Before the internet, "thiruttu" meant grainy VHS tapes recorded in packed theaters. By the early 2000s, pirated CDs sold on Pondy Bazaar footpaths in Chennai were the norm. Classics like Padayappa (1999) and Ghilli (2004) were the most "thiruttu'd" films of their era.
A complete "thiruttu filmography" typically lists films that were not officially released on digital platforms for a long time, making piracy the only way to watch them. Key characteristics include: