Top 10 Tamil Movies of All Time
The top 10 tamil movies of all time, ranked by IMDb rating (weighted for vote count) across 234 eligible films. 10 of them are streaming in India right now on Prime Video, SonyLIV and JioHotstar — each links to exactly where to watch it.
Blank on what to recommend when friends ask? Track what you watch on Dramah and share your picks on WhatsApp in one tap.
Get started — free- 1
Soorarai Pottru
2020IMDb 8.7 · 1,27,179 votes
Suriya's career-defining performance as an underdog pilot fighting bureaucracy with unwavering determination and grace.
Streaming on Prime Video
- 2
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect
2022IMDb 8.7 · 60,208 votes
Madhavan brilliantly transforms into aerospace engineer Nambi Narayanan, exposing a true espionage injustice.
Streaming on Prime Video
- 3
Jai Bhim
2021IMDb 8.6 · 2,33,149 votes
Suriya delivers a powerhouse performance as a lawyer fighting systemic caste brutality with raw emotional intensity.
Streaming on Prime Video
- 4
Pariyerum Perumal
2018IMDb 8.7 · 19,122 votes
A sensitively crafted story about a man confronting caste prejudice in love, handled with nuanced social commentary.
Streaming on Prime Video
- 5
Nayakan
1987IMDb 8.6 · 27,667 votes
Kamal Haasan's iconic portrayal of a ruthless don defined an era and remains an essential Tamil cinema milestone.
Streaming on Prime Video
- 6
Peranbu
2019IMDb 8.7 · 16,835 votes
Mammootty's restrained performance exploring grief and parental love in a strikingly original, poignant narrative.
Streaming on Prime Video
- 7
Anbe Sivam
2003IMDb 8.6 · 25,583 votes
Kamal Haasan and Siddharth Bharatan's philosophical bromance examining life, friendship, and human connection.
Streaming on Prime Video
- 8
96
2018IMDb 8.5 · 42,391 votes
A nostalgic romance capturing the bittersweet beauty of first love across decades with genuine emotional depth.
Streaming on SonyLIV
- 9
Sarpatta Parambarai
2021IMDb 8.5 · 26,459 votes
Visually striking period drama about boxing communities, blending visceral action with cultural authenticity and pride.
Streaming on Prime Video
- 10
Kaithi
2019IMDb 8.4 · 44,828 votes
Karthi commands a taut thriller with minimal dialogue, proving Tamil cinema excels in suspenseful, gritty storytelling.
Streaming on JioHotstar
Frequently asked
- What is the best Tamil movie of all time?
- By IMDb rating (weighted for vote count), Soorarai Pottru (2020) tops this list with an IMDb score of 8.7 from 1,27,179 votes, and it's streaming in India on Prime Video.
- How is this list ranked?
- We rank by IMDb rating using a Bayesian weighted score (IMDb's own Top-250 method), which balances a title's rating against how many people voted — so a very high score from only a handful of votes doesn't outrank a slightly lower score from tens of thousands. Titles need a minimum vote count to qualify.
- Where can I watch these Tamil movies in India?
- 10 of the 10 titles on this list are streaming in India right now. Tap any title to see exactly which OTT platform (Netflix, Prime Video, JioHotstar, SonyLIV, ZEE5 or Apple TV) it's on, or to get an alert when a not-yet-streaming one lands.
More top lists
Fresh arrivals instead? New on OTT in India →