Several films from this year developed a lasting legacy for their experimental themes.
The box office in 2009 was dominated by action thrillers and mass entertainers. emerged as the undisputed leader, becoming the highest-grossing Tamil film of the year. Movie Title Worldwide Gross (Approx.) Ayan ₹80–82 crore Suriya, Tamannaah Aadhavan ₹39.2–59 crore Suriya, Nayanthara Unnaipol Oruvan ₹33–54 crore Kamal Haasan, Mohanlal Vettaikaaran ₹33.8–48 crore Vijay, Anushka Shetty Kanthaswamy ₹57.5 crore Vikram, Shriya Saran Naadodigal ₹35 crore M. Sasikumar, Vijay Vasanth Critically Acclaimed & Award-Winning Films
: Directed by Pandiraj, this children's drama was a major critical success, winning three National Film Awards, including Best Tamil Film.