Jaishankar & O.A.K.Thevar Movies Together List — 4 Films

The shape of the work

The 1960s belonged to Anbu Vazhi; the 1970s to Maanavan. Jaishankar acted in every film; O.A.K.Thevar acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.

Partnership facts

• O.A.K. Thevar was a producer before he turned director. He cast Jaishankar in 'Anbu Vazhi' (1968) because he wanted a hero who could carry both action and emotion — Jaishankar was the only one who said yes without asking for a script change.
• On the sets of 'CID Shankar' (1970), Jaishankar would often rewrite his own dialogue to match Thevar's fast-paced action beats. Thevar let him do it — he said Jaishankar's instinct for timing made the fight scenes land harder.
• After 'Maanavan' (1970), Thevar and Jaishankar had a falling out over a delayed payment. They never worked together again. Jaishankar later told a magazine that Thevar was 'a genius with a temper' — and that he still respected him.
• Thevar's 'CID Shankar' (1970) was one of the first Tamil films to use a double-role plot for Jaishankar. That gimmick later inspired a wave of similar 'lookalike' thrillers in the early 70s, including 'Nadodi Mannan' (though that one was bigger).
• Jaishankar once said in a 1985 interview: 'Thevar gave me the freedom to be rough on screen. Other directors wanted me polished. He wanted me real.'