Here are the top 7 crime thrillers of Tamil cinema, that are sure to give the audience an 'edge of the seat' experience. Read on…
Written by S Devasankar , Journalist
Updated on Nov 01, 2023|04:02 PM IST| 744.6K
7 best Tamil crime thriller movies on OTT: Vikram Vedha to Por Thozhil (PC. Vikram Vedha IMDb, Por Thozhil IMDb)
Key Highlight
Crime thrillers have become a fan favorite genre over the years, with the ability to bring any audience member to the edge of their seats, with their heart pounding against their chest. Over the course of time, the Tamil film industry has come up with a number of such crime thrillers. Here are the top 7 Tamil crime thrillers, and where to watch them.
Top 7 crime thrillers in Tamil
1. Nayagan (1987)
- IMDb rating: 8.6/10
- Stars: Kamal Haasan, Saranya Ponvannan, Janagaraj, Delhi Ganesh, Nassar, Tinnu Anand
- Director: Mani Ratnam
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Nayakan marked the first collaboration between Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan. The film was inspired by Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather and was loosely based on the life of Varadarajan Mudaliar, a crime boss based in Mumbai. The film is considered to be one of the best gangster crime films made in India and was even India’s official submission for the 60th Academy Awards.
2. Visaranai (2015)
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- IMDb rating: 8.4/10
- Stars: Attakathi Dinesh, Murugadoss, Samuthirakani, Kishore, Ajay Ghosh
- Director: Vetrimaaran
- Where to watch: Netflix
Visaranai, written and directed by Vetrimaaran, is based on a novel titled Lock Up by M. Chandrakumar. The film was India’s official entry for the 89th Academy Awards and received many accolades as well. It tells the gripping tale of two men wrongfully imprisoned, and tortured for a confession.
3. Vikram Vedha (2017)
- IMDb rating: 8.2/10
- Stars: R. Madhavan, Vijay Sethupathi, Kathir, Hareesh Peradi, Shraddha Srinath, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Prem Kumar, Vivek Prasanna
- Directors: Pushkar-Gayathri
- Where to watch: Zee5
Vikram Vedha brings a classic twist to the age-old tale of King Vikramaditya and Vetala. The film tells the tale of a police and a gangster; and uses philosophical and moral questions as the driving force of the film. With excellent writing and performances, Vikram Vedha guarantees to be a fun watch for the audience. The film was later remade in Hindi, with Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan in the lead roles.
4. Imaikaa Nodigal (2018)
- IMDb rating: 7.3/10
- Stars: Atharvaa, Nayanthara, Raashii Khanna, Anurag Kashyap, Vinoth Kishan
- Director: R. Ajay Gnanamuthu
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Imaikaa Nodigal tells the gripping tale of a serial killer, and how the cops end up capturing him. The film marked the Kollywood debut of Raashii Khanna and Anurag Kashyap, who provided stellar performances in the film.
5. Ratsasan (2018)
- IMDb rating: 8.3/10
- Stars: Amala Paul, Vishnu Vishal, Abhirami, Kaali Venkat, Vinodhini Vaidhyanathan
- Director: Ram Kumar
- Where to watch: Disney+ Hotstar
Ratsasan is a 2018 slasher psychological thriller film, with an element of horror in it as well. The film tells the tale of a serial killer, who specifically murdered teenage girls. The story deals with the wild chase, and how the police track the serial killer down.
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6. Viduthalai Part 1 (2023)
- IMDb rating: 8.3/10
- Stars: Soori, Vijay Sethupathi, Bhavani Sre, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Rajiv Menon, Ilavarasu
- Director: Vetrimaaran
- Where to watch: Zee5
Viduthalai Part 1 is a period crime drama film helmed by Vetrimaaran. The film, set in 1987, tells the tale of the feud between the police, and an extremist group named Makkal Padai. The film received critical as well as commercial acclaim, especially for the performances of Gautham Vasudev Menon and Soori.
7. Por Thozhil (2023)
- IMDb rating: 8/10
- Stars: R. Sarathkumar, Ashok Selvan, Nikhila Vimal, Sarath Babu, Sunil Sukhada
- Director: Vignesh Raja
- Where to watch: SonyLiv
Por Thozhil narrates the story of a bunch of serial killings, and how the police officers decoded the pattern that the killer was following. The film brings the viewers to the edge of their seats. Itreceived much acclaim for the performances, storytelling, and music, which was composed by Jakes Bejoy.
ALSO READ:Kantara, 2018, Ponniyin Selvan; South Indian films part of Indian Panorama 2023 category for 54th IFFI
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About The Author
Journalist
A graduate in Economics, with heart made of cinema, Devasankar is vividly in love with world cinema! A true
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