Indian cinema has seen a lot of changes over the decades but the charm, and magic remain the same. Being home to different cultures, Indian cinema comprises of various languages in the film industry. When it comes to global box office presence, besides Bollywood, the South Indian movie industry has been showing its dominance with its larger-than-life cinematic art. They have even managed to outperform their Bollywood counterparts with their outstanding movies. Here, we have discussed about top 10 South Indian movies that you cannot miss if you are a true movie buff.
Top 10 South Indian Movies For Film Lovers
It is not wrong to say that the South Indian movie industry is enjoying dominance worldwide and is finally getting its long-due recognition. Contrary to the belief, it is much more than physics-defying and illogical fight scenes. They have successfully produced numerous movies in varying genres that have crossed all the records in popularity and earnings. Let us look at the top 10 South Indian movies that deserve mention in our list for the remarkable magic that they created on the big screen.
1] Bahubali- The Beginning
- IMDB rating: 8/10
- Genre: Action, Drama
- Director: S.S. Rajamouli
- Actor/ Cast: Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannah, Ramya Krishna
Bahubali: The Beginning was the first South Indian movie that marked a paradigm shift for Indian movies and was one of the highest-grossing South Indian movies. It was able to cross the 1600 crore mark at the box- office worldwide. The movie is a visual treat for VFX lovers and does not miss a chance to awe the audience. Shiva who spends his 25 years of life with the Sangas in a peaceful village is the son of a great warrior, Amarendra Bahubali of Mahishmati kingdom.
The movie revolves around Mahendra Babubali’s quest to find the truth about his royal legacy amidst the war, bloodshed, enmity, and heart-wrenching torture inflicted on his parents. The saga choreographed in a fictional epic takes on adventurous scenes and effects that have probably never been witnessed in any Indian cinema ever before, making it to the category of the top 10 South Indian movies.
2] Vikram
- IMDB rating: 8.3/10
- Genre: Action, Thriller
- Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj
- Actor/ Cast: Kamal Hassan, Fahadh Faasil, Vijay Sethupathi
The movie, Vikram expands its universe of spies, providing the thrill of an action film. Karnan( Kamal Hassan) is thought to be dead- a deed done by a group of masked men, calling the war against the system. But the intriguing plot has more to offer as one realizes Karnan is not dead, but is on the way to fight against the biggest drug dealer in the city, Sandhaman( Vijay Sethupathi). The plot keeps you questioning till the end whether Karnan is a womanizer, an alcoholic father mourning for the loss of his martyred son, or is it much more than that.
The action-packed movie directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, makes it to the top 10 South Indian movies as it leads down a path where everyone seems to be entangled with the same mission and the characters playing a different role. The much-publicized cameo of Suriya is surely something that deserves the hype that it received from the audience.
3] Pushpa: The Rise
- IMDB rating: 7.6/10
- Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
- Director: Sukumar
- Actor/ Cast: Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, Fahadh Faasil
South Indian film industry is known for its mass appeal and this is exactly what Pushpa: The Rise offers. It is one of the new best South Indian movies that make people hoot and cheer in the theatre and ask for more. The action entertainer movie revolves around Pushpa( Allu Arjun) who is into the illegal trade of red sandalwood and has made quite powerful enemies in the process.
His ever-increasing enmity with Bhanwar Singh Shekhwat( Fahadh Faasil) who is posted as the police superintendent at the district gives the movie an interesting round of twists and turns. The scenes are wonderfully written, and the chemistry between Allu Arjun and Rashmika is perfect for a ‘masala’ movie like Pushpa.
4] Drishyam 2
- IMDB rating: 8.2/10
- Genre: Mystery, Drama
- Director: Jeethu Joseph
- Actor/ Cast: Mohanlal, Meena, Murali Gopi
Drishyam 2 is one of the top-rated South Indian movies which has also been remade in the Hindi film industry starring Ajay Devgan. The original Malayalam version of Dhrisyam 2 stars Mohanlal as the mastermind behind the whole plot setup to save his daughter. The family is continuously threatened and humiliated to force them to speak the truth about the killing of the IGP Thomas Bastin’s son.
The sequel continues George being a protective father and husband in his desperate attempt to save his family and close the traumatic chapter, by fooling the authorities once again. This is one of the top 10 South Indian movies and keeps you hooked throughout, just like its predecessor, and will continue to be in your memories for a long time.
5] KGF 2
- IMDB rating: 8.3/10
- Genre: Action, Crime
- Director: Prashanth Neel
- Actor/ Cast: Yash, Raveena Tandon, Sanjay Dutt
After the maddening response of KGF 1, people expected a similar experience from its sequel. The sequel gives more than expected and is better in so many aspects as compared to its former. Rocky Bhai( Yash) has built an indestructible empire in Kolar Gold Fields but in the process of extending his empire, he makes some powerful enemies along the way, who are unable to digest his magnanimity.
The sequel gives enough action-loaded scenes, dialogue, and heavy-duty stunts and is for the audience who are up for mass movies. The characters of Sanjay Dutt and Raveena Tandon stand out in their supporting roles and deliver excellent performances. It is not wrong to say that Yash playing Rocky Bhai yet again breathed life not only into his character but into the whole movie, making it one of the highest grossing South Indian movies.
6] RRR
- IMDB rating: 7.8/10
- Genre: Action, Drama
- Director: S.S. Rajamouli
- Actor/ Cast: NT Rama Rao Jr, Ram Charan, Ajay Devgan
S.S. Rajamouli proved his mettle yet again with the new best South Indian movies, like RRR. The story is set in India during the British reign in the 1920s, showcasing the adventures of two revolutionaries against the British Colonialists. It is a saga of bravery, kinship, friendship, and love, and displays maximalist action choreography with sophisticated computer graphics.
The movie is an excellent symbol of boundary-trampling patriotism, with each scene, and shot evoking emotions like terror, excitement, and fear and worthy enough to give you goosebumps. The characters of Bheem and Raju are created to perfection, shown in different lights but fighting toward the same purpose. The song ‘Natu Natu’ received the honor of Best Original Song at 2023 The Golden Globe Awards and is also one of the highest grossing South Indian movies. It grossed $14 million at the American box office and became the most-watched movie in America consecutively for 9 weeks.
7] 777 Charlie
- IMDB rating: 8.8/10
- Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama
- Director: Kiranraj K.
- Actor/ Cast: Rakshit Shetty, Charlie
The Kannada drama, 777 Charlie gives a slice of the relationship between a man and his pet dog. Dharma, the protagonist leads a monotonous life of isolation and seclusion. He is an orphan and is feared by people around him, as he often gets into scoffs, fights, and boozes and smokes. But a Labrador, Charlie confides in him and finds a savior in Dharma.
The movie is an emotional take on the purest form of relationship between a man and his pet. They both exhibit love, affection, and utmost care for each other. Dharma on getting to know that Charlie is suffering from cancer determines to fulfill her wishes and take her to Himachal Pradesh as she loves snow. The movie is an emotional rollercoaster, exploring different angles of the pairing. Besides the bonding, it showcases how companionship can help a person from self-destruction. No wonder it makes it to the top 10 South Indian movies.
8] Ponniyin Selvan – 1
- IMDB rating: 7.6/10
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama
- Director: Mani Ratnan
- Actor/ Cast: Vikram, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Jayam Ravi
Ponniyin Selvan is a historical drama set in the 10th century. The movie is rich with myriad characters as depicted in Kalki’s popular historical novel. It is only an adaptation of the movie and does not follow the exact storyline. But, it is given a cinematic touch by Mani Rtanan who is known for effortlessly creating magic on the big screen. The movie showcases the power struggle between the emperors to reign the Chola empire.
It unravels through various avenues and delivers all the important messages about greed, valor, treachery, and honesty. If you have read Ponniyin Selvan and want to see them on the big screen, then this movie will not disappoint you as it has a power-packed star cast with amazing performance delivery. The film takes you to a world of the 10th century which you will probably Marvel at looking at its finesse and attention to detail.
9] Vakeel Saab
- IMDB rating: 7/10
- Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
- Director: Venu Sriram
- Actor/ Cast: Nivetha Thomas, Pawan Kalyan, Anjali
Vakeel Saab is the remake of a popular 2016 Bollywood movie, Pink, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Tapsee Pannu. The courtroom drama revolves around three independent women who are accused in the case of an attempt to murder an influential but spoilt Vamsi. It is found out that they hit Vamsi on being molested and to take revenge, Vamsi and his friends label them as prostitutes.
Meanwhile, an alcoholic Satyadev fights for the girls and makes them win the case, emphasizing that, a ‘No’ means ‘No’, which is the crux of the story. It has made its position in the top 10 South Indian movies, because of its amazing storytelling, convincing characters, and rightful message.
10] Master
- IMDB rating: 7.3/10
- Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
- Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj
- Actor/ Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Joseph Vijay, Malvika Mohanan
Lokesh Kanagaraj believes in making the antagonist as powerful as the protagonist to bring out the best in him. He is different from other directors and believes in showcasing the negative shades of the protagonist as well. In the movie, Master, JD played by Vijay is a beloved professor in his college but suffers from alcoholism. For this reason, he is sent to an observation home for a teaching role, where Bhavani ( Vijay Sehupathi) deals with wrongdoings.
The stark contrast between JD and Bhavani runs the show with characteristic jokes and plenty of mass scenes for the audience to root for. It perfectly comes under the ‘masala cinema’ that will give you a break from serious movies.
Conclusion
South Indian movies are packed with action, drama, and comedy in equal measures and make for a great binge-watch. Language barrier should be the least of the concerns when watching a South Indian movie, all thanks to the subtitles.
The enormous larger-than-life visuals let the audience enjoy their minor moments of cinema viewing and offer them an incredible experience. The compiled list was our take on the top 10 South Indian movies that are bang-on entertaining and a must-watch if you have not watched them yet.
FAQs
- Which is the No. 1 movie in South India?
KGF 2 is the No. 1 movie in South India that stars Yash as the main lead. The makers enjoyed an amazing public response on its release, making it one of the top rated South Indian movies.
- Who is the biggest star in South India?
Rajnikanth is the biggest star in South India and is lovingly known as Thalivar. He has appeared in more than 170 movies and ranks among the most well-known actors in South India.
- Who is the king of South Indian movies?
Rajnikanth is the king of South Indian movies who is loved by people and enjoys a great fan following in the whole of South India. He has acted in more than 170 films and is loved for his mesmerizing performances and unique style.
- Which is the highest-grossing South Indian movie?
Bahubali: The Conclusion is the highest-grossing movie in South India. Prabas starrer movie has an all-time collection of 1810 crore worldwide. It is the sequel to Bahubali: The Beginning which came out in 2015.
