IHNS Recommendations: 5 Underrated Tamil Gems You Must Watch On OTT Right Now

There is a wide range of Tamil movies available on OTT platforms, ready to stream at your convenience. If you don’t know what to watch this week, here’s a look at some underrated movies that are worth your time and attention.

5 must watch Tamil movies available on OTT

1. Iraavi (2016)

• Mould: SJ Suryah, Vijay Sethupathi, Bobby Simha, Anjali, Kamalini Mukherjee, Pooja Devariya, Radha Ravi, Karunakaran, Chinu Mohan, RK Vijay Murugan, Gajraj, Kaali Venkat, Bhagavathi Perumal
• Director: Karthik Subbaraj
• Style: crime drama
• Runtime: 2 hours 40 minutes
• Where to watch: jiohotstar

Iraivi is a crime drama starring SJ Suryah, Vijay Sethupathi and Bobby Simha in the lead roles. Directed by Karthik Subbaraj, the film revolves around the lives of three people – Arul Das, his friend Michael and Arul’s brother Jagan.

As their lives unfold, each faces financial struggles, despite Arul being a renowned director. As their difficulties spill over into their personal lives, their stories evolve into a complex tale of crime, betrayal, and redemption.

Especially with the powerful performances of Suriya and Vijay, Iraavi leaves a lasting impact on its audience.

2. Uriyadi (2016)

• Mould: Vijay Kumar, Mime Gopi, Citizen Shivkumar, Mehndi Bela, Chandru Kumar
• Director: vijay kumar
• Style: Political action thriller
• Runtime: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Where to watch: amazon prime video

Uriyadi is an entertaining political thriller written, directed, co-produced and starring Vijay Kumar. Set in Tamil Nadu in the 1990s, the film tells the story of four aimless bachelors who find themselves forced into the dark world of politics after a dramatic incident.

As the story progresses, the film explores how politics has long influenced and shaped their reality. Uriyadi is a powerful film full of raw energy, acclaimed for its realism and uncompromising storytelling.

3. Indru Netru Naalai (2015)

• Mould: Vishnu Vishal, Mia George, Karunakaran, P. Ravi Shankar, Jayaprakash, TM Karthik, Bhagwati Perumal, Anupama Kumar, Anjali Varadarajan, VS Raghavan, Jeeva Ravi, Munishkanth, Arya (cameo)
• Director: R Ravikumar
• Style: Sci-fi time travel comedy
• Runtime: 2 hours 18 minutes
• Where to watch: jiohotstar

Indru Netru Naalai begins in the year 2065, where a scientist sends his time machine back to 2015 to test its functionality. However, when it fails to return, the story shifts to the past. Three men find this device after an accident and begin using it to change their past and future.

While initially successful, their paths cross that of a gangster, forcing them to rely on the Machine to fix the chaos they have created. A blend of sci-fi and comedy, the Vishnu Vishal starrer is an entertaining film and has been widely appreciated by the audience.

4. Johnny (1980)

• Mould: Rajinikanth, Sridevi, Unni Mary (Deepa), Balaji, Suruli Rajan, Samikannu, Prabhakar Reddy
• Director: Mahendran
• Style: action drama
• Runtime: 2 hours 20 minutes
• Where to watch: amazon prime video

The 1980s classic film Johnny stars Rajinikanth in a dual role. The story revolves around a swindler named Johnny, who swindles money to pay off his father’s debt and his look-alike Vidyasagar, a lowly barber and leads a simple life.

Johnny falls in love with singer Archana, who was initially attracted to his music. Meanwhile, Vidyasagar develops feelings for the house maid Bhama. When Johnny’s criminal acts begin to impact Vidyasagar’s life, their paths collide for the first time, forming an unlikely alliance.

If you want to see Rajinikanth in a grounded, character-driven role rather than his usual larger-than-life persona, then Johnny will definitely be your favourite.

5. Mayakkam Enna (2011)

• Mould: Dhanush, Richa Gangopadhyay, Sundar Ramu, Mathivanan Rajendran, Pooja Deoria, Zara Baring, Raviprakash
• Director: Selvaraghavan
• Style: psychological romantic drama
• Runtime: 2 hours 22 minutes
• Where to watch: sunnxt

Mayakkam Enna tells the story of Karthik Swaminathan, an introverted freelance photographer and self-proclaimed loser, who aspires to become a wildlife photographer like his idol Madhesh Krishnasamy.

With time, Karthik falls in love with his best friend’s ex-girlfriend Yamini and marries her and opens a new and happy chapter in his life. However, when one of his photographs is stolen by Madhesh for a magazine, Karthik falls into depression and attempts to end it all.

Hurt, he becomes mentally unstable and self-destructive, which has a deep impact on Yamini. The film shows how, through her unwavering love and support, Karthik gradually finds his way.

With an excellent performance from Dhanush, Mayakkam Enna presents an intense and emotional portrayal of mental health, relationships and resilience.

Also read: Sakthi Thirumagan OTT release: When and where to watch Vijay Antony’s political action thriller online