Saran danced to the star tune and misjudged the audience with ‘Aasal’. SP Rajkumar gave Vijay his worst film in his career. Mithran Jawahar could not do any favour to Dhanush in both films this year. There were also some don’t-know-what-to-do directors in films like Moscovin Kaveri, Naane Ennul Illai etc. But the irony is these directors were immensely successful in their main career which of course was not direction.

There were also quite a few young directors who made their marks with quite impressive films. Badri Venkatesh in Baana Kathaadi, Meera Kathiravan in Aval Peyar Thamizharasi, Bandi Saroj Kumar in Porkalam, RK Surya Prabakar in Tha and Seenu Ramasamy is Thenmerku Paruvakatru are some people we feel should have deservingly got more glory that they got in 2010.

But the year 2010 clearly belong to five directors who are distinctively different in style and got their films their worthy appreciations out of sheer merits. Vasanthabalan, Shankar, Mysskin, Prabhu Solomon and Sargunam are the directors of 2010.

Vasanthabalan’s dark plot ‘Angadi Theru’ shocked the audience. There never believed there are ghettos behind the swanky malls of the city. After ‘Angadi Theru’, whoever visited the posh looking malls pause and took a deep look at the uniformed counter sales people and gave him or her considerate smile. The film achieved what social crusaders couldn’t.

Sargunam in ‘Kalavani’ surprised all by giving one of the biggest sleeper hits. Sargunam who was an assistant to ‘Madraspattinam’ Vijay was excellent in showing the sense and sensibility behind human relationships in ‘Kalavani’. A simple village love story and its implications on the surroundings were handled by Sargunam as no one did before. No wonder the all-India remake rights of ‘Kalavani’ was acquired by none other Gautham Menon.

Perhaps Shankar is the only veteran who could make his mark in 2010 and that too thumping. There may be many other reasons also for the Himalayan success of ‘Endhiran’. But, as the man who visualized the spectacle and executed it to perfection deserves praise and accolades. Rajinikanth and the special effects only made it even larger than life.

Prabhu Solomon after a decade of fight back came strongly with ‘Mynaa’. It is a captivating up country romance which stood far ahead of glamorous and illogical romances lead by super hero and his mannequin love. Prabhu Solomon looked everything perfect in this unpretentious love story. The cast, crew and the forces of nature dutifully played slaves to the creator Prabhu Solomon. Not many directors are fortunate enough.

Mysskin with his ‘Nandalala’ probably has raised the bar a few inches higher than usuual. His unconventional film about two sorrowful souls searching for their respective mother is a gripping tale not seen in recent times. Inspired or not Mysskin's creation, ‘Nandalala’ is an important film in the history of Tamil cinema.

One common point to contemplate in the movies of these directors, except for the Shankar, is that all the best films had to struggle to get their dues. None of the four films had ardent takers in the beginning. Another thing is that all these films had excellent in tandem support from the music director and cinematographer.

That talks a lot about real team work and its good effects. The formula to winning in spite of odds is here.

Top 5 Directors of 2010

Vasanthabalan for ‘Angadi Theru’

Prabhu Solomon for ‘Mynaa’

Mysskin for ‘Nandalala’

Sargunam for ‘Kalavani’

Shankar for ‘Endhiran’.

COMING UP: REWIND: The Music of 2010

Click here to read - REWIND: The Directors of 2010 – Part I