10 Tamil Films from 2015 You Need to Watch (or Rewatch)

A Year That Changed Kollywood

There's something special about 2015. When you look back, it doesn't feel like just another year in Kollywood, it feels like a turning point. It was the year the box office wasn't just dominated by the usual big-star vehicles, but completely blindsided by small, brilliant films that came out of nowhere. This was a year when a slick, intelligent thriller sans a single fight scene became the year's biggest hit, where a film about two slum kids wanting a pizza made the world cry, and where a time-machine movie felt completely logical and fun.

2015 was when genres really blurred. We got a rom-com that was also a gangster parody, a horror film that was genuinely terrifying, and a cop story that was more about the man's life than his job. It was the year Mani Ratnam felt fresh again, Kamal Haasan reminded us what "acting" means, and a new-age villain in a white suit stole our hearts. This list is to celebrate that diversity. Here are 10 films from 2015 that we’re still talking about, debating, and rewatching.

10 Must Watch Kollywood Films of 2015

1) Thani Oruvan

If you had to point to one film that defined 2015, it's this one. Thani Oruvan wasn't just a movie, it was an event. Director Mohan Raja, then known mostly for remakes, delivered a screenplay so tight, so intelligent, and so original that it stunned everyone. It's a cat-and-mouse game, but one in which the mouse (Jayam Ravi's Mithran) isn't just reacting, he's actively hunting the cat. The film completely ditches the usual action-movie fillers. There are no needless fight scenes, no separate comedy tracks. Every single scene, every dialogue serves the central conflict.

And that conflict? Oh, what a conflict it is. Enter Siddharth Abhimanyu. Arvind Swamy’s comeback was a resurrection. He created a villain so charismatic, so evil, and so unapologetically brilliant that audiences were secretly rooting for him. That interval block, where the hero and villain meet for the first time, is an all-timer. The music by Hiphop Tamizha, especially "Theemai Dhaan Vellum," became the anthem for this sophisticated evil. Thani Oruvan proved that the Tamil audience was more than ready for an intelligent thriller that respected their brains.

2) Kaaka Muttai

Kaaka Muttai is pure, unadulterated cinema. It's a story so simple on the surface-two young brothers from a Chennai slum just want to taste a pizza. But from that simple desire, director M. Manikandan crafts a heartbreaking, hilarious, and deeply poignant commentary on class divide and globalization. We see the world through the eyes of these two boys, played with unbelievable naturalism by Vignesh and Ramesh. Their joy, their hustle, and their crushing disappointment feel painfully real.

There are no villains here, just a system. The scene where the boys are slapped and thrown out of the pizza shop is a punch to the gut. But the film never wallows in poverty. It’s full of life and humour, like the boys' ingenious attempts to earn money or their "review" of the pizza at the end. It's a film that makes you laugh and then makes you question the world you live in, all at thesame time. Kaaka Muttai isn’t just one of the best films of 2015, it’s one of the best Tamil films ever made.

3) O Kadhal Kanmani

Coming after a few heavy-hitters, this movie felt like a cool, breezy sigh of relief. This was Mani Ratnam, back in his element, reminding everyone that he is the undisputed king of urban romance. OK Kanmani is just… beautiful. It's a story about two very ambitious, practical, and dead-set-against-marriage people, Aadi and Tara, who decide to live together. The film treated their decision with a maturity that was refreshing. There's no judgment, it's just a simple exploration of modern love.

Of course, the magic lies in the chemistry. Dulquer Salmaan and Nithya Menen are so effortlessly charming, so comfortable with each other, that you don't really feel like you're watching actors. You feel like you are spying on a real couple. And the craft? PC Sreeram's camera turns Mumbai into a dreamy, rain-washed painting. A.R. Rahman came through with what many fans term as his last "full banger" album. Every song, from "Mental Manadhil" to "Parandhu Sella Vaa", is a classic. It's just a film that makes you feel good.

4) Papanasam

How do you go about remaking a film that is already considered a modern classic? That was the question everyone had when Kamal Haasan took on Drishyam. The answer: you don't just remake it, you reinterpret it. Papanasam is a masterclass in adaptation. Mohanlal's Georgekutty was stoic and unnervingly calm. Kamal's Suyambulingam is a different man altogether. Guilt, fear, and desperation bubble beneath his skin all the time. He's clearly terrified, which makes his intelligence and his meticulously planned cover-up even more compelling.

This is a film that rests wholly on its lead's shoulders, and Kamal Haasan delivers one of his finest performances. The supporting cast is in great form, especially Asha Sharath, who reprises her role as the iron-willed IG. The Tirunelveli dialect lends a rootedness, a new flavour to a familiar story. The climax scene, when Suyambulingam stands in the under-construction police station, is just as powerful and chilling as in the original. Papanasam proved that a great story can be told twice, as long as you have a master storyteller at the helm.

5) Naanum Rowdy Dhaan

If Thani Oruvan was the slick thriller, Naanum Rowdy Dhaan was the year’s blast of pure, unadulterated fun. Vignesh Shivan crafted a film that many fans still call "the last great Tamil comedy." It's a perfect storm of a black comedy, a gangster spoof, and a surprisingly heartfelt romance. Vijay Sethupathi is perfect as 'Pondy' Pandi, a kid who desperately wants to be a rowdy but is just too nice for the job. And Nayanthara as Kadhambari, a hearing-impaired girl seeking revenge, gave a performance that was both strong and incredibly endearing.

The film is just packed with iconic comedy: the Usain Bolt joke, Pandi's "rowdy reveal" to Kadhambari, every single scene with RJ Balaji, and the "Motta" Rajendran-Parthiban combo is gold. But the film's secret weapon is Anirudh's music. The songs aren't just hits, they are the film's emotions. "Thangamey" and "Neeyum Naanum" are timeless melodies that gave this hilarious film a massive heart. It's a movie you can rewatch endlessly, and it never, ever gets old.

6) Indru Netru Naalai

A Tamil time-travel film that's not just smart but also laugh-out-loud funny? Indru Netru Naalai was a big, pleasant surprise. It's a high-concept sci-fi film that is never mired by its rules. Genius idea to have two regular guys (Vishnu Vishal and Karunakaran) stumble upon a time machine and use it to start a small business. The film has loads of fun with its premise - from the "Pulivetti Siddhar" gag to the consequences of their "small" changes in the past.

What makes it work is its watertight screenplay. It's a fun ride, but the logic holds up. The film introduces a problem, a set of rules, and follows them to a satisfying conclusion. Karunakaran’s comedy is a huge highlight, and the chemistry between him and Vishnu Vishal feels completely authentic. It’s a film with incredible rewatch value, and for many, it remains the gold standard for sci-fi comedy in Kollywood.

7) Baahubali: The Beginning

Yes, it’s a Telugu film, but Baahubali was truly a bilingual, and its impact on the Tamil audience was nothing short of seismic. This wasn't just a movie, it was a cultural event. S.S. Rajamouli unleashed an epic fantasy on a scale that Indian cinema had simply never seen before. From the moment Shivudu climbs that massive waterfall, we were transported to the kingdom of Mahishmati. The grand visuals, the epic war sequence, the larger-than-life characters-pure cinematic magic. In Tamil Nadu, it was a phenomenon.

The characters turned household names. Ramya Krishnan's Sivagami, Sathyaraj's Kattappa and Rana's Palvaalthevan were instantly iconic. And then, there was the ending. The film closed with the single greatest cliffhanger in modern Indian history: "Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali?" It wasn't a question, it was a national obsession that dominated conversations for two full years.

8) Demonte Colony

 A masterclass in building atmosphere, this is director R. Ajay Gnanamuthu's debut. From the "based on a true story" opening, the sense of suffocating dread builds. The story is simple: four friends, drunk and looking for a thrill, break into a famously haunted house. What follows is a relentless, claustrophobic nightmare.

Most of the second half takes place in a single room with four men, which is more terrifying than any ghost story with big-budget effects. The film doesn't rely on cheap jump-scares, it earns its horror through brilliant sound design, "top-notch" cinematography that makes the shadows come alive, and a genuine sense of hopelessness. It’s a true-blue, no-nonsense horror film that respects both the genre and the audience. 

9) I Movie

I was by definition a "polarizing" film, but its sheer scale and the buzz it created are undeniably great. It was a Shankar extravaganza in every sense of the word. The visuals were stunning, the production design was on another level altogether, and the songs by A.R. Rahman constituted a fantastic album. "Ennodu Nee Irundhaal" and "Pookkalae Sattru Oyivedungal" are all-time classics, and the "Mersalaayitten" video was a visual treat. But honestly, the only reason anyone's still talking about I is one man: Chiyaan Vikram.

His physical dedication to the role is the stuff of legends. Watching him go from a shredded bodybuilder to a frail, hunchbacked figure was both a wonder to behold and heart-wrenching. Many-point to the weak,dated revenge plot and questionable comedy, but no one can take away the effort. I was an event you had to see, a testament to Vikram's insane commitment to his craft. 

10) Yennai Arindhaal 

2015 was also the year Ajith gave us one of his most mature and charismatic performances. Yennai Arindhaal was the long-awaited collaboration between him and Gautham Vasudev Menon, and it was the perfect finale to GVM's "police trilogy." This film is less of a thriller and more of a "character study," tracing the life of Sathyadev from a young cop to a weary, middle-aged man. Ajith was the definition of "Thala" charm, sporting multiple looks and carrying the film with an effortless swagger. The film gave us GVM's signature trademarks: well-written female characters, soulful Harris Jayaraj songs, and a truly memorable villain. 

Arun Vijay's "Victor" was a revelation, cool, stylish, and a genuinely menacing equal to Sathyadev. The phone conversation between Sathyadev and Victor, with the screen split by a thin line, is a fan-favourite scene. It was a classy, heartfelt, and fittingly stylish end to one of Kollywood's best cop franchises.