K. S. Ravikumar & Crane Manohar Movies Together List — 7 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
K. S. Ravikumar and Crane Manohar appeared together in 7 Tamil films between 1994 and 2004. Their highest-rated collaboration was Aethiree (2004 — 7.2/10). Films span Nattamai (1994) through Aethiree (2004).
The K. S. Ravikumar & Crane Manohar partnership
They saved their best for last — Aethiree (7.2/10) came 10 years in. From Nattamai (1994) to Aethiree (2004). The work is uneven: Aethiree (7.2) at one end, Paattali (1.0) at the other.
The played out closed with Aethiree in 2004. Aethiree is the one most viewers reach for.
The shape of the work
The 1990s belonged to Muthu; the 2000s to Aethiree. K. S. Ravikumar directed every film; Crane Manohar acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- K. S. Ravikumar didn't pick Crane Manohar for Nattamai (1994) because of his acting. He cast him because Manohar was a real-life crane operator who could actually drive the crane his character used. Manohar had zero acting experience before that film.
- On the set of Muthu (1995), Ravikumar realized Manohar couldn't memorize long dialogues. So he started writing Manohar's lines as single, punchy one-liners that he could deliver in his natural, gruff voice. That became Manohar's trademark style for the next 7 films.
- The success of Muthu (1995) in Japan — it ran for over a year in Tokyo — directly led to Crane Manohar being invited to Japan for a special screening. He was the only supporting actor from the film to get that invite. Ravikumar insisted on it.
- After Aethiree (2004), Ravikumar and Manohar stopped working together. Not because of a fight — Ravikumar shifted to bigger-budget films with star casts, and Manohar quietly returned to operating cranes. They never spoke about it publicly.
- Crane Manohar once told a local magazine: 'Ravikumar sir gave me a name. Before him, I was just a man who lifted things. After him, I was an actor who lifted scenes.'
7 films across 2 decades
The 1990s accounted for 3 films, averaging 4.0/10.
The 2000s brought 4 films together, anchored by Aethiree (7.2/10).
- Muthu
- Nattamai
- Aethiree
- Thenali
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
7 films across 10 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
After Aethiree, K. S. Ravikumar kept going for 52 more films; Crane Manohar stepped back.
Before Nattamai, K. S. Ravikumar had directed 9 films, including Cheran Pandiyan (1991) and Purusha Lakshanam (1993).
After Aethiree, K. S. Ravikumar went on to direct 52 more films, including Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal (2022) and Naan Sirithal (2020).
Nattamai was Crane Manohar's acting debut.
After Aethiree, Crane Manohar went on to appear in 30 more films, including Guru Uchaththula Irukkaru (2017) and Boat (2024).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of K. S. Ravikumar & Crane Manohar's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Pandu is the through-line — cast on 4 of their 7 films. Pandu appears alongside them in 4 films — practically a third lead. They worked with the same 5 people again and again — a small repertory company.
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