Singam 3: Must watch action films before catching the Suriya starrer

Suriya is gearing up for the release of his 2017 actioner ‘Singam 3’ aka ‘C3’ which is the third instalment of the cop franchise. The movie that was scheduled to release on January 26 was postponed to February 9. But, in spite of the delay, the excitement for the movie has not died down. However, before catching the Suriya starrer on the big screen, here are a few iconic cop action movies you must watch…

Theri

Vijay earned rave reviews for nailing his role as a cop in this action thriller. ‘Theri’ shows Vijay as a reclusive baker who lives with his daughter. However, as the story progresses, it is revealed that he is actually an undercover cop named Vijaykumar, who once handled matters in Chennai with an iron fist. ‘Theri’ boasts of some over the top action scenes where Vijay is at his macho best. The brilliant action combined with the Ilayathalapathy’s iconic mannerisms and screen presence makes ‘Theri’ a must watch.

Sethupathi

Vijay Sethupathi is known for his versatile performances, but it was his performance of a witty police officer in 'Sethupathi’ which is regarded as one of his best till date. Although this film involved the star moving away from the stereotypical tough cop role, he pulled it off with ease. The best part about ‘Sethupathi’ was that it showed the hero using brains over brawns in many situations, which is amazing considering the fact that it was a commercial entertainer. It also showed him as a loving father and husband, thus adding more layers to his character and thus making him a lot more relatable. ‘Sethupathi’ became one of the biggest hits of Vijay's career.

Thoongaavanam

This Kamal Haasan starrer was a slick action thriller which hit theatres in 2015. ‘Thoonga Vanam’ is different from other films in the same genre, in the way it was shot. The entire movie was shot in a way that it met Hollywood standards pertaining to its style and class. Being a remake of the French film ‘Sleepless Nights’, this Rajesh M Selva film had a good storyline apart from also being a wholesome entertainer.

Thani Oruvan

‘Thani Oruvan’ is a class apart when it comes to action thrillers. Thanks to the riveting performances from Jayam Ravi and Arvind Swamy, it became a blockbuster. The movie follows the story of Mithran, played by Jayam Ravi who is a police trainee by day and vigilante by night. He gets to know of secret criminal operations carried out by Siddharth Abhimanyu, a rich businessman, played by Arvind Swamy. The faceoff between the two leads is definitely the highlight of ‘Thani Oruvan’. The witty dialogues and amazing screenplay are an added bonus to the film.

Yennai Arindhaal

This list cannot be complete without a Gautham Menon film, who has carved a niche for himself with his cop actioner. ‘Yennai Arindhaal’ is also one such trademark GVM film in which Ajith shines as Sathyadev, an undercover cop. What makes ‘Yennai Arindhaal’ special is the realistic nature of the entire film, be it action scenes, dialogues or the reactions of various characters when faced with various challenges. Stylish, witty and emotional in places, the Ajith Kumar starrer is not your typical police story, as it also deals with the very real problem of organ smuggling, a topic which most films don’t cover.

This Gautham Menon film holds true to the saying, "old is gold". It was one of the most intense, action-packed cop movies that Tamil cinema has ever seen. Kamal Haasan plays Raghavan, a fearless police officer from Chennai who investigation of grisly murders of young women, takes him straight to New York. Soon, he begins to see the connection between the victims. Going ahead with his instincts he identifies two Indian medical students as the killers. The rest of the tale is about the showdown between Raghavan and the culprits. The best part about ‘Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu’ is the bold nature of the entire tale with liberal use of explicit language, blood and gore. In short, this film is the closest Kollywood has ever gotten to making a Hollywood style action movie.

Saamy

A Hari film other than the ‘Singam’ franchise that became famous was the Vikram starrer ‘Saamy’. In fact, it was this film that brought on the trend of showing cops with an attitude. Vikram played Aarusaamy, Deputy Commissioner of Police in Tirunelveli, who restores law and order in the city of goons with his unusual tactics. He isn’t afraid to bend a few rules and get his hands dirty to clean up crime on the streets. Most of the movie is about his clash with Perumal Pichai, a local don. Although initially, Saamy does take a bribe from him and acts as his accomplice to gain his trust, it is only later on, that shows his true colours and destroys Pichai’s regime once and for all. Thanks to an amazing performance from Vikram, ‘Saamy’ painted cops in a new light and started a trend of police-themed action films.