R. Madhavan & Anand L. Rai Movies Together List — 3 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-06-05 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
R. Madhavan and Anand L. Rai appeared together in 3 Hindi films between 2011 and 2018. Their highest-rated collaboration was Tanu Weds Manu (2011 — 7.2/10). Films span Tanu Weds Manu (2011) through Zero (2018).
The R. Madhavan & Anand L. Rai partnership
From Tanu Weds Manu (2011) to Zero (2018). Tanu Weds Manu is the one most viewers reach for. It started with Tanu Weds Manu (2011).
The shape of the work
R. Madhavan acted in every film; Anand L. Rai directed all of them.
Partnership facts
- Rai cast Madhavan in 'Tanu Weds Manu' only after the actor flew to Mumbai and narrated the entire script to him in a single sitting. Rai had been unsure if a South Indian star could pull off a small-town North Indian guy.
- On the sets of 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns', Rai would let Madhavan improvise entire monologues in Haryanvi-accented Hindi. Madhavan's real-time tweaks became the film's funniest beats — like the 'chai-wala' rant that wasn't in the script.
- The success of 'Tanu Weds Manu' directly led Rai to produce 'Raanjhanaa' (2013) — the film that launched Dhanush in Hindi cinema. Rai has said he gained the confidence to back a non-mainstream love story only after Madhavan's film worked.
- During the 'Zero' shoot, Madhavan would drive Rai home every night after pack-up because the director doesn't drive. Rai later joked that Madhavan was his 'personal chauffeur' for three months.
- Rai once said: 'Madhavan is the only actor who can make a director feel like a co-actor. He doesn't just perform — he directs the scene with you.'
3 films across 1 decade
- Tanu Weds Manu
- Tanu Weds Manu Returns
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
3 films across 7 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 2 languages, with Hindi being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
50% of Anand L. Rai's screen credits are with R. Madhavan. When they first worked together, R. Madhavan had 38 films behind them; Anand L. Rai had 1. After Zero, R. Madhavan kept going for 18 more films; Anand L. Rai stepped back.
Before Tanu Weds Manu, R. Madhavan had starred in 38 films, including 3 Idiots (2009) and Anbe Sivam (2003).
After Zero, R. Madhavan went on to appear in 18 more films, including Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022) and Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022).
Before Tanu Weds Manu, Anand L. Rai had directed 1 film, including Thodi Life Thoda Magic (2008).
After Zero, Anand L. Rai went on to direct 2 more films, including An Action Hero (2022) and Tere Ishk Mein (2025).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of R. Madhavan & Anand L. Rai's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Deepak Dobriyal is the through-line — cast on 3 of their 3 films. Deepak Dobriyal appears alongside them in 3 films — practically a third lead.
3
2
2
2
2
222
2
2
2Other iconic Hindi director-actor duos
Discover other partnerships with comparable filmographies and ratings
Kirron Kher
Divya Dutta
Manoj BajpaiJimmy Shergill
Tabu
Gajraj Rao
S. A. Chandrasekhar
Jeetendra
Abhishek Bachchan