The Tamil film industry has produced some of the best dancers in the country. Be it Kamal Haasan, Sridevi, Anand Babu, Prabhu Deva, Dhanush, Vijay, Sai Pallavi, Trisha, Silambarasan or Simran, these actors are a joy to watch on screen simply because of how they're able to dance with abandon. The songs in which they feature are regularly played at parties, too, because of their high recall value.
However, we're in coronavirus times now and the only place where you can party is your home. But not going out doesn't mean you can't have some fun. All you need for a party, after all, is good food, drinks of your choice (alcoholic or otherwise), and great music! If you live alone, you can still get on a Zoom call with your friends and party together.
Here's a list of Tamil songs, old and new, that are perfect for a dance party.
'Ilamai Itho Itho' from Sakalakala Vallavan: This timeless Ilaiyaraaja song sung by the unbeatable SPB has Kamal Haasan setting the dance floor on fire. The 1982 film has the actor dressed in black leather, riding a bike and performing in a glitzy set that passed for a 'disco' in old Tamil films.
'Naanoru Disco Dancer' from Padum Vanampadi: The current generation may have forgotten him but Anand Babu was the original disco dancer whose moves stunned the audience back in the '80s and '90s. This particular song from the 1985 film directed by M Jayakumar was a huge hit at the time of its release. The song has been sung by SPB and set to music by Shankar Ganesh.
'Kaalam Kaalamaga' from Punnagai Mannan: Revathy has always been appreciated for her acting but the star is also an amazing dancer. In this 1986 film directed by K Balachander, she played a dance student under Kamal Haasan's tutelage. The two of them gave the audience some unforgettable songs, and this one is especially memorable also because of the fun sets and costumes. The duet was sung by SPB and Chitra while Ilaiyaraaja composed the music.
'Annathey Aduraar' from Apoorva Sagodharargal: Singeetham Srinivasa Rao's 1989 film about a pair of twins separated at birth has some awesome music from Ilaiyaraaja. This song, in which Kamal dances on the road (with Manorama also stepping up), is a great example of how well the Maestro used rural styles in his music. The song was sung by SPB.
'Mukkala' from Kadhalan: It almost feels lazy to list the most famous Prabhu Deva song, but there’s a reason that it is his most famous. 'Mukkala' from Shankar's 1994 film Kadhalan is a hit in every language to which it has been translated. Sung by Mano and Swarnalatha, this song is a must in any dance party playlist.
'Oo la la' from Minsara Kanavu: One might as well include every Prabhu Deva song in this list, but this one is so fun that it deserves to be highlighted. AR Rahman gave us a delightful album for this 1997 film directed by Rajiv Menon. 'Oo la la', sung by Chitra (she won a National Award for it) and Unni Menon, is an absolute riot and has fun written in every note.
'Manam Virumbudhey' from Nerukku Ner: The beautiful Simran has given Tamil cinema viewers many memorable dance numbers, but this song is special for her fans. From the 1997 film directed by Vasanth, the song has been sung by Harini and set to music by Deva. There might be some slow beats, and if you think you can't dance to it, you just need to watch Simran do her magic on screen for inspiration!
'Macarena' from Kushi: SJ Surya's 2001 film with Vijay and Jyotika had Shilpa Shetty performing a cameo in this super fun song. At the time of its release, there wasn't a college cultural event that didn't play this song to get all the students grooving to the beat. The song has music by Deva and has been sung by Devan, Sowmya Raoh, and SJ Surya.
'Sarakku Vachirukken' from Shahjahan: Well, the title of this song from the 2001 film directed by Ravi Abbulu means 'I've got booze'. We think it's self-explanatory why the song features here! The song, sung by Shankar Mahadevan, has Vijay and Meena dancing. The music is by Mani Sharma.
'O Podu' from Gemini: Who doesn't know what the refrain 'O podu' means in Tamil Nadu? This 2002 song from the film directed by Saran and starring Vikram and Kiran, was all the rage when it released. Whether people knew the lyrics or not, they knew when to say 'O podu'... and that was enough! The song has been sung by SPB and Anuradha Sriram. Bharathwaj is the music director.
'Thaam Thakka Theem' from Thirumalai: Actor-dancer Raghava Lawerence did a cameo in this 2003 film directed by Ramana. And danced with Vijay! Whether it's speed, agility or expressions, this is one dance where you can't tell who's better than the other. We do not recommend that you try to match their steps at home, especially if you have downed a few beers!
'Appadi Podu' from Ghilli: This song from Vidyasagar's 2004 album is still a favourite with many Vijay and Trisha fans. Fast, folksy and with funny lines, this is a perfect number to dance to especially in the company of your partner. The song was sung by KK and Anuradha Sriram.
'Where is the party tonight?' from Silambattam: Simbu is well-known for his dance, which has earned him thousands of fans. But if you have to pick a party song, you might as well pick this one since the line is casually hummed in Tamil Nadu every time someone suggests a party! Directed by Saravanan, this 2008 film is still remembered by many because of this song sung by Mukesh and Priyadarshini. The composer is Yuvan Shankar Raja.
'Nakku Mukka' from Kadhalil Vizhunthen: This song from the 2008 film directed by PV Prasath features Nakul, who never made it big in Tamil cinema, but will never be forgotten because of his moves here. The fast number is a perennial favourite in reality TV shows and captures Madras in a way that's hard to explain to outsiders.
'Kokka Makka' from Devi: AL Vijay's 2016 horror comedy saw Tamannaah deliver one of her best dance performances ever. In this knockout song, she's all style and seduction with her graceful moves, leaving even Prabhu Deva open-mouthed! The song has been sung by Shivranjani Singh and the music is by Sajid-Wajid.
'Rowdy Baby' from Maari 2: What happens when you bring two absolutely fantastic dancers together in a film? You may not get a great film, but you'll at least get one song that blows the whole world away. That's what happenedwith this 2019 Balaji Mohan directorial that saw Dhanush and Sai Pallavi outdoing each other in a dance that went on to become phenomenally viral. The music is by Yuvan Shankar Raja and the song has been sung by Dhanush and Dhee.
There are many more songs that we can suggest for enthusiastic dancers, but if you're not confident at all about your moves, may we recommend this song from CS Amudhan's Tamizh Padam to inspire you?