Anandaraj & Crane Manohar Movies Together List — 4 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-06-05 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Anandaraj and Crane Manohar appeared together in 4 Tamil films between 1998 and 2022. Their highest-rated collaboration was Idiot (2022 — 7.6/10). Films span Pudhumai Pithan (1998) through Idiot (2022).
The Anandaraj & Crane Manohar partnership
After 19 years apart, they came back together for Idiot (2022). They didn't share a set between 2003 and 2022. They saved their best for last — Idiot (7.6/10) came 24 years in.
Their work runs across 3 decades of Tamil cinema. From Pudhumai Pithan (1998) to Idiot (2022).
The shape of the work
The 1990s belonged to Pudhumai Pithan; the 2020s to Idiot. Anandaraj acted in every film; Crane Manohar acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- For Pudhumai Pithan (1998), director R. K. Selvamani cast Anandaraj as the villain and Crane Manohar as a sidekick. Manohar got the role because he was literally a crane operator on set — the director spotted him working and offered him the part on the spot.
- In Paattali (1999), Anandaraj played the main antagonist while Manohar played his henchman. Their scenes together had no dialogue overlap — Anandaraj would deliver his lines in a slow, menacing drawl, and Manohar would respond only with physical reactions, like a nervous twitch or a delayed nod. That rhythm became their trademark.
- After Diwan (2003) flopped, both actors went years without speaking. They reconnected only in 2021 when a mutual friend brought them together for a cameo in Idiot (2022). Manohar later said they hugged for the first time in 18 years on that set.
- Crane Manohar told a YouTube interviewer in 2022: 'Anandaraj sir used to tell me, “Manohar, don’t act. Just stand there and look scared. That’s your job.” I did that for four films.'
- The success of Idiot (2022) — their first film together in 19 years — directly led to a wave of reunion films in Tamil cinema. Within six months, three other 1990s villain-henchman pairs announced comebacks, including a project with Raghuvaran's son.
4 films across 3 decades
The 1990s accounted for 2 films, averaging 2.2/10.
The 2000s accounted for 1 film.
The 2020s brought 1 film together, anchored by Idiot (7.6/10).
- Pudhumai Pithan
- Paattali
- Diwan0
- Idiot
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
4 films across 24 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
40% of Crane Manohar's screen credits are with Anandaraj. When they first worked together, Anandaraj had 41 films behind them; Crane Manohar had 2.
Before Pudhumai Pithan, Anandaraj had starred in 41 films, including Nandhavana Theru (1995) and Pattukku Naan Adimai (1990).
After Idiot, Anandaraj went on to appear in 15 more films, including Chennai City Gangsters (2025) and 80's Buildup (2023).
Before Pudhumai Pithan, Crane Manohar had starred in 2 films, including Muthu (1995) and Nattamai (1994).
After Idiot, Crane Manohar went on to appear in 4 more films, including Boat (2024) and Park (2024).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Anandaraj & Crane Manohar's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Devayani is the through-line — cast on 2 of their 4 films.
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