Ajith Kumar & Ramesh Khanna Movies Together List — 10 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-06-04 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Ajith Kumar and Ramesh Khanna appeared together in 10 Tamil films between 1998 and 2014. Their highest-rated collaboration was Thodarum (1999 — 6.8/10). Films span Kadhal Mannan (1998) through Veeram (2014).
The Ajith Kumar & Ramesh Khanna partnership
After 8 years apart, they came back together for Veeram (2014). Their work runs across 3 decades of Tamil cinema. They didn't share a set between 2006 and 2014.
From Kadhal Mannan (1998) to Veeram (2014). It started with Kadhal Mannan (1998).
The shape of the work
The 1990s belonged to Thodarum; the 2010s to Veeram. Ajith Kumar acted in every film; Ramesh Khanna acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- In Veeram (2014), Ajith's character Vinayagam's iconic line 'Naan oru thadavai sonna, nooru thadavai sonna madhiri' was actually improvised on set by Ramesh Khanna, who co-wrote the dialogue. Fans still chant it at screenings.
- Thodarum (1999) was the first film where Ajith played a negative role with shades of grey, and Ramesh Khanna wrote the screenplay. That performance changed how Tamil audiences saw Ajith — no longer just a romantic hero.
- Attagasam (2004) was the only film in their collaboration where Ramesh Khanna acted alongside Ajith as a supporting character — he played the comic sidekick 'Kovai' in the same frame for over 20 minutes of screen time.
- Ramesh Khanna once said in an interview: 'Ajith sir never asked me to change a single line I wrote for him. He trusted my comedy timing even when I was just a writer.'
- The scene in Unnai Kodu Ennai Tharuven (2000) where Ajith's character breaks into a dance at a temple festival was choreographed by Ramesh Khanna himself — he stepped in when the original choreographer quit mid-shoot.
- Nee Varuvai Ena (1999) marked the only time Ramesh Khanna wrote a full-length romantic drama for Ajith — and it flopped hard. After that, they never attempted a pure love story again, sticking to action-comedy or family masala.
10 films across 3 decades
The 1990s accounted for 4 films, averaging 5.3/10.
The 2000s accounted for 5 films, averaging 5.7/10.
The 2010s accounted for 1 film, averaging 5.9/10.
- Thodarum
- Nee Varuvai Ena
- Varalaru
- Anjaneya
- Veeram
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
10 films across 16 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
45% of Ramesh Khanna's screen credits are with Ajith Kumar.
Before Kadhal Mannan, Ajith Kumar had starred in 16 films, including Ullaasam (1997) and Kadhal Kottai (1996).
After Veeram, Ajith Kumar went on to appear in 11 more films, including Nerkonda Paarvai (2019) and Yennai Arindhaal (2015).
Before Kadhal Mannan, Ramesh Khanna had starred in 2 films, including Aan Paavam (1985) and Kakka Kadi (1989).
After Veeram, Ramesh Khanna went on to appear in 10 more films, including Kanne Kalaimaane (2019) and Aval Peyar Rajni (2023).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Ajith Kumar & Ramesh Khanna's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Manivannan appears alongside them in 3 films — practically a third lead. S. A. Rajkumar scored 3 of them.
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