Comprehensive list of Tamil movies released in 1981. Click on movie names for more details.
| Movie Name | Director | Cast |
|---|---|---|
| Ranuva Veeran | S. P. Muthuraman | Rajnikanth, Sridevi, Chiranjeevi |
| Netrikann | S. P. Muthuraman | Rajnikanth, Menaka, Vijayashanthi |
| Garjanai | C. V. Rajendran | Rajnikanth, Sumalatha, Rathi |
| Thillu Mullu | K. Balachander | Rajnikanth, Madhavi, Thengai Srinivasan |
| Kazhugu | S. P. Muthuraman | Rajnikanth, Y. G. Mahendran, Rathi |
| Thee | R. Krishnamurthy | Rajnikanth, Suman, Sripriya |
| Sankarlal | T.N. Balu | Kamal Haasan, Sridevi, Thengai Srinivasan, Seema, P.R. Varalakshmi, R.S. Manohar, Surulirajan, Ashokan, Venniradai Moorthi, V. Gopalakrishnan |
| Vidiyum Varai Kaathiru | K. Bhagyaraj | K. Bhagyaraj, Sathyakala, Sangili Murugan |
| Velichathukku Vaanga | Vijayasaraswathi | |
| Vasanthakalam | M. A. Kaja | |
| Vaadagai Veedu | Durai | Vijayan, Shoba, Suruli Rajan |
| Vaa Intha Pakkam | Mouli | Prathab, Mouli |
| Udhayamagiradhu | Ranjeth | |
| Tick! Tick! Tick! | Bharatiraja | Kamal Haasan, Madhavi, Sowpna |
| Thiruppangal | Joseph Anandan | |
| Tharayil Vazhum Meengal | Babu Maharaja | Sudhakar, Ambika |
| Thanneer Thanneer | K. Balachander | Saritha, Rajesh, Vathyar Raman |
| Sumai | Ramanarayanan | Chandrasekar, Vijayashanti, Vijayan |
| Sorgathin Thirappu Vizha | A. Jagannathan | |
| Sooravali | Nimai Ghosh | |
| Sollathe Yarum Kettaal | Rajbarath | Prathab |
| Sivappu Malli | Ramanarayanan | Vijayakanth, Aruna, Chandra Sekhar |
| Savaal | R. Krishnamurthy | Kamal Haasan, Madhavi, Jayshankar |
| Sattam Oru Iruttarai | S. A. Chandrasekharan | Vijayakanth, Ambika |
| Sathyam Sundaram | K. Subba Rao | Sivaji Ganesan, Madhavi, K. R. Vijaya |
| Rathathin Rathame | Joe Devanand | |
| Rani | B. G. Bharathan | |
| Ram Lakshman | R. Thyagarajan | Kamal Haasan, Sripriya, M. N. Nambiar |
| Raja Paarvai | Singeetham Srinivasa Rao | Kamal Haasan, L. V. Prasath, Madhavi |
| Rajangam | R.C. Sakthi | Vijayashanti, Chandrasekhar |
| Rail Payanangalil | T. Rajender | Rajeev, Jyothi |
| Purandharadasar | R. Ramamurthy | |
| Ponnazhagi | O. Muthu | |
| Pennmanum Pesugiradhu | A. Jagannathan | |
| Pennin Vazhkai | K. Vijayan | |
| Pattam Padhavi | SSR. Kalaivanan | Rajendrakumar, Usha |
| Panimalar | Hemachandran | |
| Panneer Pushpangal | Santhana Bharathi - P. Vasu | Suresh, Shanthi Krishna, Prathap Pothan |
| Palaivana Cholai | Robert Rajasekhar | Suhasini, Chandrasekhar, Rajeev |
| Paakku Vethalai | Ra. S. Vairavan | Rajesh, Sumithra |
| Oruthi Mattum Karaiyinile | J. Ramu | Sudhakar, Saritha |
| Nerupil Pootha Malar | Kausik | |
| Nenjile Thunivirunthal | S. A. Chandrasekar | Vijayakanth, Vijayashanti, Swapna |
| Nenjil Oru Mul | Mathiali Shanmugham | |
| Nellikani | Kalaignanam | Sivakumar, Sivachandran, Sumithra |
| Nandu | J. Mahendran | Aswini, Surendar, Vanitha |
| Nallethu Nadenthe Theerum | Karaikudi Narayanan | |
| Nadhi Ondru Karai Moondru | S. Iski Pandyan | |
| Mouna Yuddham | N. Sambandham | Ravidar, Roopa, Shankar |
| Mouna Geethangal | K. Bhagyaraj | K. Bhagyaraj, Saritha, Master Suresh |
| Mogana Punnagai | Sridhar | Sivaji Ganesan, Jayabharathi, Anuradha |
| Meendum Sandhippom | M. A. Kaja | |
| Meendum Kokila | G. N. Rangarajan | Kamal Haasan, Sridevi, Deepa |
| Mayil | Durai | Vijayan, Shoba, Suruli Rajan |
| Mangala Lakshmi | Thiruchengodu Lakshmi | |
| Magarandham | K. S. Gopalakrishnan | |
| Madi Veetu Ezhai | Amirdham | Sivaji Ganesan, Sujatha, M. N. Nambiar |
| Madhumalar | Bharathi Vasu | Prathab, Suhasini |
| Lorry Driver Rajakannu | A. C. Trilogachandar | Sivaji Ganesan, Sripriya, Suruli Rajan |
| Kulakozhundhu | Ramanna | |
| Kudumbam Oru Kadambam | S. P. Muthuraman | Visu, S. V. Sekhar, Suhasini |
| Koyil Pura | K. Vijayan | Shankar, Saritha |
| Kotteeswaran Magal | A. K. Reddy | Sivakumar, Rajalakshmi, Sivachandran |
| Kizhvanam Sivakkum | V. Srinivasan | Sivaji Ganesan, Saritha, Sarath Babu |
| Kilinjalgal | Durai | Mohan, Poornima, Dileep |
| Kariyallam Shenbaga Poo | G. N. Rangarajan | Prathap K. Pothan, Sripriya, Sumalatha |
| Kanni Theevu | Ramanna | |
| Kanni Magamayi | M. Duraithangam | |
| Kanneeril Ezhudhadhe | Gangaikondan | |
| Kanneer Pookkal | Rajasekhar | Vijayan, Sripriya, Rajashekar |
| Kannadi | M. A. Kaja | Vijayan, Deepa |
| Kalthoon | Major Sundarrajan | Sivaji Ganesan, Major Sundarrajan, Nagesh |
| Kalam Oru Naal Maarum | N. A. Panneer Selvam | |
| Kadal Meengal | G. N. Rangarajan | Kamal Haasan, Sujatha, Thengai Srinivasan |
| Jadhikkoru Needi | S. A. Chandrasekar | Vijayakanth, Swapna |
| Indru Poi Naalai Vaa | K. Bhagyaraj | K. Bhagyaraj, Radhika, Kallapatii Singaram |
| Engamma Magarani | M. A. Kaja | |
| Enga Ooru Kannagi | K. Balachander | Madhavi, Srikanth, Major Sundarrajan |
| Enakkaga Kaathiru | P. S. Nivas | Suman, Sumalatha, Bhanuchandar |
| Ellam Inba Mayyam | G. N. Rangarajan | Kamal Haasan, Madhavi, Jayshankar |
| Devi Dharisanam | K. Sankar | |
| Chinnamul Periamul | Rajmohan | Prathab, Shanthi Krishna |
| Bala Nagamma | K. Sankar | Sarath Babu, Sridevi |
| Avasarakari | Mathangan | |
| Avalum Thaayaanal | Mohammed Ali | |
| Arumbugal | Jupiter Chinnadurai | |
| Arthangal Ayiram | Raj Kannan | |
| Aradhanai | Prasad | Suman, Sumalatha |
| Anjadha Nenjangal | R. Thyagarajan | Suman, Saritha, Karathe Mani |
| Anicha Malar | Vijaya Kumar | |
| Andru Muthal Indru Varai | Ravi Varma | |
| Andhi Mayakkam | Bhanudasan | |
| Antha Ezhu Naatkal | K. Bhagyaraj | K. Bhagyaraj, Ambika, Rajesh |
| Anbulla Atthan | Kanmani Subbhu | Shoba |
| Amara Kaviyam | Amirtham | Sivaji Ganesan, Madhavi, Jaiganesh |
| Alaigal Oivathillai | Bharathiraja | Karthik Muthuraman, Radha, Silk Smitha |
| Adugal Nanaigindrana | P. Madhavan | |
| Aani Ver | K. Vijayan | Sivakumar, Saritha, Vinuchakravarthy |
| 471 Natkal | K. Balachander | Chiranjeevi, Jayaprada, Sarath Babu |