Skip to content
MovieCove
Karthik Subbaraj

Karthik Subbaraj

Writer, director and producer · Born March 19, 1983 (43) · Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India

Karthik Subbaraj is an Indian director, writer and producer working in the Tamil film industry. Known for quirky, visually flamboyant genre films, he is considered a prominent director in modern Tamil cinema. He debuted with the film Pizza (2012), and has gone on to direct several successful films which have garnered critical acclaim and cult status among fans, including Jigarthanda (2014), Iraivi (2016) and Petta (2019).

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 19, 1983 (43)
From
Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Works as
Writer, director and producer
Titles
20 on MovieCove · 45 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Down 18% in 30 days

What are Karthik Subbaraj's films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Self.

Genres

Action9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
32%
Self
22%
Survival
15%
Bonds
15%
Society
7%
Power
5%
Ideas
4%
Redemption7 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeHope2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 5 · Dark 7

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 6 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 3

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 4 · Intense 9

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

Steady 3 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 5

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

Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 3

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

Casual 2 · Engaged 10 · 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 2 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 8

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

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
12
Melancholic
6
Hopeful
6
Thrilling
4
Absurd
3
Other
10

How their films linger

Hopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet10
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

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 Karthik Subbaraj's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 19 of their 20 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (10).

Subscription and free streaming for Karthik Subbaraj'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, 20 with a MovieCove page.

  • Dorothy(2026)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • A Long Night(2026)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • 29(2026)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Retro(2025)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Game Changer(2025)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Snakes and Ladders(2024)

    Show 9 episodes · Creative Producer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows

  • Rathnam(2024)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Jigarthanda Double X(2023)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Rekha(2023)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Dsp(2022)

    Presenter

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Kaiyum Kalavum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · Producer

  • Ammu(2022)

    Creative Producer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Buffoon(2022)

    Presenter

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Bachchhan Paandey(2022)

    Original Story

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Mahaan(2022)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Boomika(2021)

    Presenter

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Navarasa(2021)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all shows

  • Jagame Thandhiram(2021)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Triples (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 8 episodes · Creative Producer

  • Putham Pudhu Kaalai(2020)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Penguin(2020)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Gaddalakonda Ganesh(2019)

    Original Story

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Petta (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Director · Writer

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

    Show 8 episodes · Producer

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

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · Story

  • Meyaadha Maan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Presenter

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

    Original Story

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

    Director · Dialogue · Screenplay · Story

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

    Producer

  • Bench Talkies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Writer

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

    Director · Writer

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

    Original Story

  • Golpo Holeo Shotti (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Original Story

  • Whistle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Original Story

  • Soodhu Kavvum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Jaguar Car Owner (Uncredited Role)

  • Pizza (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Dialogue · Screenplay · Story

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

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Writer

  • #Varun tej next (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Jigarthanda TripleX (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer

  • Legacy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · Producer

  • Mahaan 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Pocket Novel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Untitled Karthik Subbaraj Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Untitled PS Vinothraj Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • VV25 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

Career shape

A full career of 44 titles, 36 of them dated from 2009 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Bachchhan Paandey (2022)

$7.4M worldwide

Highest rated

Dorothy (2026)

Midcredits 98th

Film career

  • 2013Screen debut· Soodhu Kavvum

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting2 of 44: 2 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting17 of 44: 2 only directing, 15 with another role · typical Midcredits score70thWriting25 of 44: 10 only writing, 15 with another role · typical Midcredits score65thProducing12 of 44: 11 only producing, 1 with another roleCinematography1 of 44: 0 only cinematography, 1 with another roleEditing1 of 44: 0 only editing, 1 with another roleOther crew4 of 44: 4 only other crew, 0 with another role

44 titles, 15 with more than one role — writing and directing overlap on 15 of them.

By decade

2000s1 · crew2010s15 · 1 acting · 14 crew2020s20 · 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 Karthik Subbaraj's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 63rd percentile, the median of all 18; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

83rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

78thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 20 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 20 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · writer

Bachchhan Paandey (2022)

99th percentile spread · 36% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, writer, producer

Dorothy (2026)

Midcredits 98th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 59/100 and the plot and story 49/100 in their films, across 13 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 Karthik Subbaraj's work okay for kids?

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

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles54–85 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles3–24 · median 14 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles32–72 · median 50 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles36–79 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles39–58 · median 54 · moderateheavier 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 Karthik Subbaraj work with?

People who share at least 2 of Karthik Subbaraj's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Kaarthekeyen Santhanam shares the most, 8.

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers