It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that 2024 will be one of Tamil cinema’s most important years in terms of quality content and box-office numbers. One doesn’t have to be a soothsayer to say this as track records, projections and the insane line-up scheduled for this year forecast 2024 to be so. For starters, this will be the first year since 2010 in which Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Ajith Kumar, Vijay, Vikram, and Suriya will all have film releases.
Here is a list of some of the most expected Tamil films of 2024.
Ayalaan
The first biggie to release this year is Sivakarthikeyan’s much-awaited Ayalaan.The sci-fi film has been in the making for a while and from the looks of it, the team has used the time to improve the quality of the visuals given the immense use of VFX. Apart from being Indru Netru Naalai director Ravikumar’s sophomore film, Ayalaan also marks the return of Isha Koppikar to Tamil cinema. Despite being a high-concept film, the trailer promises a family-friendly entertainer that the younger audience might love more.
Indian 2
The legends are back!Indian 2 has Kamal Haasan and director Shankar reuniting after close to 30 years for the sequel of Indian (1996). From a glimpse released by the makers, it looks like Senapathy is returning to his home turf of fighting corruption and injustice. With an ensemble cast, Shankar’s first collaboration with Anirudh Ravichander for music and the legacy of the original film, a lot is riding on Indian 2. And who else other than Kamal and Shankar can deliver when it matters the most.
Captain Miller
Releasing alongside Ayalaan during Pongal this year is Dhanush’s Captain Miller. Following a slew of hits, the actor is teaming up with Arun Matheswaran who had just worked with Dhanush’s brother Selvaraghavan in Saani Kaayidham (2022). Captain Miller, with an impressive cast list featuring Shiva Rajkumar, Priyanka Arul Mohan and Sundeep Kishan, looks like an intense film similar to the filmmaker’s first two outings and we can expect it to be a gritty revolutionary tale. Add to the equation that the film sees the ever-dependable combo of Dhanush and GV Prakash and the fact that Captain Miller will also have an IMAX release.
Merry Christmas
Andhadhun-filmmaker Sriram Raghavan seems to be returning to his Tamil roots with Merry Christmas. Starring Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi as leads, the film was made simultaneously in Hindi and Tamil. After making a mark with Jawan, the film will be a pivotal one for Vijay Sethupathi while it also marks Katrina’s Tamil debut. Not to mention the film’s supporting cast changes based on which version of the film you are deciding to catch. The trailer hints at a neo-noir thriller on cards, a genre the filmmaker is known for, and we are glad that Christmas is coming so early this year.
Kanguva
Kanguva is undoubtedly the biggest film of their careers for both Suriya and director Siva. Said to be one of the most expensive Indian films to date, the film’s promo video promises it to be unlike anything we have seen in Tamil cinema. With Disha Patani and Bobby Deol making their Tamil debuts alongside an ensemble cast, Kanguva is also expected to be released in 3D and IMAX formats. Apart from cameos in Vikram and Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, Suriya has not had a theatrical release for almost two years now and since Kanguva also marks the return of Siva after the underwhelming Annaatthe, all eyes are on the duo.
Sarpatta Parambarai 2
A sequel to the 2021 film Sarpatta Parambarai was announced by its director Pa Ranjith and lead Arya back in March last year. While there haven’t been many updates on it, Arya confirmed in his recent tweet that the film is very much on and it looks like it will be released in the second half of this year. Sarpatta Parambarai was one of those films that skipped theatrical release and got a streaming debut because of the pandemic and with the sequel slotted to be a theatrical release, it’s expected to pack quite a punch.
Thangalaan
Director Pa Ranjith’s long-awaited Thangalaan, starring Vikram in the lead, is scheduled to be released later this month. Set during the British rule in India, the film is said to be based on a tribe’s struggle to save their gold-filled land. With an ensemble cast featuring Pasupathy, Malavika Mohanan and Hollywood actor Daniel Caltagirone, the film will also mark Parvathy Thiruvothu’s return to a theatrical Tamil release after eight years. If the KGF films turned the eponymous gold fields into its lead’s kingdom, Thangalaan is reportedly based on true events that transpired during British rule.
SK 21
Speaking about collaborations, this one was quite a surprise when it was revealed. Announced in January last year, Sivakarthikeyan’s 21st film, tentatively titled SK21, is being produced by Kamal Haasan. The film, helmed by Rajkumar Periasamy of Rangoon fame, is all set to hit theatres this year. The film stars Sai Pallavi as the female lead and has music by GV Prakash, marking their maiden collaboration with Sivakarthikeyan.
The Greatest of All Time
The long-awaited collaboration between Vijay and Venkat Prabhu is finally here and it was recently revealed that the film is titled The Greatest of All Time (GOAT).Apart from reports that the film is a sci-fi spectacle and might feature Vijay in dual roles, GOAT is also a full-scale reunion of talents. Sneha is teaming up with Vijay after 22 years sinceVaseegara while music composer Yuvan Shankar Raja is working with Vijay after Pudhiya Geethai (2003). The star-studded cast also includes Meenakshi Chaudhary, Prabhu Deva, Prashanth, Laila, Vaibhav, Mohan, Jayaram and Ajmal Ameer.
Vidaa Muyarchi
The making of Ajith Kumar’s films is always shrouded with mysteries with very little information getting out, and his upcoming feature with director Magizh Thirumeni is no different. On his birthday last year, we learned that the film is titled Vidaa Muyarchi but details surrounding it are scarce. While details regarding the cast haven’t been officially announced, we know that the film also stars Trisha, Regina Cassandra and Ajith’s Mankatha co-star Arjun. Just like his fans, we can’t wait to hear more about the film either.
Vettaiyan
Fresh from the success of the unstoppable Jailer, Rajinikanth is teaming up with filmmaker TJ Gnanavel, the brain behind the poignantly moving Jai Bhim, for Vettaiyan. The film will also see Amitabh Bachchan reunite with Rajini 32 years after their last film together, Hum (1991). While the film’s title reveal video didn’t give us much to ponder upon, the cast list featuring Fahadh Faasil, Rana Daggubati, Manju Warrier, Ritika Singh and Dushara Vijayan assures that there’s a lot in store.
Viduthalai: Part 2
What did the cops do to Perumal Vaathiyar? What’s the fate of constable Kumaresan, his lady-love Tamilarasi and the other women being tortured at the camps? Last year, Vetri Maran unleashed Viduthalai at us and while it took many of us a while to reel out of it, the film also left us with unanswered questions that the sequel promises to acknowledge. With Soori returning as the ‘kadhayin nayagan’ and Vijay Sethupathi owning the role of a revolutionary group’s leader, Viduthalai Part 2 will soon be upon us to give the story a (happy?) ending.
Special Mentions
Apart from the big-budget films that are lined up for release throughout this year, there are also a slew of comparatively smaller films that are giving out a good share of positive vibes. After Viduthalai, Soori is once again donning the lead role in Kottukkaalialongside Anna Ben in her Tamil debut. Directed by Koozhangal-fame PS Vinothraj, the film will have its world premiere at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival next month. After all his three films turned out to be successful ventures telling impact stories, Mari Selvaraj’s next work, the children’s film Vaazhai, is also coming out this year. The film’s music composer Santhosh Narayanan called it “the movie of a lifetime,” and that surely got our hopes high.
Posters of ‘Kottukkaali’
Director Pradeep Ranganathan who turned hero with Love Today, one of the biggest hits of 2022, is playing the lead in Vignesh Shivan’s Love Insurance Corporation (LIC). With SJ Suryah also being a part of the cast, the film should be a blast. We are also expecting Thani Oruvan’s anticipated sequel to hit theatres this year; Jayam Ravi, his director-brother Mohan Raja and female lead Nayanthara are reuniting for the film, and we are eager to see the Siddharth Abhimanyu of this sequel. Another Nayanthara starrer we are intrigued about this year is Test which will also feature the Aayutha Ezhuthu stars Madhavan and Siddharth and will mark the directorial debut of producer S Sashikanth. While it’s improbable that Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam’sThug Lifewill get to theatres in 2024, we are expecting the highly anticipated film to go on floors this year. Here’s to hoping that all the films mentioned here and those not mentioned too have a fantastic run on the big screens!
