I have watched quite a lot of South Indian movies, be it in Tamil or Malayalam or Kannada or in Telugu, and I must say, few of the movies with a Thriller genre has stood out best in the entire Indian film industry, probably way better than cliched romances or high voltage action sequences. Yes, Bollywood and Hollywood have a fair share of great suspense thrillers, but so do the regional films, which are at times overlooked. So, I decided to compile 15 best South Indian Suspense movies, which I believe is a must watch for all, and especially for true movie addicts.

1) RAATCHASAN (2018)

IMDb Rating – 8.7/10

Originally In – Tamil

Cast – Vishnu Vishal, Amala Paul, Sangili Murugan

Available on – Disney+ Hotstar

Directed by Ram Kumar, Raatchasan is a crime thriller which would keep you engrossed in the movie with its numerous plot twists. Arun (Vishnu Vishal), an aspiring director has to give up his dreams of making a movie when his father passes away suddenly, forcing him to join the police force. Things take a turn when few schoolgirls go missing one after the other, and later found murdered with mutilated body. A dejected and angry Arun decides to investigate the case himself, and with a few of his trusted colleagues sets out in pursuit of the psychopath who is behind the brutal murder sprees.

‘Who the serial killer could be’, is a huge question to Arun as well as the audience. With a gripping narrative and a wonderful BGM score, Raatchasan is one thrilling ride.

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2) DRISHYAM (2013)

IMDb Rating – 8.4/10

Originally In – Malayalam

Cast – Mohanlal, Meena, Asha Sharath

Available On – Disney+ Hotstar

Drishyam is a story of a happy family, Georgekutty (Mohanlal) living in peace with his wife and two daughters, until one day an unwanted, uninvited guest visit their lives. In order to protect themselves, the family commits an accidental crime. Things go haywire when the guest is found to be the son of IG Geeta Prabhakar. A cat and mouse chase begins between the family and the police, while Georgekutty goes to extreme lengths in order to protect his family.

Leading to an unanticipated yet satisfying climax, Drishyam has been a crafty and edgy feature by Jeethu Joseph, which would leave one sympathised and awe-struck at the same time, witnessing the perils of the family as well the upset IG. Drishyam is one of the best south indian movies dubbed in Hindi for the wider reach.

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3) KAVALUDAARI (2019)

IMDb Rating – 8/10

Originally In – Kannada

Cast – Roshini Prakash, Rishi, Suman Ranganathan, Anant Nag

Available On – Amazon Prime

When a murder case crops up for the Karnataka police with the discovery of three skulls near a metro construction site, Shyam (Rishi), a simple traffic police finds an opportunity for some excitement in his otherwise dull life. While the crime department fails to find anything conclusive regarding the case, Shyam decides to pursue the case off records and approaches a retired police officer who seem to have leads regarding the case. Soon they realise the case is linked to a very old murder case which the latter had given up midway.

The investigation leads them to a fearful truth and certain shocking revelations, one of them being that the destiny of 6 crore people of Karnataka could be death. What forms the rest of the story is how they digest the discoveries while preventing any further murders as well as unmasking the heinous criminal. Directed by Hemant Rao, this slow paced, intriguing thriller is quite a cocktail of suspense and deception.

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4) JOSEPH (2018)

IMDb Rating – 8.1/10

Originally In – Malayalam

Cast – Joju George, Madhuri Braganza, Athmiya, Suddhi Koppa

Available On – You Tube

Directed by M Padmakumar, Joseph is the story of an ex-policeman Joseph Parikattil (Joju George), who had a turbulent emotional past, but a decorated career. The story develops through and involves the lives of four retired police officers, including Joseph, when a double crime takes place, and the aid of these four police officers is required.

Being a medical suspense thriller, the core theme of the movie is supposedly similar to a novel ‘Sareerasaasthram’ by Benyamin. With a tone of investigation thriller, Joseph is a well-made detective movie which would keep one engrossed till the end.

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5) EVARU (2019)

IMDb Rating – 8.2/10

Originally In – Telugu

Cast – Adivi Sesh, Regina Cassandra, Navin Chandra

Available On – Amazon Prime

Another investigation thriller, Evaru revolves around a corrupt cop Vikram Vasudev (Adivi Sesh), and his prospect on either providing justice to a rape victim and saving her, or giving up on her to investigate the truth behind a senior officer’s death, both linked together.

What seems like an open and shut case for all is actually a dark tale with unanticipated surprises, and shocks Vikram as he delves further into the case. Despite some flaws in the narration, Evaru, directed by Venkat Ramji, is gripping and hold the interest of viewers till the end.

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6) VIKRAM VEDHA (2017)

IMDb Rating – 8.7/10

Originally In – Tamil

Cast – Vijay Sethupathi, R Madhavan, Sraddha Srinath

Available On – Disney+ Hotstar

A masterpiece by Gayathri and Pushkar, Vikram Vedha is the story of a badass cop, Vikram (R Madhavan) and a kickass criminal, Vedha (Vijay Sethupathi). What may seem as the old lore of a cat and mouse chase between the police and thugs, Vikram Vedha is actually a psychic thriller. Vedha surrenders himself when Vikram kills his trusted aides, but does not give up easily. He plays mind games with Vikram, telling him three stories, which changes the latter’s perception of good and evil.

Leaving Vikram shocked and off-guard, Vedha escapes from the scene. What were these revelations, what were the plots, who were the pawns in this huge game, leaves Vikram perturbed.

Vikram Vedha is truly a brilliantly written crime drama, with intense suspense and action, and wonderful plot twists, which should not be missed.

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7) ANJAAM PATHIRAA (2020)

IMDb Rating – 8/10

Originally In – Malayalam

Cast – Kunchako Boban, Unnimaya Prasad, Jinu Joseph, Sharaf U Dheen

Available On – Various download sites; Online streaming awaited

Considered a hit Malayalam suspense thriller by Midhun Manuel Thomas, Anjaam Pathiraa revolves around the chase to catch a serial killer within a certain time, probably as the title suggests, before the fifth midnight. Assisted by a criminologist Anwar Hussain (Boban), a squad of police sleuths investigate various deaths to unveil the identity of a faceless killer who brutally slays his victims. Although the police are on the trail of the criminal, the victims are mostly fellow officers, which raises doubt in the viewers whether the case can be solved in the given time, and the killer be caught.

As a string of killings take place in quick succession, the police and Boban must now race against time to identify the killer. With sensational performances and a gripping script, Anjaam Pathiraa is a riveting psycho suspense and murder thriller.

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8) KSHANAM (2016)

IMDb Rating – 8.3/10

Originally In – Telugu

Cast – Adivi Sesh, Adah Sharma, Anasuya Bhardwaj

Available On – MX Player

When Rishi (Adivi Sesh), an NRI, comes to India to help her ex-lover Shweta (Adah Sharma) find her daughter Ria, he is posed with numerous threats and confrontations, including a doubt regarding Shweta’s mental condition. When Shweta suddenly commits suicide, and Rishi notices an uncooperating behaviour by the police too, he is intrigued and delves deeper into the matter on unofficial accounts. As the mystery thickens with no evidence to support Shweta’s version of events of the kidnapping, and the denial of having a child even by her husband Kartik, Rishi finds the necessity to solve the case for his love and more for a lost child in the city.

What leaves him in shock are certain revelations about his past linked to the case. A direction by Ravikant Perepu, Kshanam is an intricately crafted suspense drama with beautiful narration.

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9) TRAFFIC (2011)

IMDb Rating – 8.1/10

Originally In – Malayalam

Cast – Sandhya, Namitha Pramod, Asif Ali, Kunchako Boban

Available On – Disney+ Hotstar

Directed by Rajesh Pillai, Traffic is a road-thriller film, narrated in a hyperlink format. It is inspired from an actual event in Chennai, and is a multi-narrative thriller that intertwines multiple stories around one specific incident.

When a girl is in urgent need of a heart transplant, the lives of some different people get intertwined with one another, with the only heart donor being many traffic miles away. Does the transplant take place, do the people realise the link, does it end on a happy note, can only be answered once you watch it. A real-life story adapted into a spellbound, engrossing movie; Traffic is another mystery to be solved. 

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10) RANGI TARANGA (2015)

IMDb Rating – 8.3/10

Originally In – Kannada

Cast – Avantika Shetty, Nirup Bhandari, Radhika Narayan

Available On – MX Player

Set in Kamarottu, a fictional village in Karnataka, Rangi Taranga is a mystery thriller film revolving around the lives of Indu (Radhika) and Gautam (Nirup Bhandari). Gautam is a reclusive novelist whose last book was titled Rangi Taranga, which seems to hold a key to his past, while Indu is his wife, suddenly goes missing. Things take turn when unforeseen circumstances present before him with Gautam uncovering mysterious events of the crime and discovering the criminal, while all the time being watched.

A mystery horror suspense thriller, Rangi Taranga keeps viewers hooked with director Anup Bhandari including quite a surprise package.

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11) DHURUVANGAL PATHINAARU (2016)

IMDb Rating – 8.4/10

Originally In – Tamil

Cast – Anjana Jayprakash, Rahman, Yashika Anand

Available On – Disney+ Hotstar

Produced and Directed by Kartik Naren, Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru, also known as D-16, is a neo-noir crime thriller. Deepak (Rahman) is a police officer who retires after an accident during a case investigation. When a young man, interested to join the forces asks Deepak about the accident, he forced to relive the past and his case of a mystery killer and his lost career along with lost leg. Thus, he explains about the unsolved mystery which was left midway.

Whether Deepak meets the ultimate end, solves the case even after the accident or not, is the thrill which keep the viewers engrossed. The film is a must watch with its impressive storyline and screenplay within a limited budget.

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12) VISARANAI (2015)

IMDb Rating – 8.5/10

Originally In – Tamil

Cast – Attakathi Dinesh, Anandhi, Ajay Ghosh, Samuthirakani, Kishore

Available On – Netflix

Detained by the local state police, four immigrants are tortured and forced to admit a crime which they have not committed, and have no knowledge of. When there seems to be no hope, a policeman from their home town speaks on the behalf of the detainees and saves them, but in return asks for a favour to which the immigrants immediately agree. Unaware of the consequences, they bear witness to a certain treason which forces the system to silence them at any cost.

While all agree, one of the immigrants does not want to seal his lips and is determined to be heard. What was the treason? Can the immigrant tell the truth? What happens ultimately? Watch Visarana, a hard-hitting thriller under the direction of Vetrimaaran, which showcase the harsh fact of abuse of power.

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13) ANUKOKUNDA OKA ROJU (2005)

IMDb Rating – 8/10

Originally In – Telugu

Cast – Charmi Kaur, Shashank,

Available On – Amazon Prime

A psyche mystery thriller directed by Chandra Sekhar Yeleti, the film revolves around the story of Sahasra (Charmi Kaur), a singer struggling to make a career of it, also suffering from amnesia. One night she goes to a rave party with a friend, and few days later gets chased by few unidentified men who tries to murder her. She struggles to remember that night, whether any untoward incident took place, to which she shouldn’t have been a witness but nothing strikes her mind.

The story then follows the mysterious events which took place on the night of the party, of which she has no account of and is now on a pursuit to unveil those events in order to save her life.

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14) THEGIDI (2014)

IMDb Rating – 7.8/10

Originally In – Tamil

Cast – Ashok Selvan, Janani Iyer, Sai Prashant

Available On – Disney+ Hotstar

When Vetri (Ashok Selvan), a keen observationalist and a detective meets Madhu (Janani Iyer), he takes an instant liking towards her but gradually realises she is in danger. Thus, he starts keeping an eye on his new ‘subject’, a certain number of people and collect information about them. Hell breaks lose when his subjects under observation begin to die mysteriously one after the other, and Vetri feels the need to reach the ultimatum and identify the danger.

Directed by P Ramesh, Thegidi is an edgy thriller with enough twist and turns to keep one hooked to it.

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15) U-TURN (2016)

IMDb Rating – 7.5/10

Originally In – Kannada

Cast – Sraddha Srinath, Radhika Narayan, Dileep Raj, Roger Narayan

Available On – Netflix

Under the direction of Pawan Kumar, U-Turn revolves around the story of a young reporter Rachana (Sraddha Srinath), who wants to write a story on the number of illegal U-turns present and offenders on the road which cause numerous accidents, particularly on a double road junction. While she tries to uncover the reason behind the deaths of the offenders, she gets involved in a police case dealing with a series of murder.

While trying to free herself, she becomes a part of the investigation process, and is intrigued by the mysterious deaths on the road. In pursuit of uncovering the truth, Rachna endangers herself and becomes the prime suspect too. The murder mysteries, the traffic offenders and the investigation are all connected by a common threat, which Rachna now must find.

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These are few of the best South Indian suspense movies which could be watched in dubbed Hindi, but a small suggestion from my end would be to watch the original ones, with subtitles. The language, the dialects and the dialogue delivery in all these movies, would be keeping you gripped as well as retain the essence in the movie. So next time when you plan to watch any spine-chilling, intriguing, immense suspense thriller, now you know our Indian film industry has provided quite a lot other than the Bollywood.

Your turn!

Which is your favourite South indian suspense movie of all times? Let us know in the comments section!

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