Maari

Maari, written and directed by Balaji Mohan, is a Tamil action crime comedy starring Dhanush as neighborhood tough guy Maari and Kajal Aggarwal as Sridevi, with music by Anirudh Ravichander. The film follows Maari, suspected of killing a rival gang leader, and his tangled relationship with a boutique shop owner who moves into his territory and a corrupt police inspector. The film opened on July 17, 2015, giving Dhanush the highest opening weekend gross of his career to that point. It received a sequel, Maari 2, in 2018, again directed by Balaji Mohan and starring Dhanush. Who it's for: anyone curious about a Tamil action comedy about a neighborhood tough guy that gave its star his career best opening gross. Who it's not for: viewers looking for a critically acclaimed film, since this received mixed reviews and stood out mainly for its lead performance.