Ilayaraja & Pushpalatha Movies Together List — 4 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-07-15 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Ilayaraja and Pushpalatha appeared together in 4 Tamil films between 1979 and 1982. Their highest-rated collaboration was Dharma Yuddham (1979 — 7.5/10). Films span Dharma Yuddham (1979) through Sakalakala Vallavan (1982).
The Ilayaraja & Pushpalatha partnership
Between 1979 and 1982, they barely worked apart — 4 films in 3 years. 1979 was their peak — 3 films in twelve months. Remarkably even — every film rates between 6.5 and 7.5.
From Dharma Yuddham (1979) to Sakalakala Vallavan (1982). Pagalil Oru Iravu (1979, 7.5/10) is the underseen one in the catalogue.
The shape of the work
The 1970s account for 75% of everything they made together. The 1970s belonged to Dharma Yuddham; the 1980s to Sakalakala Vallavan. Ilayaraja scored every film; Pushpalatha acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
4 films across 2 decades
The 1970s brought 3 films together, anchored by Dharma Yuddham (7.5/10).
The 1980s accounted for 1 film, averaging 6.5/10.
- Dharma Yuddham
- Vetrikku Oruvan
- Sakalakala Vallavan
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
4 films across 3 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
After Sakalakala Vallavan, Ilayaraja kept going for 300 more films; Pushpalatha stepped back.
Dharma Yuddham was Ilayaraja's acting debut.
After Sakalakala Vallavan, Ilayaraja went on to appear in 300 more films, including Pithamagan (2003) and Merku Thodarchi Malai (2018).
Before Dharma Yuddham, Pushpalatha had starred in 21 films, including Urimai Kural (1973) and Pazhani (1965).
After Sakalakala Vallavan, Pushpalatha went on to appear in 6 more films, including Dowry Kalyanam (1983) and Kashmir Kadhali (1983).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Ilayaraja & Pushpalatha's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Major Sundarrajan is the through-line — cast on 3 of their 4 films. Major Sundarrajan appears alongside them in 3 films — practically a third lead.
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Other iconic Tamil director-actor duos
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