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Like every other year in Tamil cinema, 2024 had a slew of content-driven films that were not only heart-warming watches but were also fuelled by some terrific performances — some from debutants and a lot from those who got a shot at the spotlight after years of perseverance. What sets this year apart is, with most of the big-ticket releases that relied on star power to fill the seats and set the cash registers ringing turning out to be a far cry from what was expected, the comparatively “smaller” films doubled as a saviour of the industry with many of them featuring some career-defining characters.
Here are some of the talents (in alphabetical order) who we believe broke the ceiling by either making a dream debut or by essaying a role that catapulted them to the next league in 2024.
Anna Ben – Kottukkaali
After amassing a dream filmography in Malayalam, including films like Kumbalangi Nights, Helen and Kappela, Anna Ben made her Telugu debut with the big-budget Kalki 2898 AD and starred in the Tamil film Kottukkaali this year. The latter, directed by PS Vinothraj, saw her as “the adamant girl” whose relationship with a man from the oppressed community prompts her family to believe she’s possessed, needing an exorcism. With just one dialogue throughout the 100-minute runtime, Anna conveys the angst and pain of a lone woman struck down by patriarchy and misogyny.
Ismath Banu – Veppam Kulir Mazhai, Raghu Thatha
Actor Ismath Banu, seen in a minor role in Asuran, had her best year yet in 2024 with multiple releases. In Veppam Kulir Mazhai, the young actor played the lead character Pandi who, along with her husband, has to face societal pressure for failing to conceive a child. Ismath wonderfully captures the trepidation of a woman unsure of how to navigate choppy waters in Veppam Kulir Mazhai and incidentally, turns into a compadre for Keerthy Suresh whose character finds herself in similar waters in Raghu Thatha. Ismath was also seen as a small but explosive role in J Baby earlier this year.
Jenson Dhivakar – Lubber Pandhu
YouTuber-turned-actor Jenson Dhivakar, who turned heads with his satirical character in the hit Tamil series Ayali, made a big splash with Lubber Pandhu. True to his character’s name — Kozhandhai — Jensor single-handedly ups the ante as the right hand of Gethu, standing by him through thick and thin. Can’t wait to see more of him soon!
Maaran – J Baby
Lollu Sabha Maaran is a familiar figure in Tamil cinema, having been a constant presence in Santhanam’s films (he’s brilliant in A1). But it’s this year’s J Baby that showcased the actor him in. As expected, Maaran aced the comedy portions, but it was in the warm and tender emotional sequences in which Maaran showed his true acting prowess, especially when working with a veteran like Urvashi, who was also stellar in the film.
Pari Elavazhagan – Jama
In an occurrence that happens probably once in a blue moon, Pari Elavazhagan made both his acting and directing debut with this year’s Jama and pulled off both roles impeccably. As the only member of a Therukoothu troupe who has never played a male character, Pari touches upon several topics such as social stigma, hierarchical systems and oppression. It’s something to see his character Kalyanam rise above them all with his unconditional love for people and the art that looks after him.
Ponvel & Raghul – Vaazhai
It’s often stated that it’s difficult to work with children and animals when it comes to filmmaking. While Mari Selvaraj proved he’s a master in showcasing animals — mostly as metaphors for something salient — Vaazhai, his most personal work to date, is headlined by child actors Ponvel and Raghul. As two children unaware of being cogs in a spoilt system, they find solace in life’s smallest pleasures, only to soon be stripped of their innocence. With performances that portrayed the harsh livelihood of children in exploited banana plantations, and the bittersweet moments they shared between them, Ponvel and Raghul proved to be a stellar casting choice.
Preity Mukhundhan – Star
Talk about making an entry! Preity Mukhundhan made a dream debut with Elan and Kavin’s Star. Though the film opened to mixed reviews, Preity pulled off her character Meera with elegance and practicality, showing the world that there’s more to her than just a ‘Preity’ face. On smaller screens, it was impossible to miss her music video ‘Aasa Kooda’ with Sai Abhyankkar. Before Instagram could stop recommending her dance clips from the song, she returned with ‘Morni,’ in which she collaborated with Badshah and Sharvi Yadav.
Saju Navodaya – Blue Star
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Malayalam actor Saju Navodaya showed us what a lasting impression a cameo appearance can make when backed by solid writing. The Malayalam actor and stage artist made his Tamil debut in S Jayakumar’s Blue Star, in which he played Bullet Babu, an indispensable local cricketer who wants to play for West Indies instead of his home nation owing to the politics at play. Despite a screentime of barely a few minutes, Saju makes his presence felt both on and off the field.
Samyuktha Vijayan – Neela Nira Sooriyan
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If a newbie made his acting and directorial debut in Jama, and Mari Selvaraj braved it all with a semi-biography in Vaazhai, Samyuktha Vijayan pulled off both these feats in Neela Nira Sooriyan. Playing a character who undergoes gender transition, Samyuktha, translating chapters from her life to screen, goes head-on against a world of dysphoria with her sensitive yet nuanced work.
Sri Gouri Priya – Lover
After ‘Jingrudha Dhanga’-ing her way into Tamil cinema with Modern Love Chennai last year, Sri Gouri Priya, once again in a love story, made her mark with Lover. In debutant director Prabhuram Vyas’ contemporary love story, Sri Gouri, along with Manikandan, plays one half of a diametrically opposite couple. Amidst the exuberant highs and depressing lows of their relationship, her character Divya embodies the struggles of a person stuck in a space she both adores and avoids.
Swasika – Lubber Pandhu
The proverbial ‘Man proposes but God disposes’ takes a twist in the world of Lubber Pandhu, where it’s the women who dispose. And it’s Swasika who scores the most in this film, which revolves around cricket and the ego cash between two male characters played by Harish Kalyan and Attakathi Dinesh. The 33-year-old actor aced in playing the mother whose daughter is in a relationship with a man eerily similar to her very own husband, who prioritises his game over the betterment of his family. True to her character name Yashodha, she turns into a mother figure for her husband Gethu, and the mature romance between them blossoms into some of the best moments of the film.
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Breakout talents of Tamil cinema in 2024: From Anna Ben and Preity Mukhundhan to Pari Elavazhagan and Jenson Dhivakar