Before beginning the list of the 10 best movies of 2009, let us applaud Kanchivaram for holding Tamil cinema’s flag aloft at the national level. It was a moment of pride for everyone who loves Tamil cinema. The irony of social inequality where a silk weaver is unable to afford some silk for his daughter’s marriage has more contemporary relevance than meets the eye. A very strong message combined with some very strong performances made the movie deserve all the accolades that it got, sadly, it was only from the critics, not from the audience. The National Award for the Best Movie and the Best Actor added feathers to the cap of Tamil cinema. The biggest revelation was however the ability of Priyadarshan to make such a poignant drama. He made us realize that a director can have more facets than his films reveal.