List of Tamil films of 1981

Post-amendment to the Tamil Nadu Entertainments Tax Act 1939 on 1 April 1958, Gross jumped to 140 per cent of Nett Commercial Taxes Department disclosed ₹32 crore in entertainment tax revenue for the year.

The following is a list of films produced in the Tamil film industry in India in 1981, in alphabetical order.

Tamil films released in 1981

Title	Director	Producer	Music	Cast
47 Natkal	K. Balachander	Premalaya Productions	M. S. Viswanathan	Chiranjeevi, Jaya Prada, Sarath Babu, Rama Prabha
Aani Ver	K. Vijayan	Vivekananda Pictures	Shankar–Ganesh	Sivakumar, Saritha, Sathyaraj
Adugal Nanaigindrana	P. Madhavan	Shanti Chithra Productions	Chandrabose	Prasad, Roopa
Alaigal Oivathillai	Bharathiraja	Pavalar Creation	Ilaiyaraaja	Karthik, Radha, Thiagarajan, Silk Smitha
Amara Kaaviyam	Amirtham	Viswanathan Combines	M. S. Viswanathan	Sivaji Ganesan, Sripriya, Madhavi, Jai Ganesh, Nagesh
Anbulla Atthan	Kanmani Subbhu	Metha Movies	M. S. Viswanathan	Shoba, Kalaivanan
Andhi Mayakkam	Bhanudasan	Yuvaraja Pictures	Shyam	Vanitha, Manoj, Gandhimathi, Vinod, Suveetha
Andru Muthal Indru Varai	R. Sundaram	Modern Theatres	Shankar–Ganesh	Sivakumar, Roopa, G. Srinivasan, Jayamala, Kalaranjini
Anicha Malar	Sri Vijayakumar	Sri Kaleeswari Movies	Shankar–Ganesh	Raja Bahadoor, Lakshmi Kala, Suruli Rajan, Manorama, Gandhimathi
Andha 7 Naatkal	K. Bhagyaraj	Srini Creations	M. S. Viswanathan	K. Bhagyaraj, Ambika, Rajesh
Anjatha Nenjangal	R. Thyagarajan	Devar Films	Shankar–Ganesh	K. R. Vijaya, Suman, Saritha, Vanitha
Aradhanai	Prasad	Dimple Creations	Ilaiyaraaja	Suman, Sumalatha, Nizhalgal Ravi
Arthangal Ayiram	Raj Kannan	Sri Amman Creations	Shankar–Ganesh	Bhuvaneswari
Arumbugal	Jupiter Chinnadurai	Kamatchi Art Films	M. S. Viswanathan	Sarath Babu, Sridevi
Avalum Thaayaanal	Mohammed Ali	Nachiar Films	Gunasingh	M. G. Venugopal, Jayavani
Aval Oru Kaviyam	Durai	Sri Sivalayaa Films	V. Kumar	Jai Ganesh, Sumithra, Savitri, Kavitha, Suruli Rajan, Sachu
Avasarakari	K. S. Mathangan	Anand Creations	Shankar–Ganesh	Mohan Kumar, Roopa
Bala Nagamma	K. Shankar	Charuchithra Films	Ilaiyaraaja	K. R. Vijaya, Sarath Babu, Sridevi
Chinna Mul Peria Mul	N. S. Raj Bharath	Indra Creations	Shankar–Ganesh	Raja, Sreenath, Shanthi Krishna, Sumanjali, 'Baby' Anju
Deiva Thirumanangal	P. Neelakantan K. Shankar K. Kameswara Rao	Solar Combines	K. V. Mahadevan M. S. Viswanathan G. K. Venkatesh	Seerkazhi Govindarajan, S. Varalakshmi, Chandra Mohan, Latha, Srividya, Moorthy
Devi Dharisanam	K. Shankar	Malar Combines	M. S. Viswanathan	K. R. Vijaya, Latha, Sarath Babu,
Ellam Inba Mayyam	G. N. Rangarajan	P. A. Art Productions	Ilaiyaraaja	Kamal Haasan, Jaishankar, Madhavi, Suman, Surekha, Y. G. Mahendra, K. S. Jayalakshmi, Thengai Srinivasan, Manorama
Enakkaga Kaathiru	P. S. Nivas	Niveda Combines	Ilaiyaraaja	Suman, Bhanu Chander, Sumalatha, Nisha
Enga Ooru Kannagi	K. Balachander	Ranjith Arts	M. S. Viswanathan	Saritha, Seema, Madhavi, Srikanth, Major Sundarrajan
Engamma Maharani	M. A. Kaja	Sri Gayathri Enterprises	Shankar–Ganesh	Delhi Ganesh, Sumithra, Roopa, Suruli Rajan
Garjanai	C. V. Rajendran	Hem Nag Films	Ilaiyaraaja	Rajinikanth, Madhavi, Jaishankar, Geetha
Indru Poi Naalai Vaa	K. Bhagyaraj	Rishad Creations	Ilayaraaja	K. Bhagyaraj, Radhika, Pazhanisamy, G. Ramli
Jadhikkoru Needhi	S. A. Chandrasekhar	Vadalooran Combines	Shankar–Ganesh	Vijayakanth, Swapna
Kaalam	R. S. Somanathan	Kala Chitra Arts	Shankar–Ganesh	K. R. Vijaya, Raveendran, Menaka
Kadal Meengal	G. N. Rangarajan	K. R. G. Art Productions	Ilaiyaraaja	Kamal Haasan, Sujatha, Swapna, Suman, Ambika, Nagesh, Thengai Srinivasan
Kadavulin Theerpu	C. N. Shanmugam	Senthil Sevarkodiyaan Creations	R. Govardhanam	Vijay Babu, Sangeetha, Major Sundarrajan, C. R. Vijayakumari, Srikanth, Cho, Suruli Rajan
Kalam Oru Naal Maarum	N. A. Panneer Selvam	Saroj Films	V. Kumar	Vijayakumar, Saritha
Kalthoon	Major Sundarrajan	S. S. K. Films	M. S. Viswanathan	Sivaji Ganesan, K. R. Vijaya, Major Sundarrajan, Nagesh
Kannadi	M. A. Kaja	Senthil Creations	V. Kumar	Vijayan, Deepa
Kanneer Pookkal	Rajasekhar	Jayavel Productions	Shankar–Ganesh	Vijayan, Sripriya, Roopa
Kanneeril Ezhudhadhe	Gangai Kondan	Iqbal Creation	Shyam
Kanni Magamayi	M. Duraithangam	Sri Kumaralayaa Films	Shankar–Ganesh	Suruli Rajan
Kanni Theevu	T. R. Ramanna	Sri Ayvar Art Films	Ilaiyaraaja	Jaishankar, Radhika, Seema
Karaiyellam Shenbagapoo	G. N. Rangarajan	Sundari Art Creations	Ilaiyaraaja	Pratap K. Pothen, Sripriya, Sumalatha, Sundar
Kazhugu	S. P. Muthuraman	P. A. Art Productions	Ilaiyaraaja	Rajinikanth, Rathi, Sumalatha, Cho, Thengai Srinivasan, Y. G. Mahendra, Vanitha
Keezh Vaanam Sivakkum	V. Srinivasan	Vidhya Movies	M. S. Viswanathan	Sivaji Ganesan, Jaishankar, Saritha, Sarath Babu, Menaka, Y. G. Mahendra
Kilinjalgal	Durai	Sunitha Cine Arts	T. Rajendar	Mohan, Poornima, Dileep
Kodeeswaran Magal	A. Kodandarami Reddy	Sri Sovereign Combines	K. Chakravarthy	Sivakumar, Rajyalakshmi, Thengai Srinivasan, Sowcar Janaki, V. K. Ramasamy, Manorama
Koocham	Soman	Velan Creations	Gangai Amaran	Sarath Babu
Koyil Puraa	K. Vijayan	R. M. C. Creations	Ilaiyaraaja	Saritha, Shankar, K. Murugaiyan, Raja Bahadoor, Silk Smitha
Kudumbam Oru Kadambam	S. P. Muthuraman	Visakam Pictures	M. S. Viswanathan	Pratap K. Pothen, Suhasini, Sumalatha, S. Ve. Shekher, Visu, Kamala Kamesh, Nithya
Kulakozhundhu	T. R. Ramanna	E. V. R. Pictures	M. S. Viswanathan	Jaishankar, Sripriya
Lorry Driver Rajakannu	A. C. Tirulokchandar	Raja Mahalakshmi Arts	M. S. Viswanathan	Sivaji Ganesan, Sripriya, Suruli Rajan
Maadi Veettu Ezhai	Amirtham	Poompuhar Pictures	M. S. Viswanathan	Sivaji Ganesan, Sujatha, Sripriya
Madhu Malar	Bharathi-Vasu	Rishad Creations	Gangai Amaran	Pratap K. Pothen, Suhasini, Dileep, Ratheesh, Vanitha
Magarandham	K. S. Gopalakrishnan	Chithra Productions	Shankar–Ganesh	Mohan Ram, Radhika, Aruna
Mangala Lakshmi	Thiruchengodu Marimuthu	Mahalakshmi Arts	Thiruchengodu Marimuthu	Srikanth, Sangeetha
Mayil	Durai	Priya Chithra Films	Shankar–Ganesh	Vijayan, Shoba, Shankar, Roopa, Suruli Rajan
Mayyakkam	Unknown	Cecilia Productions	Peter-Ruban	Srikanth, Padmapriya
Meendum Kokila	G. N. Rangarajan	Charuchithra Films	Ilaiyaraaja	Kamal Haasan, Sridevi, Deepa
Meendum Sandhippom	M. A. Kaja	Kadayanallur Cine Arts	Shankar–Ganesh	Vijay Babu, Srikamu
Mohana Punnagai	C. V. Sridhar	Sarathy Motion Pictures	M. S. Viswanathan	Sivaji Ganesan, Jayabharathi, Geetha, Padmapriya, Anuradha, Nagesh
Mouna Geethangal	K. Bhagyaraj	Bagavathy Creations	Gangai Amaran	K. Bhagyaraj, Saritha, 'Master' Suresh
Mouna Yuddham	N. Sambandham	K. R. K. Creations	K. V. Mahadevan Shankar–Ganesh	Raveendran, Roopa, Shankar
Nadhi Ondru Karai Moondru	M. A. Thirumugam	Vadivelan Films	M. S. Viswanathan	Sudhakar, Mohan Sharma, Illavarasan, Radhika
Nallathu Nadanthe Theerum	K. Narayanan	K. N. Films	Ilaiyaraaja	Suman, Surekha
Nandu	Mahendran	Rangaraj Creation	Ilaiyaraaja	Ashwini, Sundar, Vanitha
Needhi Pizhaithathu	S. A. Chandrasekhar	Sharada Arts	Shankar–Ganesh	Vijayakanth, Jaishankar, Aruna, Silk Smitha
Nellikani	Kalaignanam	Bhairavi Creation	Shankar–Ganesh	Sivakumar, Sivachandran, Sumithra, Swapna
Nenjil Oru Mull	'Mathi Oli' Shanmugham	Santosh Art Films	G. K. Venkatesh	Pratap K. Pothen, Poornima Bhagyaraj, Sivachandran,
Nenjile Thunivirunthal	S. A. Chandrasekhar	Veeralakshmi Combines	Shankar–Ganesh	Vijayakanth, Swapna, Vijayashanti, Goundamani, Manorama
Neruppile Pootha Malar	Kausik	Elizabeth Productions	K. V. Mahadevan	Sivakumar, Poornima
Netrikkan	S. P. Muthuraman	Kavithalayaa Productions	Ilaiyaraaja	Rajinikanth, Lakshmi, Saritha, Menaka, Vijayashanti
Noolarauntha Pattam	R. S. Jothe	Shree Nathi Movies	Stalin Varadharajan	Vijayakanth, Chakravarthy, Poornimadevi, Suvitha
Oru Iravu Oru Paravai	P. C. Reddy	Eswari Chithra Productions	Ilaiyaraaja	Sarath Babu, Latha, Vijaykumar, Ravinder, Sankar
Oruthi Mattum Karaiyinile	J. Ramu	Sri Amman Art Productions	Gangai Amaran	Sudhakar, Rajesh, Saritha
Paakku Vethalai	R. S. Vairavan	Samsu Creations	Malaysia Vasudevan	Rajesh, Sumithra
Panimalar	Hemachandran	Jeppiar Pictures	Shankar–Ganesh	Raveendran, Usha Rajendar, Madhavi
Palaivana Solai	Robert–Rajasekar	R. V. Creations	Shankar–Ganesh	Suhasini, Chandrasekhar, Rajeev
Panneer Pushpangal	Bharathi-Vasu	Hemachitra Arts	Ilaiyaraaja	Pratap K. Pothen, Suresh, Shanthi Krishna, Archana
Pattam Padhavi	Thirumugan	Thirumurugan Creations	M. S. Viswanathan	K. A. Thangavelu, Manorama, Delhi Ganesh, Sumithra, Y. G. Mahendra, Usha Rajendar, Rani Padmini
Pen Manam Pesugirathu	A. Jagannathan	Kanniammal Pictures	Shankar–Ganesh	Sudhakar, Sumalatha
Pennin Vazhkai	K. Vijayan	Annapoorna Art Pictures	G. K. Venkatesh	Sudhakar, Rathi, Aruna, Sumathi
Ponnazhagi	O. Muthu	M. R. R. Creations	Shankar–Ganesh	A. K. Rajendran, Sumathi, Ceylon Nambiar, Jai Vijay, Jamila, Sri Kamu
Purandharadasar	R. Ramamurthy	Sri Ganesha Enterprises	Pendyala Nageswara Rao	Child Artist aged between 10 - 14
Rail Payanangalil	T. Rajendar	G. R. P. Arts	T. Rajendar	Sreenath, Rajeev, Jyothi, Sivaranjani
Raja Paarvai	Singeetam Srinivasa Rao	Haasan Brothers	Ilaiyaraaja	Kamal Haasan, Madhavi, L. V. Prasad, Y. G. Mahendra
Rajangam	R. C. Sakthi	R. V. Creations	Shankar–Ganesh	Chandrasekhar, Vijayashanti, Charuhasan, Delhi Ganesh, Manorama, P. R. Varalakshmi
Ram Lakshman	R. Thyagarajan	Devar Films	Ilaiyaraaja	Kamal Haasan, Sripriya, Raveendran
Rani	Bharathan	Supriya Creations	M. S. Viswanathan	Pratap K. Pothen, Nithya
Ranuva Veeran	S. P. Muthuraman	Sathya Movies	M. S. Viswanathan	Rajinikanth, Sridevi, Chiranjeevi
Rathathin Rathame	Joe Devanand	Brighton Films	Shankar–Ganesh	Jaishankar
Sanditthanam	sobanan	Dimple Creations	Ilaiyaraaja	Sobanan, Rukku
Sankarlal	T. N. Balu	Balu Cine Arts	Ilaiyaraaja Gangai Amaran	Kamal Haasan, Sridevi, Seema
Sathya Sundharam	K. S. Prakash Rao	Balakrishna Combines	M. S. Viswanathan	Sivaji Ganesan, K. R. Vijaya, Vijayakumar, Sripriya, Madhavi
Sattam Oru Iruttarai	S. A. Chandrasekhar	Vadalooran Combines	Shankar–Ganesh	Vijayakanth, Poornima, Vasumathi
Savaal	R. Krishnamoorthy	Sujatha Cine Arts	M. S. Viswanathan	Kamal Haasan, Jaishankar, Sripriya, Vijayakumar, Manorama, Y. G. Mahendra
Sivappu Aatril Oru Neela Malar	Damodara Raghavan	K.S.K. Creations	Williams	Lakshmi Sri, Reena
Sivappu Malli	Rama Narayanan	AVM Productions	Shankar–Ganesh	Vijayakanth, Chandrasekhar, Shanthi Krishna, Aruna
Sollathe Yarum Kettaal	N. S. Raj Bharath	Surya Art Films	Shankar–Ganesh	Pratap K. Pothen, Sumalatha
Sooravali	Nemai Ghosh	Chitra Bharathi	Vijaya Bhaskar	Vijay, Lavanya
Sorgathin Thirappu Vizha	A. Jagannathan	Kanchi Combines	Shankar–Ganesh	Jai Ganesh, Jayachitra
Sumai	Rama Narayanan	Sri Thenandal Films	Gangai Amaran	Vijayan, Chandrasekhar, Usha Rajendar, Vijayashanti
Thanneer Thanneer	K. Balachander	Kalakendra Movies	M. S. Viswanathan	Saritha, V. K. Veeraswami, Prasanna Srinivasan, Radha Ravi
Tharayil Vazhum Meengal	Babu Maharaja	K. K. Combines	Chandrabose	Sudhakar, Ambika
Thee	R. Krishnamoorthy	Suresh Arts	M. S. Viswanathan	Rajinikanth, Suman, Shobha, Sowcar Janaki
Thillu Mullu	K. Balachander	Kalakendra Movies	M. S. Viswanathan	Rajinikanth, Madhavi, Thengai Srinivasan, Sowcar Janaki
Thiruppangal	Joseph Anandan	Maharani Productions	M. S. Viswanathan	Jai Ganesh, Sumithra, Fatafat Jayalaxmi, Radhika
Tik Tik Tik	Bharathiraja	Shiv Shakti Films	Ilaiyaraaja	Kamal Haasan, Madhavi, Swapna, Radha, Thengai Srinivasan
Udhayamaagirathu	Ranjith	Jai Murugan Art Creations	A. A. Raj	Sankar, Sivaranjani, Swarna
Vaa Intha Pakkam	Moulee	Ponmalar International	Shyam	Pratap K. Pothen, Deepa
Vaadagai Veedu	Durai	Murali Karthikeyan Pictures	Shankar–Ganesh	Vijayan, Suman, Shoba, Sathyakala, Suruli Rajan
Vasanthakalam	M. A. Kaja	Abirami Enterprises	Shankar–Ganesh	Sumithra, Suruli Rajan
Velichathukku Vaanga	Vijayasarathi	Abhirami Creations	Gangai Amaran	Rajesh, Urmila, Rathi Devi
Vidiyum Varai Kaathiru	K. Bhagyaraj	S. T. Combines	Ilaiyaraaja	K. Bhagyaraj, Sathyakala