As July arrives, we reach the end of the first half of the year. Besides this annual occurrence, individuals from the Tamil film industry and movie buffs have started evaluating the performances of Tamil films over the past six months.
In addition to discussions in newspapers, on television and YouTube, Twitter, now known as X, has become an opinion marketplace for the aficionados of Tamil cinema. Actor Ajith Kumar's fans and, in general, those who simply like to be entertained in theatres regardless of a film's content, are declaring Good Bad Ugly the best Tamil film of the first half of the year. The film, rather than having a cohesive story, laid its focus on celebrating the superstardom of Ajith Kumar and is filled with numerous references to his blockbuster films.
Another section carries the opinion that Suriya-Karthik Subbaraj's Retro has balanced storytelling and star power. Fans of Suriya express that the film presents their star in a character facing real problems, rather than merely portraying a star on screen. They also commend Karthik Subbaraj's narrative for effectively illustrating the horrors of war and violence, while conveying that laughter can be more powerful than these. They believe that the film provides a fillip for discussing deep themes even in movies featuring commercial stars, usually marked by superficiality.
Apart from star vehicles, the Tamil Twitteratis highly praised the quality of debut director Abishan Jeevinth's Tourist Family. The film tells the story of a Tamil Eelam family from Sri Lanka, as they assimilate with the locals of Tamil Nadu, entwined with emotions and humour.
Despite the first half of 2025 being characterised by several highly anticipated films failing miserably, there is a glimmer of hope. A movie directed by a first-time filmmaker is generating discussions usually reserved for star vehicles. This shift underscores the fact that the duty of revitalising Tamil cinema, once thought of as a feat possible only by established stars, can also be entrusted in the hands of a new generation of talent. Their success too can be worn by Tamil cinema as a badge of honour.
