Having arrived at the midpoint of the year, let’s take a look back at all the big-screen releases that had us frequenting the cinemas. From evocative dramas to heartwarming romances, here’s our mid-year list of Tamil films that enthralled us the most in the order of release.
Parasakthi
The year commenced with the big release of Sudha Kongara’s Parasakthi, starring Sivakarthikeyan, Ravi Mohan, Aatharva and Sreeleea in lead roles. This highly anticipated multi-starrer discussed strong themes of nationalism and the deeply rooted social and political movements of Tamil Nadu in its pivotal era.
Set in the 1960s, Parasakthi takes us on a cinematic journey through the socio-political climate of Tamil Nadu at the time. The film’s primary focus is language, the role it plays in shaping our cultural identity and the significance of preserving it in the face of cultural annihilation. Amid the ‘anti-Hindi’ protests and overall unrest of the state, two brothers find themselves at the centre of the movement.
The genre of historical fiction in Tamil cinema has been explored countless times across generations, as evident in films like Sarpatta Parambarai (2021), Nadigaiyar Thilagam (2018), Aayirathil Oruvan (2010), and many more. However, what sets Parasakhthi apart is Sudha Kongara’s unique take on the ever-relevant social issue of language autonomy through the depiction of unforgettable characters like Chezhiyan, Chinnadurai and Ratnamala. The heart of this film was the precise curation of each character who was inspired by real-time historical figures in Tamil Nadu.
One can always count on Sudha Kongara for writing ‘real’ women for the screen. Whether it is Madhi from Irudhi Suttru (2016) or Bommi from Soorarai Pottru (2020), the cultural impact of these women cannot be denied. Such is the case with Ratnamala in Parasakthi as well. Marking Sreeleela’s Tamil debut, she plays Ratnamala who isn’t just Sivakarthikeyan’s love interest; she is also Tamil Nadu chief minister’s daughter, Atharvaa’s collegemate, a National Radio employee and the All India Anti-Hindi Council’s secretary. It’s debatable whether another filmmaker would have presented her as such a complex and real woman like Sudha did without relegating her to a mere love interest. The relationship between Chezhiyan and Ratnamala felt like one between equals, closely resembling the dynamics between Maaran and Bommi in Soorarai Pottru (2020). The film allows Ratnamala enough space to explore herself on every front, and that’s another reason why it was celebrated. Parasakhthi stands as Sudha Kongara’s powerful and ambitious attempt at capturing a defining chapter of Tamil Nadu politics and history. Vaazhga Tamil!
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Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil
This political satire imbued with dark comedy is certainly a unique project in Jiiva’s filmography. Marking director Nithish Sahadev’s debut in Tamil, Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil unpacks the chaos of two simultaneous events in a rural village: a wedding and a funeral through dark humour and localised family drama.
Nothing strips civilisation off grown men faster than an ego trip. Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimiyil captures this perfectly. The film sets us in a remote village for one long night where two neighbours go to war over whose event gets the morning slot, and watches as every attempt only contributes further to the chaos.
The director makes an interesting call with Jiiva’s character, and it is precisely what makes the film unique. Jeevarathinam, played by Jiiva, is not depicted as bumbling or clueless. He’s smart, reasonable, level-headed in conversation. The problem, however, is that when situations escalate beyond discussion, he’ll talk, he’ll reason, he’ll negotiate. But that additional step required to actually resolve things is not in his skill set.
Although the audience and critical reception for the film were mixed, it is undeniable that many fans found the film to be breezy. It served as a realistic entertainer, what you’d wanna watch on a relaxed Sunday afternoon with the family gathered. Jiiva’s laid-back performance and the strong supporting cast carried the film by delivering great situational humour.
With Love
The last time a Tamil romcom felt anything remotely close to how this movie made us feel was when Senior Pazham and Junior Pazham were speaking heart to heart on the train in Thiruchitrambalam. Like most Tamil romcoms, With Love is also told from the perspective of a man, but what it does so differently is that, like in Thiruchitrambalam, With Love is a film that really cares about the woman just as much. It shows you what she thinks, what she goes through in love and most importantly, it allows us to embrace all her complexities and imperfections. It might not sound like much, but there’s real joy in witnessing a love story in which the exchange feels real and raw.
Debutant Madhan’s With Love follows Sathya and Monisha, who meet in a matchmaking setup. Sathya’s (Abishan Jeevinth) sister, who has been pushing for him to get married, sets up a matchmaking meetup between him and Monisha (Anaswara Rajan). Monisha turns out to be his junior in school, and the two hit it off instantly. However, Monisha comes up with an idea, suggesting that they try to get in touch and express their untold feelings to their school crushes they aren’t in contact with anymore. The film also serves as Abishan’s acting debut, having previously written and directed last year’s hit comedy drama, Tourist Family. For Anaswara, however, the film is her Tamil debut as she is an established actor in the Malayalam industry with hit films like Prithviraj’s Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil (2024) and Super Sharanya (2022).
While Abishan does absolute justice as a boy-next-door, Anaswara performs both the emotional and serious moments with a natural ease and without any exaggeration. With Love follows a conventional pattern but finds charm in its likeable lead performances, Sean Roldan’s high-energy music and a lovely supporting cast.
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Karuppu
Easily one of the most anticipated films of the year, with Suriya’s ‘anbaana fans’ claiming it to be his major comeback. Something about the experience of watching Karuppu in the cinemas brought back the nostalgia of Suriya’s Vel (2006), Pithamagan (2003) and Singam (2010) era. From the themes of community and belonging to the mass hero elevation tracks with crowded visuals, watching his movies of this niche genre always brings a sense of comfort and joy as an avid Tamil cinema enthusiast.
Although there is a long line of Indian films built around divine intervention in human lives in existence, what sets Karuppu apart from films like Oh My Kadavule (2020) and Arai Enn 305-il Kadavul (2008) is how unapologetically it positions this premise within a mass-masala template. The approach towards divinity through satire, philosophy or light-hearted fantasy alone, treating God as a full-fledged commercial hero figure — complete with punch dialogues, elevation moments and crowd-pleasing tracks like God-Mode and Karuppa Kooda Vaa is what makes Karuppu one of the best big-screen experiences as yet this year.
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Blast
It’s always a pleasure to watch women kick-ass on screen. This movie had us from the get-go all the way till the end. Watching the scene in which Preity Mukundan wrings out her harasser in the cab is easily the most satisfying experience the Tamil audience has had in a while, especially the women. Rave reviews were pouring in upon the release of the film, yet one would argue that the cab scene was the ultimate catalyst for the movie’s success.
Blast encompasses several intro sequences, an action block every five minutes, three main villains, and a family of karate fighters played by Arjun, Abhirami, and Preity Mukhundhan – yet every scene is embedded together neatly, resulting in a blast of a theatrical experience.
It is undeniable that a woman derives her strength from her family. In a society where most women are conditioned to adjust, Arjun says the opposite to a young Nila. “If someone hits, fight back. Your father or mother won’t always be with you,”. Henceforth, this becomes her life’s policy. So much so that she fights not just for herself, but for anyone who needs help. Come to think of it, Preity essentially plays our typical Tamil hero role. Yet, it feels refreshing to see a woman carry it with such conviction on screen, while simultaneously having a character arc that’s well-written to supplement it.
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2026 has been nothing short of exceptional in the first six months for Kollywood. With films like DC, Jailer 2 and Vishwanath & Co slated for release later this year, it is only looking even more exciting.
