Tamil Cinema is one of the leading film industries in the world of cinema. Over the years, they gained immense popularity due to their unique storytelling, realistic performances, and artistic direction.
However, if we talk about the directors of Tamil Cinema, they are the main hero or the culprit of the South Indian Film industry. There are lots of male directors in the Kollywood film industry who are renowned for their unique directing and fresh, thrilling stories.
While we keep an eye on Male Film Directors of Tamil Cinema, we neglect some of the brilliant Female Directors of Tamil Cinema who are making waves with their bold narratives and fresh perspectives.
These Tamil female filmmakers are challenging the norms and bringing inspiring creativity to the screen. This article showcases a coveted list of Tamil Female Directors who have contributed significantly to the industry.
List of Top 10 Female Directors of Tamil Cinema
While new talents emerge every year, only a few women directors from South India have carved a niche in the industry. From seasoned names to rising stars, we present the famous female film directors in India who are taking the Kollywood cinema to the next level.
So, dive into the list best women filmmakers in Tamil film industry.
- Sudha Kongara
- Lakshmy Ramakrishnan
- Aishwarya Rajinikanth
- Soundarya Rajinikanth Vishagan
- Gayatri
- Revathi
- Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi
- Priya V.
- Sripriya
- Rohini
1. Sudha Kongara
Sudha Kongara is a film director and screenwriter who works in the Tamil film industry. She started her directing career with the film Drohi. In 2016, she won the Filmfare Award for Best Director in Tamil cinema for her film Irudhi Suttru.
While working in three different languages of film, she won several accolades, including two National Film Awards, two Filmfare Awards South, two Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, and two SIIMA Awards.
Top 5 Movies Directed by Sudha Kongara
- Soorarai Pottru
- Parasakthi
- Sarfira
- Irudhi Suttru
- Drohi
2. Lakshmy Ramakrishnan
Lakshmy Ramakrishnan is an indian actress and director who predominantly works in Tamil cinema, and made her directorial debut with the Malayalam film Chakkara Muthu in 2006, and has since appeared primarily in supporting roles in Tamil films.
She also appeared in television shows, where she acted in a serial Aval in Star Vijay and hosted 1500 episodes of the reality show Solvathellam Unmai in Zee Tamil.
While completing her first feature film, Aarohanam, in 2012, the film received a Special Jury award at the 7th Vijay Awards. Her 4th directorial film, House Owner, has been selected as one of the only two Tamil movies to be screened at the flagship component of the IFFI, Indian Panorama (Goa, 2019).
Top 5 Movies Directed by Lakshmy Ramakrishnan
- Solvathellam
- House Owner
- Are You Ok Baby?
- Ammani
- Aarohanam
3. Aishwarya Rajinikanth
Aishwarya Rajinikanth is a film director and a playback singer who works in Tamil cinema. She is the elder daughter of the actor Rajinikanth & playback singer Latha Rajinikanth, and also a former wife of actor Dhanush.
She made her directorial debut with the feature film 3 in 2012. While in her short directing career, she did not win any awards, but was nominated for Best Debutant Director in the SIIMA Awards in 2012, and as Best Female Playback Singer in the Filmfare Award.
Top Film By Aishwarya Rajinikanth
- Lal Salaam
- 3
- Vai Raja Vai
- Aayirathil Oruvan
- Whistle
4. Soundarya Rajinikanth Vishagan
Soundarya Rajinikanth Vishagan is a graphic designer, film producer, and film director who primarily works in Tamil films, and she is the founder & owner of Orcher Pictures Productions.
Soundarya began her film career as a graphic designer, making title sequences for her father Rajinikanth’s movies. She became a film producer in 2010 with Goa.
She made her debut as a film director with the film Kochadaiyaan (2014). She is the younger daughter of actor Rajinikanth and playback singer Latha.
5 Best Films of Soundarya Rajinikanth Vishagan
- Padayappa
- Rana
- Goa
- Kochadaiyaan
- Kuselan
5. Gayatri
Gayatri is an indian director, writer, and film producer who works with her husband, Pushkar, hailing from Chennai. The duo started their film career as writers and directors with the Tamil feature films Oram Po (2007), and Va-Quarter Cutting (2010).
Duo has won several awards in his directing career, including Ananda Vikatan Awards, Filmfare Awards South, Chennai International Film Festival, Norway Tamil Film Festival Awards, Techofes Awards, Vijay Awards, Behindwoods Awards, SIIMA Awards, and OTT Play Awards for their film Vikram Vedha.
5 Best Films of Gayatri
- Vikram Vedha
- Oram Po
- Va-Quarter Cutting
- Vikram
- Joseph
6. Revathi
Revathi is an indian actress and director who predominantly works in Malayalam & Tamil cinema, along with Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi films. She was one of most successful and leading actresses in South Indian cinema.
She has won several accolades to his name, including three National Film Awards, seven Filmfare Awards South, and also won Kerala State Film Awards for her performance in Bhoothakaalam.
She began her directing debut with a Tamil film, Mann Vasanai, and a Malayalam film, Kattathe Kilikkoodu, in 1983. The film got appreciation and was a silver jubilee hit, where she won the Filmfare Special Award South.
Top Movies of Revathi
- Bhoothakaalam
- Raat
- Anjali
- Vaidehi Kathirunthal
- Jackpot
7. Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi
Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi is an Indian film director who works in Tamil cinema, and she is also the spouse of the deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi Stalin.
Kiruthiga started her directorial debut with the film Vanakkam Chennai in 2013. She also directed the music video Sadhayai Meeri, composed by Santhosh Narayanan.
She later directed Kaali in 2018 and also made a web series Paper Rocket for ZEE5 in 2022.
Top film of Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi
- Naya Khoon
- Kaali
- Vanakkam Chennai
- Paper Rocket
- Kadhalikka Neramillai
8. Priya V.
Priya V. is a Tamil film director who also worked as an assistant to the director Mani Ratnam and learned the basics of film crafts under Suhasini. She made her directorial debut with the romantic-comedy Kanda Naal Mudhal in 2005.
After facing lots of criticism and mixed reviews for her directing films, she stopped making films. But after a long gap in 2018, she made her comeback to film direction with Aadi Lakshmi Purana, which marks her debut in Kannada cinema.
While directing many films in his directing career, she did not win any film awards but she was nominated several times for his movies.
Top Films by Priya V.
- Aadi Lakshmi Purana
- Kanda Naal Mudhal
- Vikrant Rona
- Mitr
- Pon Ondru Kanden
9. Sripriya
Sripriya is a former indian film director, actress, and politician from Tamil Nadu, who acted in over 300 films in different languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam & Hindi.
She directed films in Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam languages, including the 2014 film Drushyam. She is also a member of the political party Core Committee of Makkal Needhi Maiam, which was founded by Kamal Haasan.
She has won only a single award, as Tamil State Film Award Special Prize, for her film Aval Appadithaan.
Top 5 Movies of Sripriya
- Billa
- Aval Appadithaan
- Aval Oru Thodar Kathai
- Simla Special
- Moorane Krishnappa
10. Rohini
Rohini Moletti, professionally known as Rohini, is an actress, screenwriter, dubbing artist, and lyricist. She mostly acted in the Malyalam, Telugu, and Tamil films along with few Kannada films.
She started her career at just five, and she has about 130 films to his name. During his film career, she was a recipient of the National Film Awards – Special Mention, and Andhra Pradesh State Nandi Special Jury Award for her Best Performance in the 1995 film Stri as Rangi.
In 2017, she also won the Best Supporting Actress Award in the Vanitha Film Awards & CPC Awards for Best Supporting Actress.
Top 5 Best Movies of Rohini
- Arth
- Saaransh
- Agneepath
- Ghatak
- Munna Bhai M.B.B.S
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