Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa

Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon, features music by A.R. Rahman in what was their first collaboration. The film was shot simultaneously in Telugu as Ye Maaya Chesave, which marked Samantha's lead acting debut. The film's music album was launched at the BAFTA building in London on December 25, 2009, the first time a Tamil project's soundtrack was launched outside India. A.R. Rahman won Best Music Director for the film at the 2011 Filmfare Awards. In later years, the film has been included on lists of the greatest cult Tamil films by outlets like Behindwoods. Who it's for: anyone curious about a Tamil romantic drama, a composer-director's first collaboration, whose soundtrack launched in London as a first outside India, later gaining cult status. Who it's not for: viewers wanting a tight, short film, since this tells a slowly unfolding love story over a long runtime.