Ilayaraja & V. Gopalakrishnan Movies Together List — 14 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Ilayaraja and V. Gopalakrishnan appeared together in 14 Tamil films between 1979 and 1997. Their highest-rated collaboration was Ninaivellam Nithya (1982 — 7.6/10). Films span Dharma Yuddham (1979) through Kadavul (1997).
The Ilayaraja & V. Gopalakrishnan partnership
After 10 years apart, they came back together for Kadavul (1997). They didn't share a set between 1987 and 1997. 1985 was their peak — 3 films in twelve months.
Their work runs across 3 decades of Tamil cinema. For 18 years, a Ilayaraja–V. film arrived almost every year.
The shape of the work
The 1980s account for 86% of everything they made together. The 1970s belonged to Dharma Yuddham; the 1990s to Kadavul. Ilayaraja scored every film; V. Gopalakrishnan acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
14 films across 3 decades
The 1970s brought 1 film together, anchored by Dharma Yuddham (7.5/10).
The 1980s brought 12 films together, anchored by Ninaivellam Nithya (7.6/10).
The 1990s accounted for 1 film, averaging 6.6/10.
- Dharma Yuddham
- Ninaivellam Nithya
- Johnny
- Kadavul
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
14 films across 18 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
47% of V. Gopalakrishnan's screen credits are with Ilayaraja. After Kadavul, Ilayaraja kept going for 79 more films; V. Gopalakrishnan stepped back.
Dharma Yuddham was Ilayaraja's acting debut.
After Kadavul, Ilayaraja went on to appear in 79 more films, including Pithamagan (2003) and Merku Thodarchi Malai (2018).
Before Dharma Yuddham, V. Gopalakrishnan had starred in 16 films, including Ulagam Sutrum Valiban (1973) and Velli Vizha (1972).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Ilayaraja & V. Gopalakrishnan's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Thengai Srinivasan appears alongside them in 6 films — practically a third lead. They worked with the same 6 people again and again — a small repertory company.
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Other iconic Tamil director-actor duos
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