Ilayaraja & M. N. Nambiar Movies Together — 26 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
About This Collaboration
Ilayaraja & M. N. Nambiar have worked together on 26 films in Indian cinema. Their collaboration began in 1979 and extends to 2007, representing 28 years of joint work. Working Ilayaraja as Music Composer and M. N. Nambiar as Actor, their pairing brought together complementary creative strengths that carved out a distinctive niche despite uneven audience reception.
Among their most acclaimed works are "Vetrikku Oruvan", "Garjanai", "Thooral Ninnu Pochchu" — with "Vetrikku Oruvan" earning a top rating of 7.5/10. Across all their joint films, they maintain an average audience rating of 4.7/10 — an average that reflects a challenging run — several films fell below audience expectations.
Their most productive period was the 1980s, when they delivered 13 films that shaped the era's cinema. The bulk of their work is in Tamil cinema. From "Vetrikku Oruvan" (1979) to "Kuttrapathirikai" (2007), their partnership has evolved through shifting industry landscapes while maintaining its artistic core.
This page brings together their complete joint filmography, a year-by-year timeline of the partnership, the extended network of directors, actors, and crew they shared across projects, and a curated list of similar creative pairings you may want to explore.
Career Context
Vetrikku Oruvan was Ilayaraja's acting debut.
After Kuttrapathirikai, Ilayaraja went on to appear in 15 more films, including Merku Thodarchi Malai (2018) and Naan Kadavul (2009).
Before Vetrikku Oruvan, M. N. Nambiar had starred in 60 films, including Pasamalar (1961) and Deiva Magan (1969).
Collaboration DNA
Partnership Pattern
26 films across 28 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Creative Evolution
- Vetrikku Oruvan
- Garjanai
- Thooral Ninnu Pochchu
- Thanga Manasukkaran
- Sakkarai Devan
- Kuttrapathirikai
This duo's 26-film partnership spans 4 decades of Indian cinema, with their most productive period being the 1980s when they delivered 13 films that defined the era.















Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Ilayaraja & M. N. Nambiar's professional partnership
Shared Crew
People who worked on Ilayaraja & M. N. Nambiar's films together
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