quite rare to see rural films with a peculiar screenplay, and just like Kidaari, Garudan had a narrative style of its own. The usual tropes of friendship and romance was elevated by the core story, which was very fresh in this film.

Splendid performance by Soori, who brought a melting presence while expressing innocence and raging attitude when furious. Garudan is one of best films released this year whose strength relies on its screenplay. 

7. Lover

Lover is not a typical romcom; the film gained attention for highlighting how toxic a relationship can become when surrounded by insecurities, lack of trust, and a web of lies. This modern-day saga became the talk of the town upon its release. Lead actor K Manikandan delivered a terrific performance, complemented by a superb score by Sean Roldan. An unmissable film of the year.

8. Vettaiyan

We are witnessing a golden era of social justice films, exploring nuances from various perspectives across multiple genres. Vettaiyan reinforces the belief in the legal system over vigilante justice. In a world driven by instant gratification, where police encounters might seem like the right solution, the TJ Gnanavel directed movie beautifully emphasizes the importance of trust in law and order for achieving long-term justice in a thriving democracy. Despite being a bit preachy, this Rajinikanth film serves as an engaging civic lesson, and is nevertheless a good watch.