Year Ender 2025: 7 Must Watch South Indian Films

South Indian cinema continues to surge ahead in 2025 with a consistent lineup of strong narratives, inventive screenplays, and visually rich filmmaking. While mainstream Hindi releases have struggled to leave an impact this year, films from Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam industries have repeatedly impressed audiences and critics alike. From dark thrillers to heartfelt family dramas, the year’s standout titles have not only excelled at the box office but have also become favourites on popular OTT platforms including Netflix, SonyLIV, JioHotstar and ZEE5.

Here’s a look at seven highly praised films from the South that deserve a spot on your watchlist.

1. Dark Mysteries and High-Tension Thrills Lead the Year

Thudarum (Malayalam) on JioHotstar has emerged as one of the year’s most gripping crime thrillers. With an IMDb rating of 7.6, the film follows a former stuntman whose quiet life spirals out of control after his Ambassador car is seized and his son is killed. As he digs deeper, he uncovers a disturbing nexus involving a corrupt police officer.

Another standout, Court: State vs A Nobody (Telugu) on Netflix, carries an IMDb rating of 7.9. The film dives into a flawed justice system through the story of a junior lawyer fighting to clear the name of a teenage boy wrongfully charged under the POCSO Act.

2. Powerful Crime Narratives Rooted in Realism

The Malayalam procedural Ronth, streaming on JioHotstar, scores a 7.1. It follows two patrol officers whose routine night patrol unravels into a series of interconnected crimes that challenge their ethics and their survival.

Equally compelling is Rekhachithram (Malayalam) on Aha and SonyLIV, rated 7.9, which blends mystery and psychological intrigue. The narrative centres on a disgraced police officer reopening what appears to be a suicide case—one that ultimately reconnects to a decades-old disappearance.

3. Feel-Good Tales and Family Dramas Offer Balance

HIT: The Third Case (Telugu), available on Netflix, continues the HIT franchise with an IMDb score of 6.9, following SP Arjun Sarkaaar’s undercover investigation into an organ-trafficking syndicate.

For viewers seeking a lighter narrative, Kudumbasthan (Tamil) on ZEE5, with an IMDb rating of 7.3, explores the struggles of a middle-class man who loses his job and must rely on his unpredictable family.

Rounding out the list is Tourist Family (Tamil) on JioHotstar, one of the year’s most acclaimed releases with an IMDb rating of 8.2. The emotional drama follows a Sri Lankan family fleeing the economic crisis and trying to rebuild their lives in India—until an unexpected tragedy threatens their fragile stability.

With their bold storytelling choices and compelling characters, these seven films solidify South Indian cinema’s creative triumphs in 2025.