2015 Round-Up: 10 Best Films Of The Year
While five debutants made it to our list of ten best films of 2014, our year-end round-up for 2015 has six talented debutants who have made their presence felt in the industry ahead of some established directors. Box office performance is definitely not a yardstick with which our team has put together these films. This list is purely based on the quality and originality of the content. It has been a fulfilling roller-coaster year with diversified genres of films including con-heist, horror, social thriller, rom-com and art-house fares.
[nextpage]10. Tamizhukku En Ondrai Azhuthavum
In TEOA, debutant Ramprakash Rayappa found an all-new makeover for an everyday comedy by adding a simple scientific flavour to it. The film took a lot of clichés and seamlessly converted them into some unabashed, cerebral fun.
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9. Naanum Rowdy Thaan
Director Vignesh Shivan excelled in his sophomore outing by creating the most inventive situations out of the most ordinary scenes in Naanum Rowdy Thaan, a light-hearted crowd-pleaser which was high on laughter. Parthiepan’s sublime performance, Nayanthara’s exquisite act of a hearing impaired and Vijay Sethupathi’s enjoyable portrayal of ‘Pondy’ Pandy made the film a lovely entertainer.
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8. Indru Netru Naalai
Sci-Fi has always been a genre less treaded in Tamil films. Debutant director Ravikumar stitched together an intriguing comedy-thriller in Indru Netru Naalai, which took us on the journey of two men who play around with a time machine. One more feather to producer CV Kumar’s long list of impressive try-outs.
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7. Ok Kanmani
At a time when Gautham Menon kept churning out bold romance stories set in urban background, Mani Ratnam made clear in Ok Kanmani that he cannot be written off. He proved that he is the most romantic contemporary film-maker at heart in Tamil cinema and the most original story-teller when it comes to urban romance, his forte. And, Ok Kanmani turned out to be a celebration of how magical Mani Ratnam movies can be if he plays to his strengths.
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6. Maya
This year saw the birth of a talented horror-film sculptor in the form of Ashwin Saravanan. With minimalistic production values and just a handful of familiar faces, he belted out a genuine thriller with its own share of jump scares. Interesting non-linear narrative pattern supported by an able technical team who challenged Hollywood standards helped Maya make her mark.
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5. Rajathandiram
2015 has been a winning year for debutants. Director AG Amid sprang a surprise with Rajathanthiram, a remarkably written and tastefully staged con-heist thriller on the lines of Sathuranga Vettai and Soodhu Kavvum. The way Amid put together the classic ‘con’ caper set-up with his tautly penned screenplay was genuinely groundbreaking. Rajathanthiram reinvigorated a familiar premise by turning it inside out with its meticulous writing and near-flawless execution.
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4. Kuttram Kadithal
Debutant director Bramma offered moviegoers a haunting cinematic experience with Kuttram Kadithal which managed to capture the classic dichotomy between unsettling questions and unfazed answers sanely. The artistic brilliance and literary sensitivity Bramma showcased in the film makes it a must-watch for both discerning film-buffs and the masses. Bramma’s gift for finely layered cinema places him on the map of truly emerging crop of undeterred new-gen talents in Tamil cinema.
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3. Thani Oruvan
Mohan Raja pushed his remake generators aside to stir out ThaniOruvan, well and truly a revelation of the year. The art of dumbing down a world-class thriller for the roots of the Tamil audience and adding the usual breed of commercial elements made it click, along with a stunning performance from Arvind Swami and Hip Hop Tamizha’s swagger-packed music.
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2. Uttama Villain
Uttama Villain made critics, film buffs and audiences cudgel their brains for its subtle Meta references sprinkled all over the story. It turned out to be one of the finest written films in Tamil cinema with a toppingly marvellous duality in its screenplay. Kamal Haasan’s spell-binding metaphors and discussion-igniting subtexts made Uttama Villain a rewarding movie-watching experience.
Click Here To Read Our Exhaustive Analysis Of The Film
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1. Kaaka Muttai
Director Manikandan made everyone sit up and notice his utterly charming debut film which packed an array of burning topics like globalization, economic inequality, urban poverty, social stratification and media sensationalism into the narrative without being preachy. Kakka Muttai is a splendid example of how you can make a globally appealing film with an intensely local theme. It also royally busted the festival-films-won’t-render-commercial-success myth with an overwhelming return on investment from the box office.
Click Here To Read Our Review Of The Film
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
Isai, Papanasam, Yennai Arindhaal, Anegan, Uppu Karuvaadu, Baahubali
PS: Dubbed films/remakes are not considered for the Top 10 Films list.
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