Naalai Manithan (1989)
The story revolves around a medical practitioner, who discovers a drug that makes the dead alive. What happens when the doctor injects the medicine into the body of an orphan, who later turns into a serial-killer, forms the storyline. The plot of Naalai Manithan was inspired by Michael Miller’s Silent Rage and was later remade in Kannada as Manava 2022. Written and directed by Velu Prabhakaran, the film starred Prabhu, Jaishankar, Amala and Ajay Rathnam in key roles.
Dasavathaaram (2008)
The plot revolves around a scientist, who tries to protect a bio-weapon, after realizing its potential danger. In India, the first case of the Ebola virus was reported in 2014. But, Kamal discussed it six years before in the film. Remember the scene where Haasan’s character mentions, “It’s a synthetic bioweapon an Ebola Marburg combination. It’s very lethal.” Written by Kamal Haasan, the film was directed by KS Ravi Kumar. Dasavathaaram features Ulaganayagan in ten roles, including the famous George Bush Also, the film threw light on the chaos theory and the butterfly effect.
7aum Arivu (2011)
It revolves around a 5th century Pallava king Bodhidharma, who goes to China and becomes a monk. Cut to the 21st century, we see Suriya’s character, a descendant of the monk. This is discovered by a scientist who tries to invoke the powers of Bodhidharma to fight the bio war that China has unleashed on India. Written and directed by AR Murugadoss, the film featured Suriya, Shruti Haasan, and Johnny Tri Nguyen. 7aum Arivu was dubbed into Telugu as 7th Sense, which released simultaneously along with the Tamil original.
Vaayai Moodi Pesavum (2014)
The story is set against the backdrop of a hill city during the spring season. What if an entire town stopped speaking because of a new type of virus, the mute flu, forms the storyline. Vaayai Moodi Pesavum marked the Tamil debut of Dulquer. Also, the film marked the return of Roja girl Madhoo. Starring Dulquer Salmaan and Nazriya Nazim in the lead, the film is directed by Balaji Mohan of Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi fame.
Miruthan (2016)
The storyline: How a traffic policeman finds a cure to the new disease in town? The makers of Miruthan claimed their film to be the first-ever zombie thriller in Tamil cinema. Directed by Shakti Soundar Rajan of Naaigal Jaakirathai fame, the film starred Jayam Ravi and Lakshmi Menon in lead roles.
Hey! Here are a few more films on this genre you could watch:
- The Outbreak (1995)
- Infection (2004)
- Blindness (2008)
- CaCarriers (2009)
- The Contagion (2011)
- Deranged (2012)
- The Flu (2013)
- The Last Days (2013)
- Virus (2019)