The Thalaivar entered the decade with Baba (2002), a spiritual-political fantasy that flopped—a rare blemish. But he roared back by subverting his own image. Chandramukhi (2005) became a festival phenomenon, running for over 800 days in theaters. However, the defining moment was Sivaji: The Boss (2007) directed by Shankar. With a budget that broke Indian records, Sivaji was a visual spectacle, addressing black money and corruption via larger-than-life sets. Rajinikanth closed the decade with Enthiran (2010) (Robot), a sci-fi masterpiece where he played a dual role as a scientist and a rogue android. These films weren't just movies; they were religious events.
While Rajinikanth focused on mass appeal, Kamal Haasan used the decade to experiment with scripts that broke narrative rules. He delivered the nihilistic classic Virumaandi (2004), a Rashomon-style tale of prison violence. He shocked the industry with the Indian adaptation of The Miracle Worker in Anbe Sivam (2003)—a philosophical comedy about communism and humanism that bombed at the box office but is now considered a cult masterpiece. He then delivered the political satire Dasavathaaram (2008), playing ten distinct roles, a feat of makeup and prosthetic technology that remains unmatched. tamil movies 2000 to 2010
The late 2000s belonged to Madurai. Sasikumar’s Subramaniapuram (2008) changed Tamil cinema forever. Shot on a low budget with unknown faces, it romanticized 1980s Madurai gangsterism without glitz. It proved that "local" stories sell better than foreign locales. This sparked a hundred "Madurai" films (like Nadodigal and Easan), celebrating raw dialect and violence. The Thalaivar entered the decade with Baba (2002),
| Person | Contribution | |--------|----------------| | Rajinikanth | Chandramukhi, Sivaji, Enthiran — redfined mass superstardom with VFX spectacle. | | Kamal Haasan | Hey! Ram, Virumaandi, Dasavathaaram — continued as the ultimate actor-performer. | | Suriya | Kaakha Kaakha, Ghajini, Ayan, Vaaranam Aayiram — became the "class" mass hero. | | Vikram | Pithamagan, Anniyan — won National Award; versatile. | | Dhanush | Pudhupettai, Polladhavan — from star-kid to serious actor. | | Vijay | Ghilli, Thirumalai — solidified mass fan base; struggled toward end of decade. | | Ajith | Varalaru, Billa — re-invented from romantic hero to stylish star. | | Directors | Shankar (big scale), Gautham Menon (romance/thriller), Bala (gritty realism), Selvaraghavan (dark narratives), AR Murugadoss (commercial thrillers). | | Music Directors | AR Rahman (dominated early 2000s), Harris Jayaraj (romantic hits), Yuvan Shankar Raja (youth & gangster anthems), Vijay Antony (experimental). | While new directors tackled realism, the established masters
While new directors tackled realism, the established masters experimented with scale and technique.
This overview covers major trends, notable films, important filmmakers, actors, music, and industry developments in Tamil (Kollywood) cinema from 2000 through 2010.