Like every other year in Tamil cinema, 2024 too had a lot of content-based films that were not only heart-touching, but also packed with some great performances – some from debutants and many more. Who came into limelight later. Years of perseverance. What’s different this year is that most of the big films, which rely on star power to fill seats and keep the cash registers buzzing, fared well above expectations, with comparatively “smaller” films making double that. A savior of the industry, many of whom include some career-defining characters.
Here are some talents (in alphabetical order) who we believe have broken into the top tier by either making a dream debut or playing a role that catapulted them to the next league in 2024.
Anna Ben – Kottukkali
Having collected a dreamy filmography in Malayalam including films like kumbalangi nights, Helen And a cappellaAnna Ben makes her Telugu debut with a big budget Kalki 2898 AD and acted in tamil film kottukkali This year. The latter, directed by PS Vinothraj, saw her as a “headstrong girl” whose affair with a man from the oppressed community leads her family to believe that she is possessed by evil spirits and exorcises her. Need to blow. With just one dialogue in the entire 100-minute runtime, Anna expresses the anger and pain of a lonely woman suffering from patriarchy and misogyny.
Ismath Banu – Veppam Kulir Mazhai, Raghu Thatha
Actor Ismath Banu, seen in a small role asuranShe had her best year yet in 2024 with multiple releases. In Veppam Kulir MazhaiThe young actor played the lead character Pandi, who faces social pressure from her husband as she fails to conceive a child. Ismuth wonderfully depicts the trepidation of a woman unsure of how to navigate shallow waters Veppam Kulir Mazhai And coincidentally, she turns into a partner for Keerthy Suresh whose character finds herself in similar waters. Raghu ThathaIsmath was also seen in a small but explosive role j baby earlier this year.
Jensen Dhiwakar – Labbar Pandu
YouTuber turned actor Jensen Dhiwakar caught everyone’s attention with his satirical character in the hit Tamil series AyaliHad a blast with Labbar PanduTrue to his character’s name – Kozhandai – Jenser single-handedly leads the way as Gethu’s right-hand man, standing by his side through thick and thin. Can’t wait to see more of him soon!
Maran – J Baby
Lollu Sabha Maran is a familiar figure in Tamil cinema, having been a frequent presence in Santhanam’s films (he is brilliant). A1). But this is about this year j baby As expected, Maran performed well in the comedy parts, but it was in the warm and tender emotional scenes where Maran showed her true acting ability, especially when she was working with a seasoned actress like Urvashi, who also It was fantastic. film.
Fairy Ilavazhagan – Jama
In an event that probably happens once in a blue moon, Pari Ilavazhagan made both her acting and directorial debut with this film. Jama And played both the roles flawlessly. As the only member of the Therukoothu troupe who has never played a male character, Pari touches upon several themes such as social stigma, hierarchical system and oppression. It is something different to see his character Kalyanam rising above them all with his selfless love for people and his caring art.
Ponvel and Raghul – Vaazhai
It is often said that working with children and animals is difficult when it comes to filmmaking. While Mari Selvaraj proved that she is adept at depicting animals – mostly as a metaphor for something major – VazhaiHis most personal work to date, is headlined by child actors Ponvel and Raghul. As two children, unaware that they are cogs in a twisted system, they find solace in the small joys of life, but their innocence is soon taken away. With performances that portrayed the harsh livelihood of the children in the exploited banana plantations and the bittersweet moments shared between them, Ponvel and Raghul proved to be a great casting choice.
Preeti Mukundan – Star
Talk about making an entrance! Preeti Mukundan makes dream debut with Elan & Kevin starAlthough the film received mixed reviews, Preeti played her character Meera with beauty and practicality, showing the world that there was more to her than just the ‘Preeti’ face. On the small screen, it was impossible to miss her music video ‘Aasa Kooda’ with Sai Abhyankar. Before Instagram could stop recommending her dance clips from the song, she returned with ‘Morni’, a collaboration with Badshah and Sharvi Yadav.
Saju Navodaya – Blue Star
Malayalam actor Saju Navodaya shows us how much of a lasting impact a cameo appearance with solid writing can make. Malayalam actor and stage artiste made his debut in S Jayakumar’s Tamil film blue StarIn which he played Bullet Babu, an unlucky local cricketer who wants to play for the West Indies instead of his home nation due to politics. Despite barely a few minutes of screentime, Saju makes his presence felt both on and off the field.
Samyukta Vijayan – Neela Neera Sooryan
If a newbie debuts in acting and direction JamaAnd Mari Selvaraj lived through it all with a semi-biography VazhaiSamyukta Vijayan achieved both these achievements blue blue sunPlaying a character who undergoes gender transition, Sanyuktha translates the chapters of her life on screen, going up against the world of dysphoria with her sensitive yet subtle work.
Sri Gauri Priya – Lover
After ‘Jingarudha Dhanga’ he entered Tamil cinema Modern Love Chennai Last year, Shri Gauri Priya once again made her mark with a love story. LoverIn debutant director Prabhuram Vyas’s contemporary love story, Sri Gauri, along with Manikandan, plays one half of a diametrically opposite couple. Amidst the extreme highs and disappointing lows of their relationship, his character Divya embodies the struggle of a man trapped in a place he both loves and avoids.
Swasika – Labbar Pandu
The world of the proverb ‘Man proposes but God disposes’ takes a turn Labbar PanduWhere only women dispose of it. And it is Swasika who scores the highest marks in this film, which revolves around cricket and the ego cash-in between two male characters played by Harish Kalyan and Attakathi Dinesh. The 33-year-old actor adeptly played the role of a mother whose daughter is in a relationship with a man just like her husband, who prioritizes his sports over the well-being of his family. True to her character’s name, Yashoda, she turns into a motherly figure to her husband Gethu, and the mature romance between them blossoms into some of the best moments of the film.
published – December 31, 2024 06:58 PM IST
