Super Deluxe, Game Over, Sarvam Thaala Mayam, Peranbu: Best Tamil films of 2019 so far

(We’re halfway through 2019, so what better time to take stock of what this year brought to us in terms of entertainment and pop culture? Firstpost is rounding up the best films, web series, songs and albums so far, and also looking at what else is in store for the rest of the year.) From a gripping thriller centred on relativity to an aesthetically mind-blowing neo-noir drama, 2019 has been an excellent year for Tamil cinephiles so far. Although thriller as a genre dominated the mainstream narrative, other small gems too won the hearts of critics and audiences alike. Here’s our list of the ten best Tamil movies of the first half of 2019 in order of release. _**Peranbu**_ [caption id=“attachment_4753591” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  A still from Peranbu. Image via Twitter[/caption] Celebrated filmmaker Ram added another feather to his cap with Peranbu, a disturbing yet poignant drama that smacked us with its unflinching realism and heart-wrenching narration. Ram’s avant-garde filmmaking and command over the craft were captured beautifully in the portrayal of the complicated relationship between a father and his spastic daughter. Replete with anecdotes on relationships, life, and the labour of love, Peranbu is a bonafide masterpiece from Ram. **_Sarvam Thaala Mayam_** Rajiv Menon’s return to the directorial chair bore fruit beautifully through Sarvam Thaala Mayam, a carefully written tale about a Dalit musician embarking on his journey to learn to play the Mridangam. With music by Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman, Sarvam Thaala Mayam also served as a stark social commentary on media sensationalism, caste hierarchy, and social stratification with Rajiv’s razor-sharp dialogues. To-Let To Let, which marked the directorial debut of lensman Cheziyan, is a compelling drama that toured many film festivals across the globe before winning the National Award for the Best Feature Film in Tamil. A moving story that revolves around a couple who are in dire need to rent a house in Chennai, Cheziyan’s family drama quietly encapsulates the struggles of marginalised people after globalisation in Chennai. _**Thadam**_ Magizh Thirumeni’s Thadam packed itself with a watertight narrative and sumptuous twists that could jolt the viewer. Led by a confident Arun Vijay in a dual role, Thadam is now considered the best thriller of the year so far. _**Super Deluxe**_ [caption id=“attachment_6351091” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Stills from Super Deluxe. Twitter[/caption] Thiagarajan Kumararaja’s Super Deluxe is indeed the standout film of the year so far. With supreme bravery, the film broke every other stereotype in the book and came out in flying colours. Peppered with beautiful layers of dichotomy, Super Deluxe was powered by some stellar performances from its all-star cast including Vijay Sethupathi, Samantha Akkineni, Fahadh Faasil, Ramya Krishnan, Mysskin and others. Vellai Pookal Vivek’s Vellai Pookal came off as one of the little surprises of the year, bringing to screens an intriguing detective drama. Made by a group of techies from the USA, the film turned out to be an engaging ride that never lost its way despite having a star cast that underperformed. Vellai Pookal was a neatly made investigative thriller which stayed faithful to the genre and narrative from start to end. _**Monster**_ Nelson Venkatesan’s Monster was a charming feature that could be referenced as an Indian equivalent of a Disney film. Without an iota of adult angle, the film made itself such an enjoyable experience for the little ones, while having enough in it to keep the others engaged. SJ Suryah pulled off a terrific performance, proving his acting prowess once again. _**Kolaigaran**_ After a slew of monotonous films, Vijay Antony got his mojo back with Kolaigaran, a racy murder mystery that was put together with top technical wizardry and music. Even though a Japanese novel inspired it, the film was neatly adapted, keeping the sensibilities of Tamil audiences in mind. Arjun’s exceptional performance was one of the highlights of the film. _**Game Over**_ [caption id=“attachment_6726271” align=“alignnone” width=“825”]  Taapsee Pannu in a still from Game Over. Screengrab from YouTube[/caption] Ashwin Saravanan’s sophomore attempt was a genre-hopping thriller that held its might together until the very end. With fantastic sound design and cinematography_, Game Over_ was one of the best theatre experiences that a film buff could enjoy in the first half of the year. Driven by a sterling performance of Taapsee, Game Over is undoubtedly a film that lived up to the tag of a thriller. Jiivi With Jiivi, the debutant writer-director pair of VJ Gopinath and Babu Tamizh delivered a crisp and punchy drama that uncovered a couple of new concepts such as relativity to Tamil audiences. The film was squatted by a highly minimalistic performance from its lead, but thankfully, it didn’t stop us from investing our attention in the proceedings. Films to look forward to in the second half Although the second half of 2019 is packed with highly-anticipated star vehicles such as Thala Ajith’s Nerkonda Paarvai, Thalapathy Vijay’s Bigil, Chiyaan Vikram’s Kadaram Kondan, Suriya’s Kaappaan, and Sivakarthikeyan’s Hero, there are a lot of other films too that look very exciting. Amala Paul’s Aadai helmed by Meyadha Maan director Rathna Kumar, Lokesh Kanagaraj’s action thriller Kaithi, Jeethu Joseph’s untitled thriller with Karthi and Jyotika, Kaaka Muttai director Manikandan’s Kadaisi Vivasaayi, Arya’s Magamuni, and Dhanush’s Asuran are some of the promising forthcoming releases in Kollywood.