It didn’t make sense to do individual “best-of” lists for each southern industry. There simply weren’t enough films to consider per language. So here goes.
If 2020 will be remembered as anything, it’s as the worst year in recent movie history. Were there worse years? Debatable! Few people alive now probably remember how things were during WWII, for instance — but the entertainment industry wasn’t as well-developed, as all-pervasive back then. The COVID-induced siege changed show business like the arrival of talking pictures did, like the arrival of colour did, like the arrival of television did, like the arrival of torrent sites did: as theatres shut down, OTT platforms flourished and now seem poised to dictate what movies will henceforth be seen as “theatre-worthy”, from the POV of the makers as well as the audience.
With the pipeline of releases being stopped in theatres and a handful of films being re-routed to our homes, it didn’t make sense to do individual “best-of” lists for each southern industry. There simply weren’t enough films to consider per language. So here’s a combined list. I haven’t included films released in December 2o19 that I saw this year — else, I would have certainly looked at Girmit (Ravi Basrur’s “mass” movie with an all-child cast), the Rakshit Shetty-starring Avane Srimannarayana (directed by Sachin Ravi), and especially Rosshan Andrrews’ superb Prathi Poovankozhi (with Manju Warrier). Also out of this list are the excellent films I watched at or through festivals: Arun Karthick’s Rotterdam-prize winner Nasir, J Geetha’s Run Kalyani, and Rahul Riji Nair’s Kalla Nottam, which sees only what a GoPro camera sees.
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Copyright ©2020 Film Companion.
Baradwaj Rangan 
MANK
December 21, 2020
Good god! it’s that time of the year again, and so soon, the year-end lists
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Shankar V
December 21, 2020
I am so happy that you did not include the crappy Soorarai Potri in this list.
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Satya
December 22, 2020
Don’t feel singled out MANK. We are surrounded by many lists now. At least BR has been thoughtful in his approach.
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Lord Labakudoss
December 23, 2020
Dharala Prabhu? The movie that included blackmailing of ‘recipient’ baby parents as comedy fodder?
(Is it too soon to make a “loss of taste” joke?)
Regards,
Lord Labakudoss
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Mank fan
December 24, 2020
MANK chetta, would love to know your top 10 of 2020
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