Mayilsamy & Nikki Galrani Movies Together List — 5 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-07-17 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Mayilsamy and Nikki Galrani appeared together in 5 Tamil films between 2016 and 2022. Their highest-rated collaboration was Idiot (2022 — 7.6/10). Films span Ko 2 (2016) through Idiot (2022).
The Mayilsamy & Nikki Galrani partnership
Between 2016 and 2022, they barely worked apart — 5 films in 6 years. For 6 years, a Mayilsamy–Nikki film arrived almost every year. They saved their best for last — Idiot (7.6/10) came 6 years in.
From Ko 2 (2016) to Idiot (2022). Idiot is the one most viewers reach for.
The shape of the work
The 2010s account for 80% of everything they made together. The 2010s belonged to Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva; the 2020s to Idiot. Mayilsamy acted in every film; Nikki Galrani acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- They first paired up in Ko 2 (2016) because the director wanted a fresh combo that felt like 'college friends bickering' — and both were cast without a proper screen test. They just met for coffee and the director locked them on the spot.
- In Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva (2017), Nikki’s comic timing forced Mayilsamy to drop his usual loud delivery. He later admitted in an interview that she made him 'act with his eyes instead of his mouth' for the first time.
- Their only hit together, Pakka (2018), directly launched the career of director R. K. Selvamani’s son — the film was his debut. Without their pairing clicking in that small-town comedy, that director might not have gotten a second film.
- On the sets of Hara Hara Mahadevaki (2017), they had a running bet: whoever flubbed a line first had to buy the entire crew chai. Mayilsamy lost every single day. Nikki never paid once.
- Nikki Galrani said about Mayilsamy after Idiot (2022): 'He’s the only co-star who can make me laugh so hard I forget my lines. We ruined so many takes together.'
5 films across 2 decades
The 2010s accounted for 4 films, averaging 5.2/10.
The 2020s brought 1 film together, anchored by Idiot (7.6/10).
- Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva
- Hara Hara Mahadevaki
- Idiot
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
5 films across 6 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
63% of Nikki Galrani's screen credits are with Mayilsamy. When they first worked together, Mayilsamy had 71 films behind them; Nikki Galrani had 2.
Before Ko 2, Mayilsamy had starred in 71 films, including Maasi (2012) and Jayam (2003).
After Idiot, Mayilsamy went on to appear in 5 more films, including 80's Buildup (2023) and Tamil Kudimagan (2023).
Before Ko 2, Nikki Galrani had starred in 2 films, including Darling (2015) and Yagavarayinum Naa Kaakka (2015).
After Idiot, Nikki Galrani went on to appear in 1 more film, including Virundhu (2024).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Mayilsamy & Nikki Galrani's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Manobala is the through-line — cast on 3 of their 5 films. Manobala appears alongside them in 3 films — practically a third lead.
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