Ilayaraja & Sivaji Ganesan Movies Together — 25 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
About This Collaboration
Ilayaraja & Sivaji Ganesan have worked together on 25 films in Indian cinema. Their collaboration began in 1977 and extends to 1992, representing 15 years of joint work. Working Ilayaraja as Music Composer and Sivaji Ganesan 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 "Dheepam", "Naan Vazhavaippen", "Vetrikku Oruvan" — with "Dheepam" earning a top rating of 7.5/10. Across all their joint films, they maintain an average audience rating of 3.4/10 — an average that reflects a challenging run — several films fell below audience expectations.
Their most productive period was the 1980s, when they delivered 16 films that shaped the era's cinema. The bulk of their work is in Tamil cinema. From "Dheepam" (1977) to "Thevar Magan" (1992), 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
Before Dheepam, Ilayaraja had starred in 6 films, including Bhadrakali (1976) and Kalangalil Aval Vasantham (1976).
After Thevar Magan, Ilayaraja went on to appear in 223 more films, including Mahanadi (1994) and Gaayam (1993).
Before Dheepam, Sivaji Ganesan had starred in 134 films, including Thiruvilaiyadal (1965) and Karnan (1964).
After Thevar Magan, Sivaji Ganesan went on to appear in 7 more films, including Pasumpon (1995) and Once More (1997).
Collaboration DNA
Partnership Pattern
25 films across 15 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Creative Evolution
- Dheepam
- Naan Vazhavaippen
- Nenjangal
- Padikkaatha Pannaiyar
- Thevar Magan
- Naangal0
This duo's 25-film partnership spans 3 decades of Indian cinema, with their most productive period being the 1980s when they delivered 16 films that defined the era.













Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Ilayaraja & Sivaji Ganesan's professional partnership
Shared Crew
People who worked on Ilayaraja & Sivaji Ganesan's films together
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