Highest Grossing Tamil Films By Year
The highest grossing Tamil films every year from 1931 are listed here.
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- DirectorH.M. ReddyStarsT.P. RajalakshmiP.G. VenkatesanL.V. PrasadA Princess is tricked into marrying a naive and illiterate youth.Year : 1931
Total Gross : 1 Lakh (Share : 0.6 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : Blockbuster
• Industry Hit - DirectorSarvottam BadamiT.C. Vadivelu NaickerP.B. RangachariStarsV.S. Sunderasa IyerT.R. MuthulakshmiP.B. RangachariThe film was based on a play about Arjuna, one of the Pandavas.Year : 1932
Total Gross : 0.75 Lakhs (Share : 0.5 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : Blockbuster - DirectorBaburao PendharkarStarsS. JayalakshmiRajamThe story of this film revolves around Sri Rama and Seetha's wedding.Year : 1933
Total Gross : 3 Lakhs (Share : 1.75 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : Super Hit
• Industry Hit - DirectorK. SubramaniamStarsM.K. Thyagaraja BhagavatharR.S. SundarambalS.S. Mani BhagavatharPavalakkodi tells the mythical love story of Arjuna (Thyagaraja Bhagavathar) and Pavalakkodi (S. D. Subbulakshmi), the princess of Coral Island.Year : 1934
Total Gross : 5 Lakhs (Share : 3 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : All Time Blockbuster
• Industry Hit - DirectorRaja Sandow P.K.StarsT.K. ShanmughamN.S. KrishnanM.S. VijayalA story of a loving couple who get separated because of the evil designs of some envious persons.Year : 1935
Total Gross : 3 Lakhs (Share : 1.75 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : Hit - DirectorEllis DunganStarsM.R. GnanamalM.K. RadhaT.S. BalaiahA wealthy man escapes after shooting his friend in drunken state which results in a drastic change in his life then.Year : 1936
Total Gross : 10 Lakhs (Share : 6 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : Blockbuster
• Industry Hit - DirectorEllis DunganStarsM.K. Thyagaraja BhagavatharSerukalathun SamaP.B. RangachariThe 2nd major South Indian historical. Set in the year 1083 A.D. it tells of the poet Kambar (Sama) who wrote the 'Kambaramayana' in Tamil at Karikala Chola's court. The film opens with the victorious return of Kulothunga Chola to the city of Woriur. There is a love story between the poet's son, Ambikapathy (Bhagavathar) and the Princess Amaravathy (Santhanalakshmi). However, class distinctions are maintained as the young lover fails the test of will imposed by the king as a precondition for the marriage.Year : 1937
Total Gross : 15 Lakhs (Share : 9 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : All Time Blockbuster
• Industry Hit - DirectorK. SubramaniamStarsM.S. SubbalakshmiF.G. Natesa IyerMrs. JayalakshmiThe film deals with prostitution and women's emancipation. It has a strong political thrust despite being a musical. The plot has strong feminist views. Sitalakshmi, a Brahmin widow, played 'herself' as Gundamma, a widow who goes mad, and was especially popular.Year : 1938
Total Gross : 10 Lakhs (Share : 6 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : Super Hit - DirectorRaja Sandow P.K.StarsMiss PapaM.K. Thyagaraja BhagavatharS.S. RajamaniBased on the life history of Thiruneelakanta Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanmars.Year : 1939
Total Gross : 20 Lakhs (Share : 12 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : All Time Blockbuster
• Industry Hit - DirectorEllis DunganStarsG.N. BalasubramaniamTharamani DeviT.S. DurairajSakuntalai is the story of the mythological queen Shakuntala, whose tale is told in the Mahabarata and dramatized by Kalidasa in the play Abhijnanasakuntalam.Year : 1940
Total Gross : 15 Lakhs (Share : 9 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : Hit - DirectorBomman IraniStarsT.S. BalaiahP.U. ChinnappaP.S. GnanamThe love story of Kathavarayan and Aryamala.Year : 1941
Total Gross : 25 Lakhs (Share : 15 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : Blockbuster
• Industry Hit - DirectorMurugadasaStarsDandapani DesikarSerukalathun SamaBased on Nandan, a low caste farmer's deep devotion towards Shiva.Year : 1942
Total Gross : 40 Lakhs (Share : 24 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : Blockbuster
• Industry Hit - DirectorS.M. Sreeramulu NaiduRaja Sandow P.K.StarsM.K. Thyagaraja BhagavatharS. JayalakshmiN.S. KrishnanBased on the life story of Poyyamozhi Pulavar.Year : 1943
Total Gross : 25 Lakhs (Share : 15 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : Super Hit - DirectorSundarrao NadkarniStarsM.K. Thyagaraja BhagavatharN.S. KrishnanT.R. RajakumariThe story of this film revolves around Haridas, who changes a lot after being cheated by a courtesan and then realizes the true values of life.Year : 1944
Total Gross : 50 Lakhs (Share : 35 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : All Time Blockbuster
• Industry Hit - DirectorA.T. KrishnaswamyA.V. MeiyappanStarsS. Kuppusami IyengarBaby KamalaN.S. KrishnanValli, a tribal girl falls in love with Muruga. But Muruga plays mind games with her and troubles her. Will they get united ?Year : 1945
Total Gross : 30 Lakhs (Share : 18 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : Blockbuster - DirectorSundarrao NadkarniStarsT.S. BalaiahHonnappa BhagavatharT.R. RajakumariBased on the life story of Valmiki who wrote the Indian epic ' Ramayana 'Year : 1946
Total Gross : 30 Lakhs (Share : 18 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : Hit - DirectorA.S.A. SamiStarsT.S. BalaiahSandow M.M.A. Chinnappa DevarTharamani DeviA humble villager should win the love of a princess.Year : 1947
Total Gross : 40 Lakhs (Share : 24 Lakhs) - Pure Estimate
Verdict : Blockbuster - DirectorS.S. VasanStarsRajkumariM.K. RadhaRanjanTwo brothers fight with each other for their father's kingdom and also for marrying a dancer.Year : 1948
Total Gross : 1.55cr (Share : 75 Lakhs)
Verdict : All Time Blockbuster
• Industry Hit - DirectorA.V. MeiyappanM.V. RamanStarsVaralakshmi S.VyjayanthimalaM.S. DraupadiMurthi comes to a village and he deceives Meenaksh. They have sex. After returning to his home town where he wants to marry Mohan. She loves Nathan. Another girl, Lakshmi discovers she is pregnant with Murthi.Year : 1949
Total Gross : 30 Lakhs (Share : 18 Lakhs)
Verdict : Hit - DirectorEllis DunganT.R. SundaramStarsM.G. RamachandranMadhuri DeviG. ShakuntalaWhen the king of Mullai Nadu appoints Veera Mohan as the army general, The head priest's son Parthiban gets enraged by it and turns into a bandit.Year : 1950
Worldwide Gross : 50 Lakhs (Share : 30 Lakhs)
Verdict : Blockbuster - DirectorK. RamnothStarsM.G. RamachandranAnjali DeviMadhuri DeviUrvasi (Anjali Devi), is the young mistress of a king (Serukalathur Sama). With the help of her own lover (S. A. Natarajan), she pushes the king off a boat and usurps his powers. Urvasi appoints herself as the new queen regnant, and the kingdom experiences a reign of terror. The palace where the two princes of the kingdom live is burnt. The queen assumes all powers and kills all potential opponents, including her lover. A sage comes to the kingdom with his son and a girl, and joins the queen as her adviser. Years roll by. The sage's son Veerangan (S. V. Sahasranamam) is appointed Army Commander. At the same time, in the countryside, Karikalan (M. G. Ramachandran) functions as de facto leader of the people, helps them in various ways and fights the queen's misrule. When he becomes a big threat to the queen, she orders his capture. Veerangan sends Kala (Madhuri Devi), the girl raised by the sage as a spy, to Karikalan, but she falls in love with him. Karikalan gets periodic instructions from the Goddess on what needs to be done and he follows the same. The queen gets scared by a ghost which appears regularly and warns her of the impending punishment she deserves for her misdeeds. Kala and Karikalan's followers are captured by the army. Karikalan personally leads their rescue mission. In prison, he gets instructions from the goddess to capture the queen also. He rescues his people, captures the queen and brings her to his hideout. When the ghost appears there, she confesses her crime of killing the king. When she is about to be executed, Veerangan's army enters and captures everyone. Veerangan also finds out that the sage (also called Marmayogi) is his father, and he has been giving information to Karikalan secretly. Hence he also gets arrested for being a traitor.[1] The queen returns to her throne and orders the execution of the sage, Karikalan and others. When Karikalan is about to be killed, the sage reveals the truth about the king and informs Veerangan that Karikalan is his elder brother. When Veerangan demands to know where the king is, the sage removes his disguise. To the surprise of everyone, he reveals that he is the deposed king and narrates what happened. Though the queen and her lover attempted to kill him, he escaped under the water using his yogic skills, taking his sons and the army commander's daughter Kala with him. He returned to his kingdom in the disguise of a sage with his younger son Veeranganan and Kala and left Karikalan in the forest. Shocked to see the dead king return, the queen dies. The king announce that his children Karikalan and Veerangan are now the rulers.[2]Year : 1951
Total Gross : 75 Lakhs (Share : 50 Lakhs)
Verdict : Blockbuster - DirectorR. KrishnanS. PanjuStarsPandari BaiDoraiswamyShivaji GanesanBrothers Chandrasekaran, Gnanasekaran and Gunasekaran are Indian immigrants living in Burma. Things take a turn when their brother-in-law dies in an accident and their father dies of shock.Year : 1952
Total Gross : 40 Lakhs (Share : 25 Lakhs)
Verdict : Blockbuster - DirectorKothamangalam SubbuStarsM.S. Sundari BaiGemini GanesanG. Pattu IyerThis movie is a biography of the great saint and poetess Avvaiyar of the Sangam period from 100 B.C to 250 A.D.Year : 1953
Total Gross : 50 Lakhs (Share : 30 Lakhs)
Verdict : Blockbuster - DirectorSriramulu Naidu S.M.StarsM.G. RamachandranBhanumathi RamakrishnaA young man saves the daughter of a zamindar when she is kidnapped and then they both fall in love with each other.Year : 1954
Total Gross : 75 Lakhs (Share : 50 Lakhs)
Verdict : Blockbuster - DirectorRamanna T.R.StarsM.G. RamachandranVaralakshmi G.RajkumariThe adventures of a prince to achieve a magical flower to bring back his father's vision.Year : 1955
Total Gross : 1cr (Share : 60 Lakhs)
Verdict : Blockbuster