Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Director

The Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Director is given by the state government as part of its annual Tamil Nadu State Film Awards for Tamil (Kollywood) films.

List of winners

Key for the table
*	No Award presented

List of winners and nominated work
Year	Recipient	Film
1967	C. N. Shanmugam	Karpooram
1968	Krishnan–Panju	Uyarndha Manithan
1969	P. Neelakantan	Maattukara Velan
1970	P. Madhavan	Nilave Nee Satchi
1971	No Award
1972	No Award
1973	No Award
1974	No Award
1975	No Award
1976	No Award
1977	Bharathiraja	16 Vayathinile
1978	Durai	Oru Veedu Oru Ulagam
1979	S. P. Muthuraman	Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai
1980	K. Balachander	Varumayin Niram Sivappu
1981	Bharathiraja	Alaigal Oivathillai
1982	Muktha Srinivasan	Pareetchaikku Neramaachu
1983	No Award
1984	No Award
1985	No Award
1986	No Award
1987	No Award
1988	P. R. Devaraj	Senthoora Poove
1989	K. Balachander	Pudhu Pudhu Arthangal
1990	Vikraman	Pudhu Vasantham
1991	P. Vasu	Chinna Thambi
1992	Mani Ratnam	Roja
1993	S. Shankar	Gentleman
1994	K. S. Ravikumar	Nattamai
1995	Vasanth	Aasai
1996	Agathiyan	Kadhal Kottai
1997	Vikraman Cheran	Suryavamsham Porkkaalam
1998	R. Parthiban	Housefull
1999	Bala	Sethu
2000	Vikraman^[1]	Vanathai Pola
2001	Susi Ganesan^[1]	Virumbugiren
2002	Mani Ratnam^[1]	Kannathil Muthamittal
2003	Karu Pazhaniappan^[2]	Parthiban Kanavu
2004	Cheran^[2]	Autograph
2005	S. Shankar^[3]	Anniyan
2006	Thirumurugan^[4]	Em Magan
2007	Thangar Bachan^[5]	Pallikoodam
2008	Radha Mohan^[5]	Abhiyum Naanum
2009	Vasanthabalan^[6]	Angadi Theru
2010	Prabhu Solomon^[6]	Mynaa
2011	A. L. Vijay^[6]	Deiva Thirumagal
2012	Balaji Sakthivel^[6]	Vazhakku Enn 18/9
2013	Ram^[6]	Thangameengal
2014	N. Ragavan ^[6]	Manjapai
2015	Sudha Kongara^[7]	Irudhi Suttru

Film News, Anandan (2004). Sadhanaigal Padaitha Thamizh Thiraipada Varalaru (Tamil Film History and Its Achievements). Sivagami Publications. pp. 7–18.