The traditional Tamil performing arts have ancient roots. The royal courts and temples have been centres for the performing arts since the classical period, and possibly earlier. Descriptions of performances in classical Tamil literature and the "Natya Shastra", a Sanskrit treatise on the performing arts, indicate a close relationship between the ancient and modern artforms. The aim of a performance in Tamil tradition, is to bring out the "rasa", the flavor, mood, or feeling, inherent in the text, and its quality is measured by the extent to which it induces the mood in the audience.

Tamil shares a classical musical tradition, called carnatic music, with the rest of South India. It is primarily oriented towards vocal music, with instruments functioning either as accompaniments, or as imitations of the singer's role. Ancient Tamil works, such as the "Cilappatikaram", describe a system of music that includes old Carnatic modes, and a seventh-century Pallava inscription at Kudimiyamalai contains one of the earliest surviving examples of Indian music in notation. Modern Carnatic music is organized around the twin notions of melody types ("rāgam"), and cyclical rhythm types ("thāḷam"). Unlike the northern Hindustani music tradition, carnatic music is almost exclusively religious. In sharp contrast with the restrained and intellectual nature of carnatic music, Tamil folk music tends to be much more exuberant. Popular forms of Tamil folk music include the "Villuppattu", a form of music performed with a bow, and the "Naattupurapaattu", ballads that convey folklore and folk history.
The dominant classical dance amongst Tamils is Bharatanatyam. Bharatanatyam is performative, rather than participative. The dance is an exposition of the story contained in a song, and is usually performed by one performer on stage, with an orchestra of drums, a drone, and one or more singers backstage. The story is told through a complicated combination of "mudras" (hand gestures), facial expressions, and body postures. Dancers used to be exclusively female, but the dance now also has several well-known male practitioners.

The most notable of Tamil folk dances is "karakattam". In its religious form, the dance is performed in front of an image of the goddess Mariamma. The dancer bears, on his or her head, a brass pot filled with uncooked rice, decorated with flowers and surrounded by a bamboo frame, and tumbles and leaps to the rhythm of a song without spilling a grain. Karakāṭṭam is usually performed to a special type of song, known as "temmanguppattu", a folk song in the mode of a lover speaking to his beloved, to the accompaniment of a "nadaswaram" and "melam". Other Tamil folk dances include "mayilattam", where the dancers tie a string of peacock feathers around their waists; "oyilattam", danced in a circle while waving small pieces of cloth of various colors; "poykkal kuthiraiyaattam", in which the dancers use dummy horses; "manaattam", in which the dancers imitate the graceful leaping of deer; "paraiyattam", a dance to the sound of rhythmical drumbeats; and "thippanthattam", a dance involving playing with burning torches. The "kuravanci" is a type of dance-drama, performed by four to eight women. The drama is opened by a woman playing the part of a female soothsayer of the "kurava" tribe(people of hills and mountains), who tells the story of a lady pining for her lover.

The therukoothu, literally meaning "street play", is a form of village theater or folk opera. It is traditionally performed in village squares, with no sets and very simple props. The performances involve songs and dances, and the stories can be either religious or secular. The performances are not formal, and performers often interact with the audience, mocking them, or involving them in the dialogue. Therukkūthu has, in recent times, been very successfully adapted to convey social messages, such as abstinence and anti-caste criticism, as well as information about legal rights, and has spread to other parts of India.

The village of Melattur, in Tamil Nadu, has a special type of performance, called the bhagavata-mela, in honour of the local deity, which is performed once a year, and lasts all night. Tamil Nadu also has a well developed stage theater tradition, which has been heavily influenced by western theatre. A number of theatrical companies exist, with repertoires including absurdist, realist, and humorous plays.

Both classical and folk performing arts survive in modern Tamil society. Tamil people in Tamil Nadu are also passionate about films. The Tamil film industry, commonly dubbed Kollywood, is the second-largest film industry in India. Tamil cinema is appreciated both for its technical accomplishments, and for its artistic and entertainment value. Several actors dominated the early years of the cinema including Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, and several others. As in the past, a small number of actors continue to dominate in Kollywood movies. Several Tamil actresses have made their mark very strong in Bollywood over the years and have often dominated the scene, such as Vyjayanthimala, Rekha Ganesan, the original golden girl Hema Malini,Meenakshi Sheshadri, Vidya Balan, and Sridevi. The overwhelming majority of Tamil films contain song and dance sequences, and Tamil film music is a popular genre in its own right, often liberally fusing elements of carnatic, Tamil folk, North Indian styles, hip-hop, and heavy metal. Famous music directors of the late 20th century included M. S. Viswanathan, Ilayaraaja, and A. R. Rahman.

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