Kaithi

Dilli has just come out of prison and wants one thing, to find the daughter he has never seen. That same night most of the police force is lying poisoned and a drug gang is preparing to storm the station. The only driver left is Dilli, who will steer the truck, get the wounded officers to hospital and postpone the chance of seeing his daughter with every kilometre. Lokesh Kanagaraj sets it in one night, includes no songs and has no female lead, and all three at once are unusual in Tamil cinema. Karthi carries the part almost without speaking. The action is built in darkness, in tight spaces, with an energy close to handheld. The film also began the director's later shared universe. Who it is for: viewers who like Tamil action and single-night stories. Who it is not for: anyone expecting an Indian film with songs and romance.