2017’s debutant directors' favourite Tamil films of the year

They made films that not only raked in the moolah, but also set us thinking. And they were debutants! Here they are, telling us which were their favourite films in 2017 (not their own, though), and why...

Vikram Vedha

I haven’t seen many films this year, but among the ones that I have watched, I liked Vikram Vedha very much. I admire the way they narrated the story. I feel it is difficult to pull off writing and executing such a screenplay.
— Suresh Sangaiah, Oru Kidayin Karunai Manu
AruviI was surprised that a writer had come up with a script that had these many perspectives and layers. Just like how

Aaranya Kaandam

was a benchmark for scriptwriting at one point of time, this one is a benchmark for our times. It gave us characters who we see in our cities, who we could relate to. The writing was, for me, very original and strong.
— Sri Ganesh, 8 Thotakkal
Oru Kidayin Karunai ManuIt is very difficult to execute such an idea, especially with a huge number of characters and setting it in a single location. The film was true to its genre but still remained accessible to mainstream audiences with its enjoyable dialogues. The film has an authenticity that is difficult to capture.
— Lokesh Kanagaraj, Maanagaram
I’m from a village and I could connect to it very well. Next, the audience-pleasing moments were very much part of its story. I also like the plot of the film, and I love the title. The storytelling is actually very close to reality. The filmmaking is so pure, and comparable to Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court. There is a scene in that film where the judge gets angry at a witness because she has come wearing a sleeveless top. In this film, we see the judge reacting in anger and scolding the accused, just like how it happens in real life.
— Nithilan, Kurangu Bommai