Filmfare Award for Best Music Director – Tamil

The Filmfare Best Music Director Award is given to film composers by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South for Tamil (Kollywood) films. A. R. Rahman is the most frequent winner with seventeen wins, which also includes nine consecutive wins between 1992 and 2000. Harris Jayaraj follows A. R. Rahman with five wins.

Superlatives and multiple wins

Superlative	Best Best Music Director – Tamil
Most awards	A. R. Rahman	17 awards

Multiple wins:

17 wins: A. R. Rahman
5 wins: Harris Jayaraj
2 wins: Bharadwaj, G. V. Prakash Kumar

Winners

Year	Music Director	Film	Ref
2023	Dhibu Ninan Thomas Santhosh Narayanan	Chiththa	^[1]
2022	A. R. Rahman	Ponniyin Selvan: I	^[2]
2020-2021	G.V. Prakash Kumar	Soorarai Pottru	^[3]
2018	Govind Vasantha	96	^[4]
2017	A. R. Rahman	Mersal	^[5]
2016		Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada	^[6]
2015		I	^[7]
2014	Anirudh Ravichander	Velaiyilla Pattathari	^[8]
2013	A. R. Rahman	Kadal	^[9]
2012	D. Imman	Kumki	^[10]
2011	G. V. Prakash Kumar	Aadukalam	^[11]
2010	A. R. Rahman	Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa	^[12]
2009	Harris Jayaraj	Ayan	^[13]
2008	Harris Jayaraj	Vaaranam Aayiram	^[14]
2007	A. R. Rahman	Sivaji	^[15]
2006	A. R. Rahman	Sillunu Oru Kaadhal	^[16]
2005	Harris Jayaraj	Anniyan	^[17]
2004	Bharadwaj	Autograph	^[18]
2004	Yuvan Shankar Raja	7G Rainbow Colony	^[18]
2003	Harris Jayaraj	Kaakha Kaakha	^[19]
2002	Bharadwaj	Gemini	^[20]
2001	Harris Jayaraj	Minnale	^[21]
2000	A. R. Rahman	Alai Payuthey	^[22]
1999		Mudhalvan	^[23]
1998		Jeans	^[24]
1997		Minsara Kanavu	^[25]
1996		Kadhal Desam	^[26]^[27]
1995		Bombay	^[28]
1994		Kaadhalan	^[29]
1993		Gentleman	^[30]
1992		Roja	^[31]
1991	Ilaiyaraaja	Thalapathi	^[32]
1990	S. A. Rajkumar	Pudhu Vasantham	^[33]

Nominations

2000s

2001 Harris Jayaraj for Minnale^[34]
- Ilayaraja – Kasi
- S. A. Rajkumar – Aanandham
2003 Harris Jayaraj for Kaakha Kaakha
- A. R. Rahman – Boys
- Harris Jayaraj – Saamy
- Ilayaraja – Pithamagan
- Vidhyasagar – Dhool
2007 A. R. Rahman for Sivaji^[35]
- A. R. Rahman – Azhagiya Tamil Magan
- Harris Jayaraj – Unnale Unnale
- Vijay Antony – Naan Avanillai
- Yuvan Shankar Raja – Paruthiveeran
2008 Harris Jayaraj – Vaaranam Aayiram
- A. R. Rahman – Sakkarakatti
- James Vasanthan – Subramaniyapuram
- Vijay Antony – Kadhalil Vizhunthen
- Yuvan Shankar Raja – Yaaradi Nee Mohini
2009 Harris Jayaraj – Ayan
- Devi Sri Prasad – Kanthaswamy
- Devi Sri Prasad – Villu
- Harris Jayaraj – Aadhavan
- Vidyasagar – Kanden Kadhalai

2010s

2010 A. R. Rahman – Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa
- A. R. Rahman – Enthiran
- G. V. Prakash Kumar – Aayirathil Oruvan
- G. V. Prakash Kumar – Madarasapattinam
- Yuvan Shankar Raja – Naan Mahan Alla
- Yuvan Shankar Raja – Paiyaa
2011 G. V. Prakash Kumar – Aadukalam
- G. V. Prakash Kumar – Deiva Thirumagal
- Ghibran – Vaagai Sooda Vaa
- Harris Jayaraj – 7 Aum Arivu
- Harris Jayaraj – Ko
2012 D. Imman – Kumki
- Anirudh Ravichander – 3
- G. V. Prakash Kumar – Thandavam
- Harris Jayaraj – Thuppakki
- Ilaiyaraaja – Neethane En Ponvasantham
2013 – A. R. Rahman – Kadal
- A. R. Rahman – Maryan
- Anirudh Ravichander – Ethir Neechal
- Anirudh Ravichander – Vanakkam Chennai
- D. Imman – Varuthapadatha Valibar Sangam
- G. V. Prakash Kumar – Paradesi
2014 – Anirudh Ravichander – Velaiyilla Pattathari
- A. R. Rahman – Kaaviya Thalaivan
- Anirudh Ravichander – Kaththi
- Anirudh Ravichander – Maan Karate
- Santhosh Narayanan – Madras
2015 – A. R. Rahman – I
- A. R. Rahman – OK Kanmani
- Anirudh Ravichander – Maari
- Anirudh Ravichander – Naanum Rowdy Dhaan
- Harris Jayaraj – Yennai Arindhaal
2016 – A. R. Rahman – Achcham Yenbadhu Madamaiyada
- A. R. Rahman – 24
- Anirudh Ravichander – Remo
- G. V. Prakash Kumar – Theri
- Harris Jayaraj – Iru Mugan
- Santhosh Narayanan – Kabali
2017 – A. R. Rahman – Mersal
- A. R. Rahman – Kaatru Veliyidai
- Anirudh Ravichander – Velaikkaran
- Anirudh Ravichander – Vivegam
- D. Imman – Bogan
2018 – Govind Vasantha – 96
- A. R. Rahman – Chekka Chivantha Vaanam
- Anirudh Ravichander – Kolamavu Kokila
- Santhosh Narayanan – Pariyerum Perumal
- Yuvan Shankar Raja – Pyaar Prema Kaadhal
2020-2021 – G. V. Prakash Kumar – Soorarai Pottru
- Anirudh Ravichander – Darbar
- Anirudh Ravichander – Doctor
- Anirudh Ravichander – Master
- D. Imman – Annaatthe
- Leon James – Oh My Kadavule
2022 - A. R. Rahman - Ponniyin Selvan: I
- A. R. Rahman - Vendhu Thanindhathu Kaadu: Part I - The Kindling
- Anirudh Ravichander - Vikram
- Anirudh Ravichander - Thiruchitrambalam
- Anirudh Ravichander - Beast
- Yuvan Shankar Raja - Love Today
2023 - Dhibu Ninan Thomas, Santhosh Narayanan - Chiththa
- Anirudh Ravichander - Jailer
- Anirudh Ravichander - Leo
- A. R. Rahman - Ponniyin Selvan: II
- Ilaiyaraaja - Viduthalai Part 1
- G. V. Prakash Kumar - Vaathi

References

^ "Winners of the 69th Filmfare Awards South 2024 - Tamil".
^ "Winners of the 68th Filmfare Awards South (Tamil) 2023". Filmfare. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
^ "Winners of the Filmfare Awards South 2022". Filmfare. 9 October 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
^ "Winners of the 66th Filmfare Awards (South) 2019". Filmfare. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
^ "Winners of the 65th Jio Filmfare Awards (South) 2018".
^ "Winners of the 64th Jio Filmfare Awards (South)".
^ "Winners of the 63rd Britannia Filmfare Awards (South)".
^ "Winners of 62nd Britannia Filmfare Awards South".
^ "Winners of 61st Idea Filmfare Awards South".
^ "List of Winners at the 60th Idea Filmfare Awards (South)".
^ "59th Idea Filmfare Awards South (Winners list)".
^ "The 58th Filmfare Award (South) winners". CNN-News18. 4 July 2011. Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
^ "Filmfare Awards winners". The Times of India. 9 August 2010. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011.
^ "A Sparkling Triumph -The 56th Filmfare South Awards » Bollywood Spice". Archived from the original on 10 January 2010. Retrieved 23 February 2011.
^ "'Happy Days' at the 55th Tiger Balm Filmfare South Awards » Bollywood Spice". Archived from the original on 14 June 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
^ "54th Fair One Filmfare Awards 2006 – Telugu cinema function". idlebrain.com. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
^ "'Anniyan' sweeps Filmfare Awards!". Sify. Archived from the original on 10 January 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
^ "Surya shines, Cheran sizzles – Tamil Movie News". IndiaGlitz. Archived from the original on 11 July 2005. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
^ "51st Annual Manikchand Filmfare South Award winners". Indiatimes. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
^ "Manikchand Filmfare Awards in Hyderabad". The Times of India. 19 May 2003. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012.
^ "Nuvvu Nenu wins 4 Filmfare awards". The Times of India. 6 April 2002. Archived from the original on 21 September 2012.
^ "The Hindu : Trophy time for tinseldom". www.thehindu.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
^ "The Hindu : Star-spangled show on cards". hinduonnet.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2006. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
^ https://archive.org/download/46thFilmfareAwardsSouthWinners/46th%20Filmfare%20Awards%20south%20winners.jpg ^{[bare URL image file]}
^ Competition Science Vision. Pratiyogita Darpan. August 1998. p. 791. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
^ Nasreen Munni Kabir (2011). A.R. Rahman: The Spirit of Music. Om Books International. p. 147. ISBN 978-93-80070-14-8.
^ "Kamal wins 17th Film fare award for role in Indian - the Economic Times". www.cscsarchive.org:8081. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
^ "Filmfare Awards". Archived from the original on 10 October 1999.
^ "42nd Filmfare South Tamil Winners". 22 August 2024.
^ https://archive.org/download/41stFilmfareTamilBestDirectorMusicFilm/41st%20filmfare%20tamil%20best%20director%20music%20film.jpg ^{[bare URL image file]}
^ https://archive.org/download/40thSouthFilmfareBestFilms/40th%20south%20filmfare%20best%20films.jpg ^{[bare URL image file]}
^ https://archive.org/download/39thAnnualFilmfareTamilBestDirectorFilmMusic/39th%20Annual%20Filmfare%20Tamil%20Best%20Director%20Film%20Music.jpg ^{[bare URL image file]}
^ "38th Filmfare Awards South Winners Tamil Malayalam Actors". 16 April 2025.
^ "49th Annual Filmfare Awards - South". downloads.movies.indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 23 May 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
^ "The 55th Filmfare South Awards in Chennai on July 12". Televisionpoint. Bhash Media Private Limited. Archived from the original on 31 July 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2012.

External links

52nd Annual Awards

[1] "Winners of the 69th Filmfare Awards South 2024 - Tamil".

[2] "Winners of the 68th Filmfare Awards South (Tamil) 2023". Filmfare. Retrieved 14 July 2024.

[3] "Winners of the Filmfare Awards South 2022". Filmfare. 9 October 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2022.

[4] "Winners of the 66th Filmfare Awards (South) 2019". Filmfare. Retrieved 22 December 2019.

[5] "Winners of the 65th Jio Filmfare Awards (South) 2018".

[6] "Winners of the 64th Jio Filmfare Awards (South)".

[7] "Winners of the 63rd Britannia Filmfare Awards (South)".

[8] "Winners of 62nd Britannia Filmfare Awards South".

[9] "Winners of 61st Idea Filmfare Awards South".

[10] "List of Winners at the 60th Idea Filmfare Awards (South)".

[11] "59th Idea Filmfare Awards South (Winners list)".

[12] "The 58th Filmfare Award (South) winners". CNN-News18. 4 July 2011. Archived from the original on 15 September 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.

[13] "Filmfare Awards winners". The Times of India. 9 August 2010. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011.

[14] "A Sparkling Triumph -The 56th Filmfare South Awards » Bollywood Spice". Archived from the original on 10 January 2010. Retrieved 23 February 2011.

[15] "'Happy Days' at the 55th Tiger Balm Filmfare South Awards » Bollywood Spice". Archived from the original on 14 June 2009. Retrieved 20 February 2011.

[idlebrain-16] "54th Fair One Filmfare Awards 2006 – Telugu cinema function". idlebrain.com. Retrieved 27 August 2015.

[17] "'Anniyan' sweeps Filmfare Awards!". Sify. Archived from the original on 10 January 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2009.

[52nd_Filmfare_Awards,_South_Films-18] "Surya shines, Cheran sizzles – Tamil Movie News". IndiaGlitz. Archived from the original on 11 July 2005. Retrieved 20 November 2023.

[19] "51st Annual Manikchand Filmfare South Award winners". Indiatimes. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2009.

[20] "Manikchand Filmfare Awards in Hyderabad". The Times of India. 19 May 2003. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012.

[21] "Nuvvu Nenu wins 4 Filmfare awards". The Times of India. 6 April 2002. Archived from the original on 21 September 2012.

[22] "The Hindu : Trophy time for tinseldom". www.thehindu.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2022.

[hinduonnet-23] "The Hindu : Star-spangled show on cards". hinduonnet.com. Archived from the original on 15 July 2006. Retrieved 27 August 2015.

[24] ttps://archive.org/download/46thFilmfareAwardsSouthWinners/46th%20Filmfare%20Awards%20south%20winners.jpg ^{[bare URL image file]}

[google-25] Competition Science Vision. Pratiyogita Darpan. August 1998. p. 791. Retrieved 27 August 2015.

[Kabir2011-26] Nasreen Munni Kabir (2011). A.R. Rahman: The Spirit of Music. Om Books International. p. 147. ISBN 978-93-80070-14-8.

[27] "Kamal wins 17th Film fare award for role in Indian - the Economic Times". www.cscsarchive.org:8081. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 11 January 2022.

[28] "Filmfare Awards". Archived from the original on 10 October 1999.

[29] "42nd Filmfare South Tamil Winners". 22 August 2024.

[30] ttps://archive.org/download/41stFilmfareTamilBestDirectorMusicFilm/41st%20filmfare%20tamil%20best%20director%20music%20film.jpg ^{[bare URL image file]}

[31] ttps://archive.org/download/40thSouthFilmfareBestFilms/40th%20south%20filmfare%20best%20films.jpg ^{[bare URL image file]}

[32] ttps://archive.org/download/39thAnnualFilmfareTamilBestDirectorFilmMusic/39th%20Annual%20Filmfare%20Tamil%20Best%20Director%20Film%20Music.jpg ^{[bare URL image file]}

[33] "38th Filmfare Awards South Winners Tamil Malayalam Actors". 16 April 2025.

[34] "49th Annual Filmfare Awards - South". downloads.movies.indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 23 May 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2022.

[35] "The 55th Filmfare South Awards in Chennai on July 12". Televisionpoint. Bhash Media Private Limited. Archived from the original on 31 July 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2012.

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v t e Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Music Director
1991–2000	Ilaiyaraaja (1991) A. R. Rahman (1992) A. R. Rahman (1993) A. R. Rahman (1994) A. R. Rahman (1995) A. R. Rahman (1996) A. R. Rahman (1997) A. R. Rahman (1998) A. R. Rahman (1999) A. R. Rahman (2000)
2001–2009	Harris Jayaraj (2001) Bharadwaj (2002) Harris Jayaraj (2003) Bharadwaj & Yuvan Shankar Raja (2004) Harris Jayaraj (2005) A. R. Rahman (2006) A. R. Rahman (2007) Harris Jayaraj (2008) Harris Jayaraj (2009)
2010–present	A. R. Rahman (2010) G. V. Prakash Kumar (2011) D. Imman (2012) A. R. Rahman (2013) Anirudh Ravichander (2014) A. R. Rahman (2015)

Filmfare Award for Best Music Director – Tamil

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Filmfare Award for Best Music Director – Tamil

Filmfare Award for Best Music Director – Tamil

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