Anirudh Ravichander Sivakarthikeyan’s Don was the comeback of the year for college playlists.

The year 2022 was a monumental chapter in the history of Tamil cinema. It was a year defined by a powerful dichotomy: while the industry witnessed box-office shattering blockbusters that broke pan-Indian records, it also celebrated a "Golden Age" of content-driven mid-budget films that prioritized storytelling over star power. Coming off the back of a pandemic that stalled theaters, 2022 saw audiences returning to the big screen with a voracious appetite, rewarding films that offered distinct theatrical experiences.