Nizhalgal Ravi & Senthil Movies Together List — 17 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-06-02 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Nizhalgal Ravi and Senthil appeared together in 17 Tamil films between 1985 and 2003. Their highest-rated collaboration was Indian (1996 — 8.2/10). Films span Yaar (1985) through Military (2003).
The Nizhalgal Ravi & Senthil partnership
Their work runs across 3 decades of Tamil cinema. 1985 was their peak — 3 films in twelve months. For 18 years, a Nizhalgal–Senthil film arrived almost every year.
From Yaar (1985) to Military (2003). Piriyadha Varam Vendum (2001, 7.5/10) is the underseen one in the catalogue.
The shape of the work
The 1980s belonged to Ore Oru Gramathiley; the 2000s to Piriyadha Varam Vendum. Nizhalgal Ravi acted in every film; Senthil acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- Their first film together, Yaar (1985), was a low-budget thriller where both were relative newcomers. Ravi was a struggling stage actor; Senthil was a comedian trying to break out of bit roles. The director paired them because neither could demand a big salary.
- In Veera (1994), Senthil's comic timing forced Ravi to play the straight man harder. Ravi later said Senthil's ad-libs made him stay in character longer, because if he broke, the scene would collapse.
- Their 1996 film Indian (directed by S. Shankar) was originally written without a comic sidekick for Ravi's character. Senthil was brought in last minute to lighten the tone. The resulting scenes — especially the bus sequence — became so popular that Shankar later wrote comic relief roles specifically for Senthil in his next films.
- On the sets of Dharma Dorai (1991), Ravi and Senthil shared a room in a small lodge near the shooting spot. They would rehearse dialogues at night, often rewriting scenes on hotel napkins. Senthil later said those nights taught him how to pace a comedy beat.
- In Piriyadha Varam Vendum (2001), their last major hit together, Ravi played a serious father while Senthil played his comic friend. The director said Ravi deliberately underacted in their shared scenes so Senthil's energy would pop more. Ravi told the crew: 'Let him carry the scene. I'll just react.'
17 films across 3 decades
The 1980s accounted for 8 films, averaging 4.8/10.
The 1990s brought 7 films together, anchored by Indian (8.2/10).
The 2000s brought 2 films together, anchored by Piriyadha Varam Vendum (7.5/10).
- Ore Oru Gramathiley
- Yaar
- Indian
- Chinna Vathiyar
- Piriyadha Varam Vendum
- Military0
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
17 films across 18 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
38% of Senthil's screen credits are with Nizhalgal Ravi. After Military, Nizhalgal Ravi kept going for 75 more films; Senthil stepped back.
Before Yaar, Nizhalgal Ravi had starred in 6 films, including Nizhalgal (1980) and Mann Vasanai (1983).
After Military, Nizhalgal Ravi went on to appear in 75 more films, including Ratsasan (2018) and Andhadhi (2015).
Before Yaar, Senthil had starred in 11 films, including Nalla Naal (1984) and Pasi (1979).
After Military, Senthil went on to appear in 17 more films, including Kanne Kalaimaane (2019) and Kick (2023).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Nizhalgal Ravi & Senthil's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Ilayaraja scored 8 of them. They worked with the same 14 people again and again — a small repertory company. Manivannan appears alongside them in 4 films — practically a third lead.
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Other iconic Tamil director-actor duos
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