Ilayaraja & Rati Agnihotri Movies Together List — 6 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-06-02 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Ilayaraja and Rati Agnihotri appeared together in 6 Tamil films between 1979 and 1981. Their highest-rated collaboration was Niram Maaratha Pookkal (1979 — 7.5/10). Films span Niram Maaratha Pookkal (1979) through Kazhugu (1981).
The Ilayaraja & Rati Agnihotri partnership
Between 1979 and 1981, they barely worked apart — 6 films in 2 years. 1980 was their peak — 3 films in twelve months. Remarkably even — every film rates between 6.5 and 7.5.
From Niram Maaratha Pookkal (1979) to Kazhugu (1981). Kazhugu (1981, 7.5/10) is the underseen one in the catalogue.
The shape of the work
The 1980s account for 67% of everything they made together. The 1970s belonged to Niram Maaratha Pookkal; the 1980s to Kazhugu. Ilayaraja scored every film; Rati Agnihotri acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
6 films across 2 decades
The 1970s brought 2 films together, anchored by Niram Maaratha Pookkal (7.5/10).
The 1980s brought 4 films together, anchored by Kazhugu (7.5/10).
- Niram Maaratha Pookkal
- Puthiya Vaarpugal
- Kazhugu
- Murattu Kaalai
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
6 films across 2 years represents focused partnership.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
After Kazhugu, Ilayaraja kept going for 300 more films; Rati Agnihotri stepped back.
Niram Maaratha Pookkal was Ilayaraja's acting debut.
After Kazhugu, Ilayaraja went on to appear in 300 more films, including Pithamagan (2003) and Merku Thodarchi Malai (2018).
Niram Maaratha Pookkal was Rati Agnihotri's acting debut.
After Kazhugu, Rati Agnihotri went on to appear in 82 more films, including Mashaal (1984) and Rishta Kagaz Ka (1983).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Ilayaraja & Rati Agnihotri's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Rajinikanth is the through-line — cast on 3 of their 6 films. Rajinikanth appears alongside them in 3 films — practically a third lead.
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