Ilayaraja & Murali Movies Together List — 23 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Ilayaraja and Murali appeared together in 23 Tamil films between 1984 and 1998. Their highest-rated collaboration was Ninaivu Chinnam (1989 — 8.0/10). Films span Ingeyum Oru Gangai (1984) through Desiya Geetham (1998).
The Ilayaraja & Murali partnership
1992 was their peak — 3 films in twelve months. For 14 years, a Ilayaraja–Murali film arrived almost every year. The work is uneven: Ninaivu Chinnam (8.0) at one end, Chinna Pasanga Nanga (2.6) at the other.
From Ingeyum Oru Gangai (1984) to Desiya Geetham (1998). Thanga Manasukkaran (1992, 7.5/10) is the underseen one in the catalogue.
The shape of the work
The 1990s account for 61% of everything they made together. The 1980s belonged to Ninaivu Chinnam; the 1990s to Sami Potta Mudichu. Ilayaraja scored every film; Murali acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
23 films across 2 decades
The 1980s brought 9 films together, anchored by Ninaivu Chinnam (8.0/10).
The 1990s brought 14 films together, anchored by Sami Potta Mudichu (7.5/10).
- Ninaivu Chinnam
- Poovilangu
- Sami Potta Mudichu
- Thanga Manasukkaran
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
23 films across 14 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
44% of Murali's screen credits are with Ilayaraja. After Desiya Geetham, Ilayaraja kept going for 66 more films; Murali stepped back.
Ingeyum Oru Gangai was Ilayaraja's acting debut.
After Desiya Geetham, Ilayaraja went on to appear in 66 more films, including Pithamagan (2003) and Merku Thodarchi Malai (2018).
Ingeyum Oru Gangai was Murali's acting debut.
After Desiya Geetham, Murali went on to appear in 29 more films, including Raam (2005) and Baana Kaathadi (2010).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Ilayaraja & Murali's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
They worked with the same 9 people again and again — a small repertory company. Vijayakumar appears alongside them in 6 films — practically a third lead.
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