Andha Naal To Thupparivaalan: 9 Tamil Detective Thrillers To Watch Before Vijay Antony’s Kolai

“There is no perfect murder. Every crime will have a flaw,” Vijay Antony’s detective tells us through a voice-over in the upcoming Kolai, which is slated to hit the screens this Friday. But he isn’t a cop or a lawyer. He dons hats and coats, is often found wearing black and rejoices when the case gets more complicated. Yes, he is one of the very few actors in Tamil cinema who got to play the role of a detective. But this rarity is also what makes Kollywood detective thrillers special. Check out nine quirky, thrilling and well-made detective stories that would make for a wonderful watch list. 

Andha Naal (1954)

Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video

When CID Sivanandam (Javar Seetharaman) investigates one of the suspects, she describes Sivanandam as “Oru uduppu aniyaadha police kaarar (A police officer who doesn’t wear the uniform)”. That’s something we all would agree about a detective. Andha Naal could arguably be the first detective film in Kollywood. Set in 1943, during World War II, the film traces the murder of radio engineer Rajan (Sivaji Ganesan), a day after three consecutive bomb blasts take place in Madras. 

A complete entertainer, this S Balanchander directorial has several suspects who lend one twist after another to make the narrative interesting. For a film that is almost 70 years old, Andha Naal remains a thoroughly engaging affair. Even while the film shines as an investigative thriller, the highlight is the short glimpses into Rajan and his wife’s love story and their different personalities. 

Thupparivaalan (2017)

Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video

Mysskin’s take on detectives is both cliched and layered. In a stark lonely house, with a background filled with loads of books, Kaniyan Poongundran is silent, intelligent and well-aware of his investigative skills. His attitude, the dark gloomy lighting and shaky camera movements often remind you of Sherlock Holmes, and you are not wrong if it does. The film gives credit to the character and its author, Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, in the opening. But there are a lot of Myskkin-isms as well in both writing and framing that make this a satisfying thriller. Take his introduction sequence, for instance. Hungry for an interesting case, Kaniyan goes crazy. We see hazy visuals and hear a man shouting and ranting in frustration. The camera stands in for his eyes, and we see the world through his eyes, and his thoughts. Even without revealing his face, this single scene tells a lot about his character and almost immediately immerses us in his world. And what unfolds after this is an engaging thriller you should definitely watch. 

Agent Kannaiyiram (2022)

Streaming on: SunNXT

This Santhanam-starrer, a remake of the hit Telugu film Agent Sai Srinivasa Athreya, follows a self-proclaimed private detective who deals with petty cases. But when he starts enquiring about the cases of missing bodies, he becomes a prime suspect. And as he tries to investigate it further, he falls deep into the pit. Who is the killer and why Kannayiram is roped into this mess forms an exciting tale of scatter clues, calculated moves and surplus twists. Donning the usual detective clothes, Kannayiram drives an old Fiat and lives in a trailer (ticked all boxes of what makes a detective appear as a detective). However, this remake is nowhere close to its original. 

Cheena Thaana 001 (2007)

Streaming on: YouTube

What if a layman like us who is interested in investigative thrillers becomes a detective? Perhaps we would share a lot of similarities with Tamizharasu from Cheena Thaana 001 (yes, it’s inspired by James Bond 007) — amateurish, excited and ready to fight any big obstacle. When he is unable to join the police force, Tamizharasu decides to start his own detective agency. This remake of the Malayalam film CID. Moosa (2003) also makes the best use of Prasanna’s comedic skills. While there is a serious terrorist attack in focus, the film also packs in enough humour with a funny car that has hidden buttons serving different purposes, Vadivelu in his prime form and a dozen other quirky characters.

Yuddham Sei (2011)

Streaming on: Disney+ Hotstar, Zee5

Much like Thupparivaalan, Yuddham Sei opens with a scene where we don’t get to see the faces of the characters. But if it was the detective in the former, it is of the murderer and a victim in this Cheran-starrer. At first glance, it follows a templated narrative of a brooding cop, JK, who is roped into an important case and how he resolves his personal problems as he digs deeper. But the road to investigation leads him to two different cases, one of which forms the heart-rending central story. Unlike the usual thrill associated with detective stories, there is also a sense of heaviness that tags along in this film. So even when the investigation angle in the film, which shines with Myskkins’ signature frames, keeps you on the edge of your seat, be warned, the film is not for the faint-hearted.

Vallavan Oruvan (1966)

Streaming on: YouTube

Detective thrillers are sparse in Kollywood today but it was a favourite genre in the 60s, thanks to Jaishankar, known fondly as Thennakathu James Bond (South Indian James Bond). Having acted as a detective officer in a slew of films, Vallavan Oruvan is one of his most prominent investigative thrillers. The protagonist’s name CID Shankar also stuck with Jai Shankar as he went on to play different characters with the same name in films like Neelagiri Express (1968) and CID Shankar (1970).

After the release of Andha Naal, bomb blasts and CID investigations seem to have been the trend back in the day as that’s the main plot in both Vallavan Oruvan and CID Shankar. Said to be based on the French Film Shadow of Evil (1964), the thriller follows Shankar as he is on the lookout for a dangerous gang that manufactures firearms and explosives. The film is also known for its Hollywood films-esque treatment. Likewise, Neelagiri Express which is about a murder that takes place on a train and CID Shankar are also classic Tamil film noir that’s worth your watch.

Deiva Thai (1964)

Deiva Thai, a film in which the lead detective happens to lock horns with his long-lost father, who is now a terrorist, might be known for many reasons. But its biggest achievement has to be the introduction of legendary director K Balachander (he penned the dialogues for Deiva Thai) in Tamil cinema. The film starred MGR as CID Maran who fights his father to seek justice. Even with a familiar plot, the film was enjoyed for its dialogues, emotional sequences and fast-paced narrative. 

Thegidi (2014)

Streaming on: Disney+ Hotstar

Detectives are, for sure, skilled people who have a sharp eye for details. But what if someone lures them and uses their skills to do evil deeds? Ashok Selvan’s Vetri, a criminology student aspires to become a detective. He helps in sourcing information about different people for an agency but slowly realises that these people get killed in multiple accidents. As things turn personal, he goes in search of his bosses to find the real killer. 

Unlike the many entries in this list, Ashok doesn’t roam around with the usual clothes of a detective, but his wall sure is decorated with a storyboard full of news bits, clues and images. Similar to Ashok’s recent outing Por Thozhil, Thegidi focuses on the investigation, while also exploring how his character understands the dangers of the crime world and comes to terms with the demands of his job. 

Nibunan (2017)

Streaming on: Disney+ Hotstar

A list of investigative thrillers without Arjun Sarja would be incomplete. In the role of a CB CID officer, Arjun is perfect as Ranjith Kalidass. With a time-out running in the background, in a fiery mass action sequence, we are introduced to the trio, played by Arjun, Prasanna and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar. Prasanna’s ability to play versatile roles can also be easily ascertained by comparing the different detective characters he has played — the funny yet intelligent Tamizharasu in Cheena Thaana 001, a clueless assistant in Thupparivalan and the efficient cop in Nibunan. 

Nibunan’s central plot is inspired by the famous Aarushi Talwar case where a young teen and the caregiver/maid were found dead suspiciously in the former’s house, while her parents were out. With a serial killer on the run, another case kept on hold and Ranjith getting diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the film has multiple issues happening simultaneously, which keeps the viewers engaged.