PremiumFrom Good Night to Dada: 5 hit Tamil movies made on shoestring budget in 2023 to stream on OTT
Parking and Joe are some other small-budget Tamil films that were made by debutant directors and stood out for their impressive content
Last Updated: 09.53 PM, Dec 30, 2023
The year 2023 was among the best for Kollywood. From high-grossing films to successful debutants who left an impression, this year served us with some of the best content- and performance-oriented films. However, the biggest highlight of the year was the bloom of debutant directors who made a splash with small-budget movies. Even though a lot wasn't spent on the films, they delivered stellar movie experiences. This includes R Manthira Moorthy’s Ayothi and the Kavin-starrer Dada.
As 2023 comes to a close, here are the 5 best small-budget films that stood out this year:
Dada
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video
Actor Kavin impressed audiences with his portrayal of a single father in this emotional drama. Directed by debutant Ganesh K Babu, the movie was made on a budget of ₹4 crore. This feel-good drama revolves around an unplanned pregnancy and Kavin plays the role of a doting single father. The movie was well received and made approximately ₹22 crore at the box office.
Parking
Streaming Platform: Disney+ Hotstar (From January 5, 2024)
Starring Harish Kalyan, this thriller was helmed by debutant Ramkumar Balakrishnan. The film, which follows the clash between Harish Kalyan and MS Bhaskar’s characters over parking space, was made on a budget of ₹6 crore. It received an overwhelming response from critics and viewers and it ran successfully for more than 25 days.
Joe
Streaming on: Yet to arrive on OTT
Bigg Boss Tamil's Rio Raj is the leading man of Joe, which made it to this list for its tiny budget and the fact that it was a well-executed project. The movie is helmed by debutant Hariharan Ram S and was made on a budget of ₹3.5 crore. Upon its release, it was able to earn much more at the box office as it impressed audiences with its quality content.
Good Night
Streaming on: Disney+ Hotstar
Starring Manikandan K, Good Night was a sleeper hit. Helmed by debutant Vinayak Chandrasekaran, it revolves around a man with sleeping issues. The comedy drama, made on a budget of ₹4 crore, was well received. The film earned approximately ₹ 12 crore worldwide.
Ayothi
Streaming on: ZEE5
Directed by debutant R Manthira Moorthy, this critically acclaimed film was lauded for its excellent screenplay and performances. The emotionally charged film, headlined by M Sasikumar, is about the philosophy that humanity and love prevail over social evils like caste, racism and religion. This movie was made on a budget of a little over ₹10 crore and went on to become a critical and box office success.