Vijayakanth & Sarath Babu Movies Together List — 4 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-06-05 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Vijayakanth and Sarath Babu appeared together in 4 Tamil films between 1986 and 2006. Their highest-rated collaboration was Gajendra (2004 — 5.8/10). Films span Manakanakku (1986) through Perarasu (2006).
The Vijayakanth & Sarath Babu partnership
After 14 years apart, they came back together for Gajendra (2004). They didn't share a set between 1990 and 2004. They saved their best for last — Gajendra (5.8/10) came 18 years in.
Their work runs across 3 decades of Tamil cinema. From Manakanakku (1986) to Perarasu (2006).
The shape of the work
The 1980s belonged to Manakanakku; the 2000s to Gajendra. Vijayakanth acted in every film; Sarath Babu acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- They first shared screen space in Manakanakku (1986) because director S. A. Chandrasekhar needed a calm, mature presence to balance Vijayakanth's raw energy. Sarath Babu was brought in specifically to play the composed older brother — a role that almost went to a different actor until Chandrasekhar saw Sarath Babu's work in Telugu.
- In Santhana Kaatru (1990), Vijayakanth played the loud, impulsive hero while Sarath Babu anchored every scene with quiet restraint. The trick was simple: Vijayakanth would raise his voice, Sarath Babu would lower his — and the tension wrote itself.
- Sarath Babu once said in an interview that Vijayakanth never called him by his name on set — only 'Anna' (elder brother). That respect carried off-screen too: when Sarath Babu faced a health scare in the early 2000s, Vijayakanth was the first actor to visit him in the hospital.
- Their pairing in Gajendra (2004) directly inspired director R. K. Selvamani to cast them again in Perarasu (2006) — but this time swapping their usual dynamic. Vijayakanth played the softer role, Sarath Babu the antagonist. It was the only film where they faced each other as enemies.
- Sarath Babu once told a fan magazine: 'Vijayakanth doesn't act with you — he fights with you on screen. That fight makes you a better actor. I learned to react, not just deliver lines.'
4 films across 3 decades
The 1980s accounted for 1 film, averaging 3.4/10.
The 1990s accounted for 1 film, averaging 3.4/10.
The 2000s accounted for 2 films, averaging 5.2/10.
- Manakanakku
- Santhana Kaatru
- Gajendra
- Perarasu
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
4 films across 20 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
By the time of Manakanakku, both already had careers — Vijayakanth with 50 films, Sarath Babu with 33.
Before Manakanakku, Vijayakanth had starred in 50 films, including Parvayin Marupakkam (1982) and Nalla Naal (1984).
After Perarasu, Vijayakanth went on to appear in 8 more films, including Sabari (2007) and Mariyadhai (2009).
Before Manakanakku, Sarath Babu had starred in 33 films, including Nenjathai Killadhe (1980) and Mullum Malarum (1978).
After Perarasu, Sarath Babu went on to appear in 16 more films, including Shirdi Sai (2012) and Por Thozhil (2023).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Vijayakanth & Sarath Babu's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Vinu Chakravarthy is the through-line — cast on 2 of their 4 films.
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