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Vetrimaaran

Vetrimaaran

Writer, producer and director · Born September 4, 1975 (51) · Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India

Vetrimaaran is an Indian film director, screenwriter and film producer working in the Tamil film industry. His works, predominantly social issue dramas and action crime films, have been acclaimed for their gritty realism and scope. He is the recipient of five National Film Awards, eight Ananda Vikatan Cinema Awards, two Filmfare South Awards and the Amnesty International Italia Award from 72nd Venice Film Festival.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 4, 1975 (51)
From
Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India
Works as
Writer, producer and director
Titles
12 on MovieCove · 45 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 36% in 30 days

What are Vetrimaaran's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Power and Morality.

Themes

share of theme weight
Power
35%
Morality
30%
Bonds
20%
Survival
12%
Society
3%
Oppression5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 0 · Serious 2 · Dark 5

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 5 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 1 · Intense 6

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 2 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 0 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 0 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 2

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 0 · Affecting 2 · Heavy 5

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Dread
3
Melancholic
4
Thrilling
2
Cathartic
2
Other
3

How their films linger

Hopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteInfuriating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Vetrimaaran's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Vetrimaaran's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

45 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Mandaadi(2026)

    Creative Producer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Mask (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Producer

  • Diesel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Narrator

  • Bad Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Producer

  • Viduthalai: Part II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Director · Dialogue · Producer · Screenplay

  • Garudan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Story

  • Viduthalai: Part 1(2023)

    Director · Dialogue · Presenter · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Anel Meley Pani Thuli (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Producer

  • Pettaikaali (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · Creator · Presenter · Producer

  • Narappa(2021)

    Original Story

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Sangathalaivan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Producer

  • Paava Kadhaigal(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Kavalthurai Ungal Nanban (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Presenter

  • Guns of Banaras(2020)

    Original Story

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Miga Miga Avasaram (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Producer

  • Asuran(2019)

    Director · Dialogue · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Baaram (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Presenter

  • Vada Chennai(2018)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Annanukku Jey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Producer

  • Savarakathi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Special Appearance

  • Kodi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Producer

  • Lens(2016)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Visaaranai(2015)

    Director · Dialogue · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Kaaka Muttai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Producer

  • Poriyaalan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Producer

  • Borbaad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Story

  • Naan Rajavaga Pogiren (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Dialogue · Producer · as Cameo appearance

  • Udhayam NH4(2013)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Aadukalam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director · Dialogue · Screenplay · Story

  • Punda(2010)

    Original Story · Story

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Kurradu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Original Story

  • Polladhavan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director · Dialogue · Screenplay · Story

  • Athu Oru Kanaa Kaalam(2005)

    Assistant Director

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Julie Ganapathi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Assistant Director

  • Kadhal Virus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Assistant Director · as Deepak's assistant (uncredited)

  • En Iniya Pon Nilavae (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Assistant Director

  • Adhigaaram (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Dialogue · Producer · Screenplay · Story

  • Arasan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer

  • Iraivan Miga Periyavan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Story

  • Manusi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Presenter · Producer

  • Rajan Vagaiyara (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer

  • Thamizh Murugan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Untitled Kamal Haassan - Vetrimaaran Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer

  • Vaadivaasal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Vada Chennai II: Anbuvin Ezhichi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer

Career shape

A full career of 45 titles, 36 of them dated from 2001 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Vada Chennai (2018)

$473K worldwide

Highest rated

Vada Chennai (2018)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

Paava Kadhaigal (2020)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting4 of 45: 2 only acting, 2 with another roleDirecting15 of 45: 1 only directing, 14 with another role · typical Midcredits score99thWriting24 of 45: 8 only writing, 16 with another role · typical Midcredits score94thProducing18 of 45: 10 only producing, 8 with another roleOther crew9 of 45: 5 only other crew, 4 with another role

45 titles, 19 with more than one role — writing and producing overlap on 6 of them.

By decade

2000s6 · 1 acting · 6 crew2010s16 · 2 acting · 15 crew2020s14 · 1 acting · 13 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Vetrimaaran's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 91st percentile, the median of all 11; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 96th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

96thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

99thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 12 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 12 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · writer

Punda (2010)

87th percentile spread · 70% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, writer, producer

Vada Chennai (2018)

Midcredits 99th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 70/100 and the plot and story 63/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Vetrimaaran's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles84–96 · median 90 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles7–66 · median 24 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles44–82 · median 60 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles25–60 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles74–95 · median 91 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Vetrimaaran work with?

People who share at least 2 of Vetrimaaran's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Velraj shares the most, 4.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles