Action movies are the norm. But do you know the best Tamil action movies? If not, don’t worry! This list is here to introduce you to these amazing movies that will fill your days with more adrenaline and vibrancy than ever before.
So grab some popcorn and get ready for a marathon of action-packed cinema.
Contents
Baasha
Rickshaw driver Manickam is a man who avoids violence at all costs. However, when his brother, a cop, gets into trouble with some goons, it triggers a set of events that revive Manickam’s old self.
Mass marana mass blockbuster movie I am a big fan of thalapathy Vijay but I also like rajni and I watched this movie it is just incredible and the concept of the movie is the biggest plus for this movie. Combining two different characters manikam and baasha and making a link between the two. Simply, it is my all time favorite and blockbuster movie. I think that both 90’s and 2k kids will love this movie. The unbeatable don story movie by the director Suresh krissna.
Where to watch: Jio Cinema (free)
Pudhupettai
Pudhupetai is a Tamil action thriller film released in 2006. This movie is a masterpiece. Great film from Selvaraghavan. Even though the length of the movie is bit long it’s never boring except for a few minutes. Starts off with Dhanush being in Jail and talking about his past. He as Kokki Kumar excelled in the role perfectly and I don’t think anyone can replace him with that character. I loved the story and the main plot. The Movie had a gangster theme, Politics, Drugs, and what not. Everyone’s acting performance was good. Even though some had small roles like our Vijay Sethupathi but they all did well. Dhanush’s transformation and his unusual behavior were quite good. If you are a Dhanush fan you can watch this movie “n” no of times. Even if you aren’t his fan Still this movie is a one-time watch for sure!! A wonderful movie by Selvaraghavan and Dhanush. One of the best gangster movies in India.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu
I watched this movie almost 8 years ago and Since then was a big Gautham menon fan.. Fantastic direction and screenplay! So today while I was watching a movie called “Murder by Numbers” somewhere I felt I knew the next scene or the plot felt similar now I get it.. This English movie played by Sandra Bullock Ryan Gosling Micheal was released in 2002. Raghavan is more than 90% adaption of this Hollywood movie “Murder By Numbers” just the love track is an Indian version.
Kamal played Sandra Bullock’s role and the villains role by Ryan and Micheal. Since it is a 90% copy or inspired from Hollywood movie I thought it would be fair enough if the Raghavan’s film crew would have mentioned this movie name.. Nevertheless, both the movies are well made and gripping!!
Where to watch: Sony Liv
Madras
Released in 2004, Madras is a story about a wall that creates discord between two factions of a political party. Kaali and his friend Anbu, who is a political aspirant, get embroiled in the brutal political rivalry.
This movie changed my perception about Indian Cinema! It’s just a mirror of our lifestyle! Many of the scenes resemble some incidents in our village! Pa Ranjith portrayed the Real world inside North Chennai. It is the actual culture which we can see in each and every Town and Villages.
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar
Paruthiveeran
A young, carefree man named Paruthiveeran saves Muththazhagu’s life and they eventually fall in love. There is a problem because their families object to the union and forcefully force Paruthiveeran away from her. However, the two elope together instead of staying apart for long periods of time.
This is one of the most compelling movies I’ve ever watched – it’s a wonderful story as well. The lead actors, especially Karthi did an amazing job with his debut film. Although this was his first movie, he conveyed every emotion brilliantly. I never thought to watch a rural movie before but Karthi held my attention throughout the whole thing and made me enjoy the experience!.
Where to watch: YouTube (Free)
Billa
Billa is an Indian Telugu-language action thriller film directed by Meher Ramesh. The story starts with a criminal called Billa hiding from Interpol’s international list, but then he gets into trouble and must go to Malaysia in order to escape from the lawmen.
It stars Prabhas in dual roles alongside Krishnam Raju, Anushka Shetty, Hansika Motwani, Namitha and Rahman who tells the story of a don who hides out but needs help because his girlfriend has been kidnapped by his enemies.
Where to watch: Zee5
Thuppakki
An army captain visits Mumbai to reconnect with his family and find a suitable bride. However, an explosion in the city sets him off on a mission to save civilians by disabling terrorist sleeper cells throughout the city.
Thuppakki is a no-nonsense thriller that’s an intelligent and well-plotted movie. The length of the film could have been shorter, but overall, it was executed really well. Vijay’s performance was one highlight amid various action sequences and twists which were some of the major highlights in Thuppakki bringing up an important issue many might not have realized before watching this film.
Where to watch: Voot (Free)
Dheena
Dheena works for his brother Adhikesavan, a gangster, and is very close to him. However, things turn sour between them after a misunderstanding leads to the death of their sister.
The film starts with the police arresting Aadhikesavan’s men as suspects for burning Minister Malarvannan’s liquor shop. Aadhi sends Dheenadhayalan aka Dheena, his adopted brother, to attack the false witnesses in this case and bail them out. This leads to further conflicts between Adhi, Dheena and Malarvannan and Dheena ends up chopping off Malarvannan’s hand.
Where to watch: YouTube (Free)
Vishwaroopam
Vishwaroopam is a 2013 Tamil action film written and directed by Kamal Haasan. The film stars Kamal Haasan, Sivaji Ganesan, Bhanupriya, Urvashi, Nassar and Mohan Babu in the lead roles. It is the story of Indian intelligence officer Hariharan who infiltrates a terrorist organization in Pakistan to rescue India’s most valuable asset – an Israeli nuclear scientist kidnapped by terrorists.
The film was well-received at the box office and won several awards including National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Its success prompted other directors to make similar films with different themes.
Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar (free)
Mangatha
Mankatha is a high-voltage action thriller full of exhilarating action and surprising twists. Ajith has delivered one of his career best performances. From beginning to end, it is entirely HIS GAME. I like how the film opened straightaway with a brilliant fight sequence, and later on had a good amount of humor as well. The film did have a few songs that could’ve been edited but it’s impressive how director Venkat Prabhu has made them an integral part of the narrative due to which they can’t be easily discarded. The film has a perfect blend of action, tension and excitement, something that makes it one of the best action movies of all time.
Since it also has “Action King” Arjun in it, Mankatha doesn’t forget to deliver an exciting cat-and-mouse game that unfolds in the second half, with a lot of intense action sequences shot and choreographed with finesse. I felt the second half was indeed better than the first one as it just kept on improving with every second. The performances were all awesome, and the cinematography too impressed big time, especially during the action scenes. The BGM was, is and will always be mind-blowing!
If you like action thriller films with plenty of action and twists, Mankatha is definitely for you. Doesn’t matter whether you understand Tamil or not, you will love it even if you see it with subtitles: I was highly impressed with how even the subtitles for the songs rhymed.
Where to watch: Hotstar (free)
Anniyan
Anniyan is an action-packed testament to the power of cinema. It’s a film that does what it wants, without taking any unnecessary detours. Even if you see it in a dubbed version, chances are you’re going to come out highly impressed with its powerful storytelling, stylish action sequences and state-of-the-art visual effects as well as Vikram’s groundbreaking performance.
The film is long, but it’s very gripping and compelling to watch. Vikram nails the three-in-one roles he plays with conviction by convincing us that these characters are different people throughout the duration of his performance. Sadha for her part has some fine expressions on offer, while Prakash Raj and Vivek put in entertaining performances as well with some hilarious scenes featuring them (I still can’t stop laughing at!). The soundtrack is also impressive both in terms of audio and visuals!
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Sivaji the Boss
A young software engineer arrives in India to serve the nation and invest in the country’s welfare. He comes across some corrupt officials, but he manages to overcome them.
Rajni and Vivek’s acting is the biggest attraction in this movie. The songs, dance, comedy sequences are all perfectly timed and highly entertaining! Shankar Sir’s direction outshines Indian Cinema as a whole.
This movie perfectly addresses the social issues in our country, how politicians and government officials, police officers and businessmen are misusing their power. Sadly even after 14 years the situation has hardly improved with people like Sivaji stepping up to question it all. Censorship is still a factor of this society as there exist many loopholes that can be exploited by those in power to benefit themselves while also exploiting literally every loophole we have as consumers or citizens- including free speech rights and human rights/civil liberties.
Where to watch: Netflix
Dasavadharam
After realising the potential danger of a bioweapon, a scientist races against time to prevent a disaster that could take place across the world. When it slips through their fingers and goes to India, he realizes there is only one way – sell his soul for passage back home.
Dasavathaaram is a 2008 Tamil-language science fiction action film directed by K.S. Ravikumar and starring Kamal Haasan in ten distinct roles, with Asin playing two characters and Mallika Sherawat playing a subsidiary role. The filming locations included the United States as well as many areas across India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu.
Where to watch: YouTube
Vada Chennai
Vada Chennai is a 2018 Indian Tamil-language action drama film written and directed by Vetrimaaran in his fourth film as a director. It is the first instalment in a planned trilogy.
Vada Chennai opens with a murder, but we do not see the murder or the victim. Instead, we get a blood-stained sickle and a conversation between the murderers. These are Guna (Samuthirakani), Senthil (Kishore), Velu (Pavan) and Pazhani (Dheena). The guy they have killed is a big shot gangster and they discuss how they can now take his place. This is 1987. Cut to a year later, and we see that the four men have become rivals – Guna and Velu on one side and Senthil and Pazhani on the other.
Where to watch: Sony Liv (free)
Aadugalam
Aadukalam is a 2010 Indian Tamil-language sports action drama film written and directed by Vetrimaran. The film stars Dhanush and Taapsee Pannu in the lead roles, with Vetrimaran also writing the screenplay and dialogues.
Pettaikaaran has an impeccable track record of success in cock fights. However, when one of his aides, Karuppu does not follow the instructions in a fight, it creates enmity between them.
Where to watch: MX Player (free)