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- 10 best Tamil suspense thriller movies of all time that will blow your mind
By Kshitij Rawat
Tamil cinema has always been a storytelling powerhouse. When it comes to suspense thriller movies, the industry has always churned out stories full of complexity and depth. They are usually chock-full of surprising turns and spine-chilling moments and feature powerful performances. Our list of the best Tamil suspense thriller movies features white-knuckle psychological dramas to high-stakes action thrillers.
One of the most distinguishing features of Tamil suspense thrillers is the seamless integration of gripping plots with strong character development. For instance, Raatchasan (2018) featuring Vishnu Vishal and Amala Paul, has set a benchmark in the genre by their meticulous attention to minute details and the chilling modus operandi of a serial killer. In a similar fashion, Thadam (2019) impressed the audiences with its clever storytelling and some plot twists while featuring Arun Vijay in a double role.
Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru (2017) is a film that brings together police procedural elements with heart-pounding action. Game Over (2019), starring Taapsee Pannu, adds a supernatural layer to a psychological thriller.
All these and more are in our list of the best Tamil suspense thriller movies to watch on your favourite streaming platform. With every film being a unique journey to the depths of human emotion, this surely will entertain those who appreciate an edge-of-the-seat chase or are simply mind-bending with hauntingly beautiful visuals.
After you are done with these, check out our list of Malayalam suspense thrillers and horror movies.
Thrill and chill: Top Tamil suspense thriller movies to watch
1 /10
Thani Oruvan (2015)
IMDb rating: 8.4
Directed by: Mohan Raja
Cast: Jayam Ravi, Arvind Swamy, Nayanthara
Synopsis: Thani Oruvan traces the cat-and-mouse chase between the very principled IPS officer Mithran (Ravi) and the highly intellectual but amoral scientist Siddharth Abhimanyu (Swamy), who utilises his knowledge and skill to exploit the system for personal gain. Mithran tries to outsmart him to bring him to justice. What begins as a routine investigation becomes a battle of wits, with complex plans and personal vendettas.
2 /10
Papanasam (2015)
IMDb rating: 8.4
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Cast: Kamal Haasan, Gautami, Nivetha Thomas
Synopsis: Papanasam is the Tamil remake of the Malayalam suspense thriller movie Drishyam. So the story is pretty much the same. It depicts the life of Suyambu Lingam (Haasan), a middle-class family man, who lives with his wife and two daughters in a quiet town. Their peaceful existence comes crashing down when they find themselves in the middle of a murder case after one of their daughters kills the son of a corrupt police officer.
3 /10
Raatchasan (2018)
IMDb rating: 8.3
Directed by: Ram Kumar
Cast: Vishnu Vishal, Amala Paul, Radha Ravi
Synopsis: Arun (Vishal), a struggling filmmaker turned police officer, becomes embroiled in a chilling hunt for a psychopathic serial killer who is specifically targetting schoolgirls. As he probes deeper into the investigation, Arun must overcome his own self-doubts and face unimaginable horrors to nab the killer. This serial killer film was noted for its attention to the killer’s psychological profiling that was consistent with what we know about real-world serial killers.
IMDb rating: 8.2
Directed by: H. Vinoth
Cast: Karthi, Rakul Preet Singh, Abhimanyu Singh
Synopsis: It is a high-octane thriller. A diligent police officer, Theeran (Karthi) attempts to uncover a violent gang of dacoits responsible for a countrywide crime wave. The movie was inspired by actual events surrounding Operation Bawaria case. The movie tells a gripping account of the relentless pursuit of justice through realistic action sequences and set pieces.
IMDb rating: 8.2
Directed by: Karthick Naren
Cast: Rahman, Prakash Raghavan, Sharathkumar
Synopsis: Retired detective Deepak (Rahman) reluctantly recounts his final, life-altering case involving a murder that spiralled into a tragedy. Using a non-linear narrative, the film masterfully connects fragmented clues to reveal a devastating truth in the end. With its meticulous storytelling and a hauntingly poetic conclusion, Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru is not just one of the best Tamil suspense thriller movies, it is also a modern masterpiece of Tamil cinema. A word of advice: go into this movie with as little information about the plot as possible.
6 /10
Vikram Vedha (2017)
IMDb Rating: 8.2
Directed by: Pushkar, Gayatri
Cast: Madhavan, Vijay Sethupathi, Shraddha Srinath
Synopsis: While the 2022 Hindi remake starring Saif Ali Khan and Hrithik Roshan is also pretty great, there is no beating the original. The original was a riveting movie inspired by the Indian folklore of Vikram and Betaal. It revolves around a morally upright cop, Vikram (Madhavan), and his pursuit of the elusive gangster Vedha (Sethupathi). It is an absolutely gripping experience from start to finish.
7 /10
Thadam (2019)
IMDb Rating: 8.1
Directed by: Magizh Thirumeni
Cast: Arun Vijay, Vidya Pradeep, Vijayan, Tanya Hope
Synopsis: The film takes a murder case that would seem very simple and turns it into a puzzle that makes one’s head spin. The police find two identical suspects (both played by Vijay), who both claim to be innocent. Inspector M. Gopalakrishnan (Vijayan) grapples with this confounding evidence, but he also has an axe to grind with one of the two suspects. Arun Vijay’s performance (or, shall we say, performances) is just fantastic and adds a layer of complexity. Thadam is a standout suspense thriller with a powerful, unexpected resolution to the mystery.
8 /10
Eeram (2009)
IMDb rating: 7.6
Directed by: Arivazhagan Venkatachalam
Cast: Aadhi, Nandaa Dorairaj, Sindhu Menon
Synopsis: Vasudevan (Aadhi) is a dedicated police officer who tackles a murder case of a woman who used to be his ex. She drowned in a bathtub and the circumstantial evidence hints at suicide. But Vasu is dubious and is vindicated when more people are killed in the same apartment building: one by electric shock, one other after being pierced by the tip of an umbrella. The common element, Vasu finds, in all these deaths is water. When all leads run cold, he discovers a supernatural cause that changes everything.
9 /10
Imaikkaa Nodigal (2018)
IMDb rating: 7.3
Directed by: R. Ajay Gnanamuthu
Cast: Nayanthara, Atharvaa Murali, Anurag Kashyap
Synopsis: Anjali (Nayanthara), a resolute CBI officer, faces her toughest case when a serial killer resurfaces, claiming to be Rudra — a notorious murderer believed to be dead for years. As the killer begins targetting her family, Anjali must race against time to unravel the mystery. With a deeply personal stakes, she uncovers shocking truths that intertwine her past with the present case.
10 /10
Game Over (2019)
IMDb rating: 6.9
Directed by: Ashwin Saravanan
Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Vinodhini Vaidynathan, Anish Kuruvilla
Synopsis: Featuring one of Pannu’s finest performances (if not the finest), the film has her portraying the role of a game designer called Swapna who has a fear of darkness (nyctophobia). Swapna also suffers from what is called ‘anniversary reaction’, which is a psychological response to a traumatic event that occurs on the anniversary of a traumatic event. She remembers being raped in a dark room on New Year’s Eve. And then she becomes the target of a home invasion by a serial killer.
Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the number one thriller movie in Tamil?
Papanasam (2015) is often considered one of the best Tamil thriller movies ever.
Which is the number one suspense movie?
Se7en (1995), directed by David Fincher, is often considered one of the greatest suspense films of all time.
What is a suspenseful thriller?
A suspenseful thriller is a genre that combines elements of suspense with thrilling, high-stakes action or mystery. These stories are designed to keep the audience on edge with unpredictable outcomes.
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Tamil movies Thrillers Tamil thriller movies