# List of Tamil films of 1997

Post-amendment to the Tamil Nadu Entertainments Tax Act 1939 on 1 April 1958, Gross jumped to 140 per cent of Nett Commercial Taxes Department disclosed ₹108 crore in entertainment tax revenue for the year.
A list of films produced in the Tamil film industry in India in 1997 by release date.

## List of released films
### January — March

| Opening | Opening | Title | Director | Cast | Studio |
| J A N | 10 | Sakthi | R. Raghu Raj | Vineeth, Yuvarani | Gentleman Film International |
| J A N | 14 | Dharma Chakkaram | K. S. Ravikumar | Vijayakanth, Deepti Bhatnagar, Rambha | Lakshmi Movie Makers |
| J A N | 14 | Iruvar | Mani Ratnam | Mohanlal, Aishwarya Rai, Prakash Raj, Gouthami, Revathi, Tabu | Madras Talkies |
| J A N | 14 | Kaalamellam Kaathiruppen | R. Sundarrajan | Vijay, Dimple | M. G. Pictures |
| J A N | 14 | Kathirunda Kadhal | Vijeshwaran | Arun Vijay, Suvalakshmi | Ganga Gowri Productions |
| J A N | 14 | Minsara Kanavu | Rajiv Menon | Arvind Swamy, Prabhu Deva, Kajol | AVM Productions |
| J A N | 14 | Nalla Manasukkaran | Jayarajendran | Pandiarajan, Jayaragini | Annai Sree Baalaambikai Creations |
| J A N | 14 | Om Saravana Bhava | N. Krishnaswamy | Sowmyan, Vidyasri | |
| J A N | 14 | Periya Thambi | Chitra Lakshmanan | Prabhu, Nagma | Gayathri Films |
| J A N | 15 | Bharathi Kannamma | Cheran | R. Parthiban, Meena | Pangaj Productions |
| J A N | 15 | Gopura Deepam | Ramarajan | Ramarajan, Sukanya | Kashtoori Films International |
| J A N | 15 | Nesam | K. Subash | Ajith Kumar, Maheswari | Dhanooja Films |
| J A N | 30 | Pudhayal | Selva | Mammooty, Arvind Swamy, Aamani, Sakshi Shivanand | Cheran Cine Makers |
| F E B | 12 | Kaalamellam Kadhal Vaazhga | R. Balu | Murali, Kausalya | Sivasakthi Movie Makers |
| F E B | 14 | Ettupatti Rasa | Kasthuri Raja | Napoleon, Khushbu, Urvashi | Pyramid Films International |
| F E B | 14 | Parama Pithaa | K. Alexander | Nizhalgal Ravi, Vijaya | |
| F E B | 14 | Vaimaye Vellum | P. Vasu | R. Parthiban, Rachana Banerjee | S. B. Films |
| F E B | 21 | Mannava | L. M. Balaji | Prashanth, Sanghavi, Urvashi | Star Movies |
| F E B | 21 | Maradha Uravu | Thiruvarangan | Rajiv, Rajam | |
| F E B | 28 | Adhipathi | Balaraja | Varunraj, Apsara | |
| F E B | 28 | Aravindhan | T. Nagarajan | Sarath Kumar, R. Parthiban, Nagma | Amma Creations |
| F E B | 28 | Mappillai Gounder | Manivasagam | Prabhu, Sakshi Shivanand, Swathi | Janaki Films |
| M A R | 6 | Vivasaayi Magan | Ramarajan | Ramarajan, Devayani | Mahalakshmi International |

### April — June

| Opening | Opening | Title | Director | Cast | Studio |
| A P R | 10 | Arunachalam | Sundar C | Rajinikanth, Soundarya, Rambha, Visu | Annamalai Cine Combines |
| A P R | 10 | Thaali Pudhusu | Keyar | Ramki, Khushbu | Perumal Productions |
| A P R | 14 | Dhinamum Ennai Gavani | A. R. Ramesh | Ramki, Sanghavi | Tamilannai Cine Creations |
| A P R | 14 | My India | K. Alex Pandian | Shihan Hussaini, Vani Viswanath, Swathi | Deivaanai Movies |
| A P R | 14 | Raasi | Muraliappas | Ajith Kumar, Rambha, Prakash Raj | NIC Arts |
| A P R | 19 | Vallal | Rajkapoor | Sathyaraj, Meena, Roja, Sangeetha, Goundamani, Senthil | Raaj Films International |
| A P R | 27 | Sishya | Selva | Karthik, Roshini | Tharangai V. Sunder |
| M A Y | 9 | Adimai Changili | R. K. Selvamani | Arjun, Roja, Rambha | Sai Roja Companies |
| M A Y | 9 | Love Today | Balasekaran | Vijay, Suvalakshmi, Manthra | Super Good Films |
| M A Y | 9 | Pistha | K. S. Ravikumar | Karthik, Nagma | Pyramid Films International |
| M A Y | 9 | Pongalo Pongal | V. Sekhar | Vignesh, Sangeetha, Vadivelu, Vivek | Thiruvalluvar Kalaikoodam |
| M A Y | 23 | Ullaasam | J. D.–Jerry | Ajith Kumar, Vikram, Maheswari | Amitabh Bachchan Corporation |
| J U N | 6 | Pasamulla Pandiyare | T. P. Gajendran | Rajkiran, Meena, Roja | Meenakshi Arts |
| J U N | 27 | Devathai | Nassar | Nassar, Vineeth, Keerthi Reddy | Indus Film Factory |
| J U N | 27 | Suryavamsam | Vikraman | Sarath Kumar, Devayani, Radhika, Priya Raman | R. B. Choudary |

### July — September

| Opening | Opening | Title | Director | Cast | Studio |
| J U L | 4 | Nattupura Nayagan | Rama Narayanan | Selva, Swathi, Timea | Karumari Movies |
| J U L | 4 | Once More | S. A. Chandrasekhar | Sivaji Ganesan, Vijay, Simran, Saroja Devi, Anju Aravind | Shree Ganesh Vision |
| J U L | 4 | V. I. P | D. Sabhapathi | Prabhu Deva, Abbas, Simran, Rambha | Kalaipuli S. Dhanu |
| J U L | 11 | Nandhini | Manobala | Prakash Raj, Suhasini, Keerthi Reddy | V. Natarajan |
| J U L | 25 | Kaadhali | Sidhu | Vignesh, Devayani | Tara Creations |
| A U G | 1 | Pagaivan | Ramesh Balakrishnan | Ajith Kumar, Sathyaraj, Anjala Zhaveri | Viswas Films |
| A U G | 15 | Anubhavam Pudhumai | S. Raj | Venki, Jothy | T. V. Productions |
| A U G | 15 | Kadhal Palli | Pavithran | Vignesh, Suvalakshmi | N. R. D. Film Circuit |
| A U G | 15 | Sathi Sanam | Jayaprakash | Mahesh, Ovia | Chozha Creations |
| A U G | 22 | Periya Idathu Mappillai | Guru Dhanapal | Jayaram, Devayani, Manthra | Murugan Movies |
| A U G | 22 | Raman Abdullah | Balu Mahendra | Sivakumar, Vignesh, Karan, Eshwari Rao, Rudra | Anand Cine Arts |
| S E P | 5 | Abhimanyu | K. Subash | R. Parthiban, Ravali | Sree Charan Films |
| S E P | 5 | Kalyana Vaibhogam | N. Rathnam | Ramki, Khushbu, Sangita | Gomathi Shankar Films |
| S E P | 5 | Nerrukku Ner | Vasanth | Vijay, Suriya, Simran, Kausalya | Madras Talkies |
| S E P | 12 | Adrasakkai Adrasakkai | V. C. Guhanathan | Pandiarajan, Sangita, Anusha | Victory Movies |
| S E P | 12 | Ganga Gowri | Madheswaran | Arun Kumar, Sangeetha, Manthra | Ganga Gowri Production |
| S E P | 12 | Naalaya Udhayam | K. R. Ranjith | K. R. Ranjith, Rani Chitra | |
| S E P | 19 | Aahaa Enna Porutham | C. Ranganathan | Ramki, Sanghavi | K.B Films |
| S E P | 26 | Paththini | P. Vasu | Jayaram, Khushbu | Good Luck Films |

### October — December

| Opening | Opening | Title | Director | Cast | Studio |
| O C T | 10 | Samrat | C. Dinakaran | Ramki, Vineetha, Rukma | Lakshmikaran Enterprises |
| O C T | 30 | Aahaa..! | Suresh Krishna | Rajiv Krishna, Sulekha | Shogun Films |
| O C T | 30 | Periya Manushan | Guru Dhanapal | Sathyaraj, Ravali | Guru Film International |
| O C T | 30 | Porkkaalam | Cheran | Murali, Meena, Sanghavi, Manivannan, Vadivelu | Roja Combines |
| O C T | 30 | Ratchagan | Praveen Kanth | Nagarjuna, Sushmita Sen, Girish Karnad, Raghuvaran | Gentleman Films |
| O C T | 30 | Thedinen Vanthathu | Ravi Varma | Prabhu, Manthra, Goundamani | Shiva Shree Pictures |
| O C T | 30 | Themmangu Paattukaaran | Gangai Amaren | Ramarajan, Aamani | Sree Devi Bahavathy Films |
| O C T | 30 | Vasuke | Kasthuri Raja | Rajendra Prasad, Urvashi | Anand Movie Land |
| O C T | 30 | Vidukadhai | Agathiyan | Prakash Raj, Neena | Kavithalayaa Productions |
| O C T | 31 | Janakiraman | Sundar C | Sarath Kumar, Nagma, Rambha, Goundamani, Senthil | Malar Films |
| N O V | 28 | Thadayam | Ramesh Balakrishnan | Ramki, Vijayashanti, Indraja | Maruthi Movie Makers |
| N O V | 28 | Veerapandi Kottayiley | Chandernath | Ramji, Maina | |
| D E C | 5 | Kadavul | Velu Prabhakaran | Velu Prabhakaran, Arun Pandian, Roja | Deccan Pictures |
| D E C | 5 | Roja Malare | Jayamurugan | Murali, Riva Bubber, Arun Pandian | Kamalam Movies |
| D E C | 5 | Thambi Durai | Senthilnathan | Saravanan, Sukanya | Sree Maariamman Films |
| D E C | 12 | Arasiyal | R. K. Selvamani | Mammootty, Shilpa Shirodkar, Roja | Motherland Movies Internationals |
| D E C | 12 | Poochudava | Udayasankar | Abbas, Simran | |
| D E C | 12 | Rettai Jadai Vayasu | C. Sivakumar | Ajith Kumar, Manthra | Bhagyam Cine Combines |
| D E C | 19 | Kadhalukku Mariyadhai | Fazil | Vijay, Shalini, Sivakumar, Srividya, KPAC Lalitha | Murugan Cine Arts |
| D E C | 26 | Pudhalvan | Selva Vinayagam | Ramki, Pragathi, Vijayakumar | P. N. R. Pictures |

## Awards

| Category/Organization | Cinema Express Awards 23 August 1998 | Dinakaran Cinema Awards 12 April 1998 | Filmfare Awards South August 1998 | Tamil Nadu State Film Awards 27 November 1998 |
| Best Film | Suryavamsam | Suryavamsam | Bharathi Kannamma | Arunachalam / Suryavamsam |
| Best Director | Vikraman Suryavamsam | Cheran Porkkaalam | Cheran Bharathi Kannamma | Cheran / Vikraman Porkkaalam / Suryavamsam |
| Best Actor | Sarathkumar Suryavamsam | Sarathkumar Suryavamsam | Sarathkumar Suryavamsam | Parthiban / Vijay Bharathi Kannamma / Kadhalukku Mariyadhai |
| Best Actress | Meena Bharathi Kannamma | Devayani Suryavamsam | Meena Bharathi Kannamma | Meena / Devayani Porkkaalam / Suryavamsam |
| Best Music Director | S. A. Rajkumar Suryavamsam | A. R. Rahman Minsara Kanavu | A. R. Rahman Minsara Kanavu | S. A. Rajkumar Suryavamsam |