35 Films Together
35 films·1980–2006·Top Music Composer: Karthik Raja (1 films)·Top co-star: Senthil (8 films)
Nizhalgal Ravi & Ilayaraja Movies Together List — 35 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-06-03 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Nizhalgal Ravi and Ilayaraja appeared together in 35 Tamil films between 1980 and 2006. Their highest-rated collaboration was Nizhalgal (1980 — 8.5/10). Films span Nizhalgal (1980) through Madhu (2006).
35
Films Together
5.7
Average Rating
1980 - 2006
Career Span
Tamil
Primary Language
Credibility
Career Phase
Active×Active
Long-Term Partnership
The Nizhalgal Ravi & Ilayaraja partnership
Their work runs across 3 decades of Tamil cinema. 1992 was their peak — 4 films in twelve months. For 26 years, a Nizhalgal–Ilayaraja film arrived almost every year.
The work is uneven: Nizhalgal (8.5) at one end, Marupadiyum (3.4) at the other. From Nizhalgal (1980) to Madhu (2006).
The shape of the work
The 1980s belonged to Nizhalgal; the 2000s to Oru Naal Oru Kanavu. Nizhalgal Ravi acted in every film; Ilayaraja scored all of them.
35 films across 3 decades
The 1980s brought 15 films together, anchored by Nizhalgal (8.5/10).
The 1990s brought 16 films together, anchored by En Kitta Mothathey (7.5/10).
The 2000s accounted for 4 films, averaging 5.9/10.
1980s
Films15
Avg Rating5.7/10
Notable:
- Nizhalgal
- Mann Vasanai
Era:
Nizhalgal: ActiveIlayaraja: Active
1990s
Films16
Avg Rating5.6/10
Notable:
- En Kitta Mothathey
- Chinna Vathiyar
Era:
Nizhalgal: ActiveIlayaraja: Active
2000s
Films4
Avg Rating5.9/10
Notable:
- Oru Naal Oru Kanavu
- Madhu
Era:
Nizhalgal: ActiveIlayaraja: Active
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
Duration1980–2006
Span26 years
Avg Interval~1 years
35 films across 26 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Tamil34 films (97%)
Telugu1 film (3%)
Linguistic diversity: 2 languages, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
35% of Nizhalgal Ravi's screen credits are with Ilayaraja. After Madhu, Nizhalgal Ravi kept going for 66 more films; Ilayaraja stepped back.
Nizhalgal Ravi
Nizhalgal was Nizhalgal Ravi's acting debut.
After Madhu, Nizhalgal Ravi went on to appear in 66 more films, including Ratsasan (2018) and Andhadhi (2015).
Ilayaraja
Nizhalgal was Ilayaraja's acting debut.
After Madhu, Ilayaraja went on to appear in 18 more films, including Merku Thodarchi Malai (2018) and Naan Kadavul (2009).
Language
Decade
#1
→#9
→#16
→#19
→#21
→#22
→#29
→#34
N
Nizhalgal
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime VideoSun NXTYouTube
★ 8.5
→#2N
Ninaivellam Nithya
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros NowPrime Video
★ 7.6
→#3M
Mann Vasanai
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros NowPrime VideoYouTube
★ 7.8
→#4Thambikku Entha Ooru
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayPrime VideoYouTube
★ 6.7
→#5Naan Sigappu Manithan
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime VideoYouTube
★ 5.1
→#6Pagal Nilavu
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 3.8
→#7Sri Raghavendra
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros NowPrime VideoYouTube
★ 3.8
→#8D
December Pookal
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
Nayagan
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onApple TV+Prime VideoVi Movies & TV
★ 5.8
→#10O
Ore Oru Gramathiley
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlaySun NXTYouTube
★ 6.0
→#11P
Poovizhi Vasalile
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 3.5
→#12I
Idhu Engal Needhi
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 4.5
→#13Mappillai
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlaySun NXTVi Movies & TV
★ 3.9
→#14P
Pasa Mazhai
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
★ 7.5
→#15T
Thendral Sudum
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
C
Chaitanya
Telugu
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 4.0
→#17En Kitta Mothathey
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 7.5
→#18Amman Kovil Thiruvizha
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Dharma Dorai
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime Video
★ 4.9
→#20A
Agnipaarvai
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Thambi Pondatti
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Singaravelan
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayPlexYouTube
★ 5.1
→#23K
Kalikaalam
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros Now
★ 6.5
→#24Marupadiyum
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayYouTube
★ 3.4
→#25Uzhaippali
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
★ 4.2
→#26Veera
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros NowPrime Video
★ 6.5
→#27P
Priyanka
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onDailymotionYouTube
★ 6.8
→#28Vanaja Girija
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros NowPlexPrime Video
Kattumarakaran
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime VideoYouTube
★ 3.6
→#30Chinna Vathiyar
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 7.5
→#31Kolangal
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
★ 6.8
→#32Bharathi
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 4.8
→#33Aandan Adimai
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream Play
Oru Naal Oru Kanavu
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAhaGoogle Play MoviesPrime Video
★ 6.5
→#35M
Madhu
Tamil
Nizhalgal Ravi · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime Video
★ 6.5
→Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Nizhalgal Ravi & Ilayaraja's professional partnership
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Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
They worked with the same 24 people again and again — a small repertory company. Senthil appears alongside them in 8 films — practically a third lead.
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