Thiraivirunthu (meaning ‘on the silver screen’ in Tamil) was a popular entertainment website for Tamil speakers worldwide. However, the site was eventually discontinued and taken offline.
Let’s take a look back at what Thiraivirunthu offered and why it shut down.
One-Stop Tamil Entertainment Hub
Launched in 2008, Thiraivirunthu quickly became a leading Tamil pop culture site. It provided news, reviews, photos, videos, and more related to Tamil cinema, TV shows, music, celebs, and media.
For Tamil speakers, especially outside India seeking Tamil content online, Thiraivirunthu was a prized destination. It satisfied the diaspora’s demand for updates on Kollywood happenings, delivered in native Tamil.
From the latest trailers to gossip blogs, event coverage, actor profiles, fan forums – Thiraivirunthu offered a rich buffet of multimedia entertainment. The site gained millions of engaged users at its height.
Downfall Due to Shifting Digital Trends
However, retaining users became challenging over time. As Tamil entertainment news and content dispersed across social media, blogs, streaming platforms, and apps, portals like Thiraivirunthu declined in relevance.
Facing stiffer competition for clicks and traffic, the site struggled to adapt its model. Thiraivirunthu changed ownership in its final years but could not turn a profit. It shut down permanently around 2016.
Remembering a Tamil Digital Pioneer
For veteran Tamil internet users, Thiraivirunthu represents a memorable early website that catered to their niche interests. It helped satisfy and even drive demand for Tamil digital content years before it became more readily available today.
While short-lived, Thiraivirunthu served an important role in Tamil online pop culture in the 2000s. It paved the way for more specialized Tamil entertainment sites. The site is fondly remembered as a pioneering effort during the early days of the modern Tamil internet.