Thriller movies are enjoyed by the audience across age groups and demographics. However, making thriller movies which do not become monotonous and keep the audience glued to the screen is a very difficult undertaking. South Indian cinema is known for producing gripping thrillers which keep the audience on the edge of their seats. Many South Indian thrillers have been dubbed in Hindi and even remade by Bollywood. South Indian thriller movies seamlessly blend murder, suspense, manipulation, action, gaslighting and other elements required in such movies. In fact, South Indian film industry is better than Bollywood in the thriller genre. Some thriller movies are more unnerving than most. Here is a list of the top 10 best South Indian thriller movies to watch.
1 Vikram Vedha
Vikram Vedha, a 2017 Tamil action thriller, is a highly gripping story inspired by the ancient folktale, Baitaal Pacchisi. Written and directed by Pushkar Gayathri, the movie features popular actors R. Madhavan and Vijay Sethupathi in lead roles. The movie has been remade in Bollywood with the same name.
The plot of Vikram Vedha centres around a police officer named Vikram and a gangster named Vedha. Vikram sets out to track and kill Vedha but the latter surrenders voluntarily. However, Vedha proceeds to narrate three stories to Vikram which changes the latter’s perception of good and evil, and throws his life into a turmoil.
2. Ratsasan
Ratsasan is a 2018 Tamil crime thriller which has been efficiently crafted to provide the thrill of suspense and intrigue to the audience. Written and directed by Ram Kumar, the movie features Vishnu Vashal and Amala Paul in lead roles. Ratsasan has been remade in Hindi as Cuttputtli and in Telugu as Rakshasudu.
Ratsasan tells the story of an aspiring film maker who is forced to abandon his dreams and become a police officer after the death of his father. As a police officer, he gets involved in a case of serial killings of young girls and devotes his investigative skills to stop the brutal killer.
3. Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru
Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru, released in the year 2016, is a highly intriguing crime thriller which keeps the audience hooked till the end. It is a Tamil movie written and directed by Karthick Naren, and features Rahman, Ashwin Kumar and Prakash Vijayaraghavan in lead roles. The movie has been remade in Kannada as Aa Drushya.
Plot of Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru revolves around police officer who loses his leg while investigating the murder of a couple. Years later, he is forced to confront the circumstances of that case which leads to shocking twists and turns.
4. 7th Day
7th Day, released in the year 2014, is a well-made and executed Malayalam investigative thriller which holds the attention of the audience seamlessly. Directed by Syamdhar, the movie features Prithviraj Sukumaran in the lead role of an IPS officer. 7th Day has been praised as one of the best psychological crime thrillers in South Indian cinema.
7th Day’s plot concerns a suspended crime branch officer, David Abraham, who investigates a mysterious case involving five friends on his own. The events take place in the seven days between Christmas and New Year, hence the title.
5. Gultoo
Gultoo is a 2018 Kannada thriller which deals with data theft and cyber crime and presents an unique kind of thriller script to the audience. Written and directed by Janardhan Chikkanna, the movie features Naveen Shankar and Sonu Gowda in the lead roles.
Plot of Gultoo revolves around an ambitious IT company employee named Vikram whose life takes a turn for the worse when he is seduced and trapped by a female IB undercover officer, and is arrested for cyber crime.
6. Kuttram 23
Kuttram 23, released in the year 2017, is a Tamil tense crime action thriller which has been praised by the critics as a perfect blend of suspense, action and mystery. Directed by Arivazhagan Venkatchalan, the movie features Arun Vijay and Mahima Nambiar in lead roles.
Plot of Kuttram 23 is concerned with crimes in the medical profession and revolves around ACP Vetrimaaran who investigates a series of murders linked to the medical industry, and uncovers shocking and sinister plots.
7. Bramayugam
Bramayugam is a 2024 Malayalam supernatural period thriller drama which uses elements from myth and folklore from Kerala, and leaves the audience spellbound. Written and directed by Rahul Sadasivan, the movie features Mammooty, Arjun Ashokan and Sidharth Bharathan in lead roles.
Bramayugam is set in the 17th century Malabar and the plot concerns an escaped slave named Thevan who arrives at a dilapidated mansion or mana inhabited by its owner Kodumon Potti and his cook. The horrors he experiences at the mansion and his attempts to escape make up the movie.
8. Kavaludaari
Kavaludaari is a 2019 Kannada crime thriller which thrills the audience through its intriguing plot and twists and turns. The film is written and directed by Hemanth Kumar and features Roshan, Anant Nag, Suman Ranganath, Achyut Kumar and Roshni Prakash.
Kavaludaari’s plot revolves around an investigation carried out by a traffic policeman and a retired cop regarding the skeletal remains of three members of a family who were murdered decades ago.
9. Kurangu Bommai
Kurangu Bommai, released in the year 2017, is a Tamil crime thriller which has received widespread acclaim for its solid script, engaging screenplay and top-notch performance by the actors. The movie is written and directed by Nithilan Saminathan and features Vidharth, Bharathiraja and Delna Davis in lead roles.
Kurangu Bommai centres on an honest worker named Sundaram who inadvertently gets involved in smuggling a valuable idol and is sucked into a web of intrigue and betrayal.
10. Cadaver
Cadaver is a 2022 Tamil crime thriller which provides the audience a peek into the world of forensic science embellished with mystery. Directed by Anoop Panicker and written by Abhilash Pillai, the movie features Amala Paul in the lead role.
Cadaver follows a talented forensic pathologist, Bhadra, who attempts to solve the mystery surrounding the murder of a heart surgeon who is killed by a criminal named Vetri despite the latter being in prison.
Conclusion
The above mentioned movies are treats for fans of crime, suspense and mystery thrillers. Most of these movies are available in dubbed versions in Hindi and other languages. Thus, adding them to your watch list is recommended.
