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Movies like Thenali (2000)

The best movies like Thenali (2000) are Thevar Magan (1992), Nanban (2012) and It Runs in the Family (2003). If Thenali hooked you with its comedy and drama, these 22 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. Thevar Magan (1992)

    London-educated Saktivelu returns to India and wants to open a chain of restaurants in Chennai. His father, however, wishes that he would stay back and help the villagers.

    Why it matches: Fans watch both · both drama

  2. Nanban (2012)

    Two friends and their rival set out to find a third friend from engineering college, who taught them how to be more than just victims of circumstances. During the journey, they recall their college memories.

    Why it matches: Fans watch both · both comedy & drama

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  3. It Runs in the Family (2003)

    This is the story of a dysfunctional New York family, and their attempts to reconcile

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  4. Chloe and Theo (2015)

    A young woman, Chloe, living by her wits on the streets of New York City, has a chance meeting with a wise Inuit Eskimo, Theo, who was sent to New York by his elders to provide a message to the people of the world – We either change our destructive was or be destroyed by them. Chloe, who has been searching for something to believe in, becomes inspired by Theo and , with the help of a kind lawyer, Monica, the three of them present Theo’s story to the United Nations in hopes of creating a better future for all of us.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

  5. The Good Half (2024)

    Renn Wheeland returns home to Cleveland for his mother's funeral. Once there, he forges new relationships while healing old ones, before confronting his problems and trying to face his grief.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

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  6. Madea Goes to Jail - The Play (2006)

    Madea returns in another hilarious story in which she gets sent to the big house. But regardless of the circumstances, she gives her trademark advice and wisdom to her friends and family as they learn the importance of letting go, moving on, and forgiveness.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  7. Wild Oats (2016)

    Everything changes for Eva when she receives an insurance settlement check accidentally made out for $5,000,000 instead of the expected $50,000. She and her best friend take the money and head out for the adventure of a lifetime.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  8. Don't Think Twice (2016)

    An improv group deals with several crises, including the loss of their lease and one member hitting the big time.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  9. Roll Bounce (2005)

    In the summer of 1978, a teenager and his group of friends face new challenges when their neighborhood roller-skating rink closes, forcing them to visit a different rink.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  10. Muthu (1995)

    The story concerns Muthu, a charismatic, well-respected and loyal servant and charioteer of Raja Malayasimman, a wealthy zamindar. While Muthu and Raja's exploits lead them to fall in love with the same woman, an actress and dancer named Ranganayaki, Raja's materal uncle Ambalathar is keen on assuming control of the family's property.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  11. The Happiest Millionaire (1967)

    A happy and unbelievably lucky young Irish immigrant, John Lawless, lands a job as the butler of an unconventional millionaire, Biddle. His daughter, Cordelia Drexel Biddle, tires of the unusual antics of her father--especially since the nice young men around town all fear him. Wouldn't you fear a father-in-law that keeps alligators for pets and teaches boxing at his daily Bible classes?

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  12. Afterlife of the Party (2021)

    A social butterfly who dies during her birthday week is given a second chance to right her wrongs on Earth.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  13. Better Living Through Chemistry (2014)

    A straight-laced pharmacist's uneventful life spirals out of control when he starts an affair with a trophy wife customer who takes him on a joyride involving sex, drugs and possibly murder.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & comedy

  14. The Comedy (2012)

    Indifferent to the notion of inheriting his father's estate, a restless, aging New Yorker passes time with his friends in games of mock sincerity, irreverence, and recreational cruelty towards those around them.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

  15. Foster (2011)

    Looking to adopt a child and unable to conceive a child of their own, the Morrisons' lives are turned upside down when a seven-year-old boy unexpectedly shows up on their doorstep.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  16. Best Man Down (2012)

    A newlywed couple cancels their honeymoon and returns to the snowy Midwest to make the funeral arrangements for their best man, who died unexpectedly after their ceremony.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  17. Chang Can Dunk (2023)

    Chang, a 16-year-old, Asian American, bets the high school basketball star that he can dunk by Homecoming. The bet leads 5' 8" Chang on a quest to learn to dunk—not only to impress his crush, Kristy, but to gain the respect of his high school peers too. But before he can rise up and truly throw one down, he'll have to reexamine everything he knows about himself, his friendships and his family.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  18. Dear Eleanor (2016)

    Two teenage girls travel across the U.S. in 1962, during the chaos of the Cuban missile crisis, in search of Eleanor Roosevelt.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

  19. Sometimes Always Never (2019)

    Alan is a stylish tailor with moves as sharp as his suits. He has spent years searching tirelessly for his missing son Michael who stormed out over a game of Scrabble. With a body to identify and his family torn apart, Alan must repair the relationship with his youngest son and solve the mystery of an online player who he thinks could be Michael, so he can finally move on and reunite his family.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & comedy

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  20. Free Rein: The Twelve Neighs of Christmas (2018)

    As Bright Fields preps for its Mistletoe Ball, a broken ornament leads Zoe to a family secret, while Gaby finds herself at the mercy of new boss Mia.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

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  21. Little Sister (2016)

    After returning to her childhood home, young nun Colleen finds her old room exactly how she left it: painted black and covered in goth and metal posters. Her parents are happy enough to see her, but her brother is living as a recluse in the guesthouse since returning home from the Iraq war.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  22. The Willoughbys (2020)

    When the four Willoughby children are abandoned by their selfish parents, they must learn how to adapt their Old-Fashioned values to the contemporary world in order to create something new: The Modern Family.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy

    Worth the HypeMovies like this

Like Thenali and something else?

Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like Thenali?

The closest matches to Thenali are Thevar Magan (1992), Nanban (2012) and It Runs in the Family (2003). Below are 19 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after Thenali?

People who watched Thenali most often go on to Thevar Magan (1992) and Nanban (2012).

What is the highest-rated movie like Thenali?

The Willoughbys (2020), rated 7.1/10 by 1,037 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like Thenali?

The Good Half (2024) is the most recent release on this list.

Are there Tamil movies like Thenali?

Yes: Thevar Magan (1992), Nanban (2012) and Muthu (1995).

How are movies similar to Thenali chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Thenali, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.

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