Kollywood Movie Director Shankar Movies Of All Time

A Quick Intro About Director Shankar

Shankar is arguably the director who taught Tamil cinema to dream big. Since his debut in the early 90s, he has been synonymous with massive production values, technical innovation, and soundtracks that define generations. His storytelling usually mixes heavy social themes that are mostly about fighting corruption with pure commercial entertainment that appeals to a massive audience. He doesn't just make movies, he creates events that people feel compelled to watch on the big screen. Here is a rundown of his entire filmography, spanning from his gritty vigilante roots to his high-tech sci-fi ventures.

List of all Movies by Director Shankar

1. Gentleman (1993)

The story revolves around Kicha, who leads a double life that keeps everyone guessing. During the daytime, he is a simple business owner dealing in snacks, but during the night, he becomes a high-tech thief who steals millions of rupees from corrupt rich people. He is not keeping the money for himself, though. Every rupee is utilized to build a free educational institute for students who can't afford high tuition fees. And, his motivation comes from a tragic incident that happened in the past, wherein his best friend committed suicide due to his denial for a medical seat. And, the reason for such denial was the demands for bribery. It is basically a Robin Hood story, but it's modern Chennai, and the plot heavily dwells on flaws in the education system.

This movie was a game-changer for Tamil cinema and marked the arrival of Shankar as an A-list director. It was also the first big film for A.R. Rahman after Roja, and the music was an instant sensation, which people still listen to this date. Arjun Sarja gave a career-best performance that earned him the title "Action King." The production values were way higher than what people were used to seeing at the time. The comedy track by Goundamani and Senthil is legendary on its own and balances out the serious tone of the film perfectly.

2. Kadhalan (1994)

On paper, the plot is pretty simple, but it's executed grandly. Prabhu looks and acts like an average college student who happens to be the student body president. He then falls head over heels for the state governor's daughter. As you might have guessed, her father definitely does not approve of this match, so he does everything in his political power to separate them. Matters become darker when the governor proves to be implicated in a terrorist plot to destabilize the region. Prabhu has to transition from a romantic lover boy into an action hero to save the girl and stop her father's dangerous plans. It combines a standard love story with a high-stakes political thriller.

What really makes this movie stick in the memory is the visual style and the dance numbers. Prabhu Deva was already known as a dancer, but this movie proved that he could carry a film as a lead actor. Globally, long before the internet was a big thing, the song "Mukkala Mukkabla" went viral. Shankar used CGI and massive sets that made the songs look like music videos from the West. Comic relief is provided by Vadivelu as the friend who gets caught in the middle of all the chaos. It's a fun watch, focusing more on entertainment and spectacle than a heavy message.

3. Indian (1996)

This film tells the story of Senapathy, an old freedom fighter who served in the Indian National Army under Subhash Chandra Bose. He is disgusted by the corruption that eats away at the country he fought to liberate. He decides to take matters into his own hands by using an ancient martial art called Varmakkalai to paralyze or kill corrupt officials. The conflict hits home when his own son, played by the younger Kamal Haasan, turns out to be a corrupt break inspector. It is a heavy emotional drama questioning how far one should go to fix a broken system.

Kamal Haasan is absolutely incredible here playing both the father and the son. The makeup for the older character was done by Hollywood artists, and it looked pretty realistic for that era. This was the first Tamil film submitted by India for the Academy Awards. The screenplay really digs into the frustration common people feel about bribery in government offices. The climax is heart-breaking and remains one of the boldest endings in Shankar's filmography. This solidified his reputation as a director who makes big-budget films with a strong social conscience.

4. Jeans (1998)

The story is about a set of identical twins staying in the US with their father. The father's strict rule is that his twin sons should marry twin sisters so they would not be separated. One of the sons falls in love with a girl named Madhumita who comes to the US for some surgery. The problem is that she does not have a twin. In order to get around the father's rule, they cook up a lie that she actually does have a twin back in India. The rest of the movie is a comedy of errors as the family globe-trots while the characters try to keep up the charade without being caught.

This is probably Shankar's lightest movie. He deviated from his vigilante justice theme to make a colorful romantic comedy. The selling point was the sheer scale of the production. They shot a song at all Seven Wonders of the World, which was a huge deal at that time. Aishwarya Rai looks stunning in every frame and the special effects used to show the twins on screen together were top-notch. It is a long movie with a lot of family sentiment and confusion, but the music by A.R. Rahman keeps it engaging throughout.

5. Mudhalvan (1999)

Brilliant concept, fast mover. A TV reporter has a heated debate with the Chief Minister during a live interview. The CM challenges him to sit in his chair for just one day to see how hard the job really is. The reporter accepts it and actually cleans up the state in 24 hours by suspending corrupt officials and arresting the bad actors. People love him so much that they want him to stay permanently. The rest of the movie is the former CM trying to take revenge and the reporter fighting back to survive the dirty world of politics.

For many fans, this is Shankar's best screenplay in terms of how tight and gripping it is. The dialogue is intense and intelligent between Arjun and Raghuvaran. Raghuvaran plays the villain perfectly, a cunning politician rather than a physical threat. "One Day CM" became part of pop culture, with people using that reference to this date when they speak about politics. It is a commercial action movie yet explains the administrative powers of a state government. It's intense, satisfying-a few of the best paces in a Shankar film.

6. Boys (2003)

The movie follows five teenage boys who are more interested in girls and having fun than their studies. They spend their time loitering around Chennai and getting into trouble. The main character falls in love with a girl, and their relationship causes a lot of drama with their parents. Eventually, the boys get kicked out of their homes and have to fend for themselves. They decide to start a music band to survive and prove they can make something of themselves. It captures the confusion and energy of being a teenager in the early 2000s.

This was a considerably riskier experiment from Shankar: almost all new actors were used, and the film contains a very modern and flashy visual style. The dialogue was rather controversial at the time of its release due to a lot of slang and adult humor that really didn't appeal to more conservative audiences. However, the soundtrack by A.R. Rahman became a cult classic, and this film has aged quite well with younger audiences. It depicts the transition from adolescence into adulthood and the harsh reality of having to earn a living. It is vibrant and colorful, but most definitely pushes the boundaries much more than his other family-friendly box office hits.

7. Anniyan (2005)

Ambi is a blameless and law-abiding lawyer who gets frustrated when people around him break rules, like spitting in public or refusing to help accident victims. His frustration causes him to develop Multiple Personality Disorder. He creates two other personas: Remo, a supermodel who woos the girl Ambi loves, and Anniyan, a terrifying vigilante who kills corrupt people using punishments described in the Garuda Puranam. The movie is a cat-and-mouse game where the police try to catch the killer without realizing he is the quiet lawyer living next door.

Vikram gives a powerhouse performance in the film. The way he switches between timid Ambi, cool Remo, and aggressive Anniyan within a single scene is acting at its best. The action is highly creative, especially the karate student fight inside a stadium. Harris Jayaraj took music duties this time around and gave huge hits. The film reprised Shankar's favorite vigilante justice theme with a psychological twist that made it even more interesting. It is dark, stylish, and relies heavily on Vikram's ability to sell three different characters.

8. Sivaji: The Boss (2007)

Sivaji is a software systems architect who comes back from the US with a dream to offer free education and medical care to the poor in India. But a corrupt business tycoon and the bureaucratic system block his every move, demanding bribes he refuses to pay. They eventually strip him of all his money and leave him on the streets. He decides to play the game by their rules, using illegal means to gather black money from the rich and use it to fund his projects 'anonymously'. He transforms from a classy gentleman into a stylish, coin-flipping mass hero to take down the villains.

This is a movie of much fanfare and was completely designed to celebrate Rajinikanth's status as a superstar. Shankar has paid less heed to logic and more emphasis on style, grandeur, and "mass" moments. The production design is very lavish, with incredibly expensive sets and costumes. The villain, played by Suman, works because he is particularly subdued compared to Rajinikanth's energy. The climax fight, where Rajinikanth pretty much flies in the air and fights, is just too much, but it works perfectly in the tone of this movie. It is loud, colorful, and entertaining, knowing exactly what the audience wants.

9. Enthiran (2010)

Dr. Vaseegaran creates a very sophisticated android named Chitti. At first, Chitti is just a machine that follows orders, but Vaseegaran upgrades him to understand and feel human emotions so he can better interact with society. This backfires when Chitti falls in love with Vaseegaran's girlfriend, Sana. A rival scientist takes advantage of this weakness and inserts a "red chip" into Chitti, which turns him into a violent killing machine. In the final act, Chitti creates an army of replicas of himself with the intent of taking over the city, leading to a massive showdown. This film put Indian cinema on the map regarding visual effects. The CGI work was handled by the same people who worked on Hollywood blockbusters, and it shows. Rajinikanth plays both the scientist and the robot, and he is fantastic as the villainous version of the robot. It was the most expensive Indian film made at that time, and it felt like a true sci-fi event. It mixes technical wizardry with a somewhat tragic story about a creation outgrowing its creator.

10. Nanban (2012) 

This is a faithful remake of the Bollywood hit 3 Idiots. In this film, two friends embark on a road trip to find their lost college buddy, Pari, who changed their lives. Along the way, the movie flashes back to their college days where they clashed with a strict and oppressive college director known as "Virus." The story critiques the rote learning method used in the education system and encourages students to pursue what they actually love rather than just chasing grades. 

It balances humor with some very emotional moments about student suicide and parental pressure. The movie was a change of pace for Shankar because it did not involve vigilantes or massive special effects. He stuck very close to the original script because it was so strong. Vijay played the lead with a lot of charm and restraint, unlike his usually action-packed roles. Sathyaraj was just perfect as the strict professor. Colorful and warm, it was a friendship and nostalgia-laden film, proving that Shankar can manage his characters in a simple drama as he would do with an action thriller. 

11. I (2015) 

Lingesan is a bodybuilder full of ambition to become Mr. India. He falls for the model Diya and very shortly becomes a top model himself. The rapid rise makes his enemies envious of him. A doctor, a rival bodybuilder, and a business tycoon all join together to inject him with a virus that deforms his body into a hunchback. The movie is about how he kidnaps his tormentors, ruins their lives in poetic ways, and tries to reconnect with the woman he loves, though he looks like a monster. The highlight of this movie is Vikram's makeup and physical transformation. 

He lost a dangerous amount of weight to play the role of the hunchback character and spent hours in front of the makeup chair every single day. The visuals are stunning, with songs shot in China that look as if paintings come to life. The story received a mixed reaction since it is, to an extent, a little repetitive when compared with Shankar's earlier revenge dramas. But yes, for the technical aspects and dedication of Vikram, it brings about another different film in Shankar's own CV. 

12. 2.0 (2018) 

Cell phones across the city suddenly start flying out of the hands of their owners and vanish into the sky. Eventually, they form a gigantic bird-like creature that starts attacking people. The government is helpless and brings back Dr. Vaseegaran and his dismantled robot, Chitti. They find out that the creature is controlled by the spirit of an ornithologist who committed suicide because cell phone radiation was killing birds. Now, it becomes a battle between the good robot and the angry spirit, with the fate of the city at stake.

This film was shot in 3D and was supposed to be a fairly immersive experience. Akshay Kumar, the antagonist, sports a bird-man look that is more terrifying and impressive. There's a strong environmental message about how technology is harming nature, but it's all wrapped in a layer of heavy sci-fi action. The scale is massive, especially with the climax being set in a football stadium. It's a direct sequel to Enthiran and tries to up the ante with even more visual effects and larger-than-life set pieces. 

13. Indian 2 (2024) 

The story begins several decades after the events of the original film. A group of young friends in Chennai operates a YouTube channel that exposes corruption. Feeling helpless to effect genuine change, they begin an agitation for the return of Senapathy, the vigilante who fled the country years ago. He responds to the call and returns to India to resume his mission. This time, he targets corrupt billionaires and high-ranking politicians. In this film, attempts have been made to bridge the gap between the old freedom fighter's ideology and the problems faced by the current generation. 

This movie had a very troubled production history with many delays. Heavily reliant on the nostalgia of the first part, Kamal Haasan returns to the role with the same intensity, though the prosthetics are updated. The key role of Siddharth as a voice of the youth who eventually clashes with Senapathy's violent methods gets foregrounded. The movie tries to show corruption has not gone away, it has only changed forms. In fact, it sets the stage for a third part, continuing the saga of the Indian soldier fighting his own internal war.