Several films from this year developed a lasting legacy for their experimental themes.

: A supernatural thriller produced by S. Shankar, it was lauded for its unique "rain-themed" cinematography and tight screenplay.

The box office in 2009 was dominated by action thrillers and mass entertainers. emerged as the undisputed leader, becoming the highest-grossing Tamil film of the year. Movie Title Worldwide Gross (Approx.) Ayan ₹80–82 crore Suriya, Tamannaah Aadhavan ₹39.2–59 crore Suriya, Nayanthara Unnaipol Oruvan ₹33–54 crore Kamal Haasan, Mohanlal Vettaikaaran ₹33.8–48 crore Vijay, Anushka Shetty Kanthaswamy ₹57.5 crore Vikram, Shriya Saran Naadodigal ₹35 crore M. Sasikumar, Vijay Vasanth Critically Acclaimed & Award-Winning Films