These were the films that filled theaters for months. They defined the commercial success of 2002.
| Movie | Lead Cast | Music | Notability | |--------|-----------|--------|-------------| | Thamizhan | Vijay, Priyanka Chopra | D. Imman | Vijay’s action-romance; PC’s Tamil debut | | Youth | Vijay, Sandhya | A. R. Rahman | College romance; average then, songs popular | | Run | R. Madhavan, Meera Jasmine | Vidyasagar | Romantic thriller; Meera Jasmine’s debut, well-received | | Shakalaka Baby | Mammootty, Jyothika, Abbas | A. R. Rahman | Urban rom-com; remake of Meri Biwi Ka Jawaab Nahin | | Unnai Kodu Ennai Tharuven | Surya, Sneha | Sirpy | Love failure story; Surya's emotional performance praised |
| Movie | Lead Cast | Music | Notability | |--------|-----------|--------|-------------| | Kannathil Muthamittal | R. Madhavan, Simran, Baby Keerthana | A. R. Rahman | Mani Ratnam’s Sri Lanka war drama; won National Awards | | Pithamagan | Vikram, Surya, Laila | Ilaiyaraaja | Vikram’s National Award-winning performance; gangster-drama | | Red | Ajith Kumar, Priya Gill | Deva | Psychological action thriller; admired for Ajith’s performance | | Nee Thotta Enna | Ajmal, Nanditha Jennifer | Shankar–Ganesh | Small-town romantic drama; realistic, low-budget gem | | Mounam Pesiyadhe | Surya, Trisha | Bharadwaj | Urban romance; Trisha’s debut, still has a cult following |
If you are in the mood for lighter fare, 2002 had some memorable romantic hits.
2002 wasn't just about big stars; it was a year where directors took risks that paid off beautifully in the long run.
These films ruled the box office: