Due to a recent spike in the number of COVID-19 cases across the country, many states have imposed lockdown restrictions. People are once again turning to Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms for entertainment.
While Tamil cinema has always made thrillers, new age directors have done away with many old fashioned elements like songs and romances to give thrillers that keep the tension going and have mind-bending twists.
If you miss watching movies on the big screen, revisit some of the best Tamil thriller movies from the comfort of your home. Here's a list of some contemporary, interesting Tamil thrillers that are available to watch online on different streaming platforms:
Based on the story of Michael, a pizza delivery boy, the 2012 Tamil movie Pizza is one of the most gripping horror movies from Kollywood to have released in the past few years. Filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj made his debut with the movie and made a lasting impression through the riveting screenplay and deft camera work. Be it fear, anger or love, lead actors Vijay Sethupathi and Remya Nambeesan display a wide array of emotions with ease. The movie is also strengthened by performances from actors Bobby Simha, Pooja Ramachandran and Aadukalam Naren among others, who appeared in supporting roles. The film was remade in Kannada as Whistle in 2013, while it was remade as Golpo Holeo Shotti in Bengali. The film is available on MX Player.
Watch the trailer of 'Pizza' here:
A mystery man walks into an apartment in the wee hours of a rainy night. A murder takes place. Unlike other filmmakers, debutante Karthick Naren reveals right within the first few scenes of Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru that we are dealing with a psycho killer. How does the director then manage to keep the audiences engaged? We go back in time and see how the case unfolded. Despite its logical loopholes, the movie manages to keep audiences at the edge of their seats by building the suspense through intriguing leads, theories and hypotheses about the case. Following a series of twists and turns, the big revelation happens in the climax. With its detailed and sharp narration as well as slick editing and screenplay, the 2016 Tamil movie Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru
Watch the trailer of 'Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru' here:
How often do we see a movie where the protagonist is a gamer who is being forced to beat life at its own game? Game Over stands apart from other thrillers with its unique and off-beat storyline. We get to peek into the life of Swapna (played by Taapsee), a talented game- designer and single woman who is suffering from PTSD. Before she realises it, a vulnerable Swapna gets caught in the midst of a battle of life and death, and is forced to save herself when her home is attacked by mysterious intruders. And all she gets is three attempts at it. Does she manage to conquer her demons and fight for her life? One has to watch to find out. Is the 2019 movie Game Over a psychological, fantasy or supernatural thriller? Director Ashwin Saravanan chooses not to categorise the movie into pre-existing genres but has left it to the audiences to decide. The movie was presented by filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and was released in 2019 in Tamil and Telugu. The film is available on Netflix.
Watch the trailer of 'Game Over' here:
If you love connecting the dots and solving brain- teasers while watching a murder mystery film, the 2018 psychological crime thriller Ratsasan will keep you on your toes by constantly pulling the rug from under your feet with new details. Despite its length, the movie garnered positive reviews from fans and critics since it managed to keep audiences hooked. The cop is presented with a bunch of leads that will connect him to a killer on the loose. What ensues is an intriguing cat-and-mouse chase that ultimately leads us to the killer and reveals the criminal’s backstory and the motive behind the crime. Ratsasan not only gained clout as a gripping thriller movie, but also became popular after several meme templates from the movie went viral. Helmed by filmmaker Ram Kumar, the movie stars actors Vishnu Vishal and Amala Paul in the lead.
Watch the trailer of 'Ratsasan' here:
Inspired by true events from the Operation Bawaria case which was handled by the Tamil Nadu police, crime thriller Theeran Adhigaaram On
Watch the trailer of 'Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru' here:
Hailed as a cult film in Tamil cinema, Mysskin’s 2013 Tamil movie Onaayum Aattukkuttiyum p
Watch the trailer of 'Onaayum Aattukkuttiyum' here:
2015 Tamil movie Visaranai which translates to 'interrogation', is centered around a police investigation as the title suggests. Exploring the themes of police brutality and abuse of power, the Vetrimaaran directorial is considered to be an honest and hard-hitting portrayal of harsh realities.The movie is available on Netflix.
Watch the trailer of 'Visaranai' here:
Based partly on Akira Kurosawa’s Stray Dog, the 2017 Tamil film 8 Thottakkal revolves around a police officer and his lost gun. While the film comes across as a slow-burning cop thriller in the first half, the narrative trajectory changes in the second half as the makers turn the spotlight on the underlying emotional sub-plot that is connected to the story. The movie is directed by Sri Ganesh and is streaming on Zee5.
Watch the trailer of '8 Thottakal' here:
Named after the jungle chapter of Ramayana, the 2010 neo-noir action thriller Aaranya Kaandam