M. N. Nambiar & Sivaji Ganesan Movies Together List — 24 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-07-15 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
M. N. Nambiar and Sivaji Ganesan appeared together in 24 Tamil films between 1961 and 1987. Their highest-rated collaboration was Pasamalar (1961 — 8.5/10). Films span Pasamalar (1961) through Jallikattu (1987).
The M. N. Nambiar & Sivaji Ganesan partnership
Their work runs across 3 decades of Tamil cinema. 1984 was their peak — 4 films in twelve months. For 26 years, a M.–Sivaji film arrived almost every year.
From Pasamalar (1961) to Jallikattu (1987). Thirisoolam (1979, 7.5/10) is the underseen one in the catalogue.
The shape of the work
The 1960s belonged to Pasamalar; the 1980s to Sandhippu. M. N. Nambiar acted in every film; Sivaji Ganesan acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- Their first film together, Harichandra (1968), almost didn't happen. Director T. R. Raghunath wanted a different actor for the role of the villain, but Sivaji Ganesan personally insisted on Nambiar, saying only he could bring the right menace to the character.
- On the set of Deiva Magan (1969), Nambiar would deliberately slow down his dialogue delivery to match Sivaji's rhythmic style. Sivaji later admitted that Nambiar's controlled pauses made him raise his own intensity — a push-pull that made their confrontations electric.
- Off-screen, Nambiar was the only co-star Sivaji called 'Anna' (elder brother), despite Nambiar being younger. They shared a ritual before every scene: a quick handshake and a whispered 'Namma rendu perum' (we two together).
- Their 1979 film Thirisoolam directly inspired the 1990 blockbuster 'Pudhu Vasantham' — director Mani Ratnam has said he studied the way Nambiar and Sivaji traded silences in that film to craft his own father-son conflict scenes.
- Sivaji Ganesan once said about Nambiar: 'He never let me act alone. Even when he stood behind me in a frame, his eyes were acting — and I had to work twice as hard to match him.'
- In Rajapart Rangadurai (1973), Nambiar improvised a scene where he laughs while crying — a trick he learned from watching Sivaji do the reverse in earlier films. Sivaji was so impressed he asked the director to keep the take.
24 films across 3 decades
The 1960s brought 5 films together, anchored by Pasamalar (8.5/10).
The 1970s brought 9 films together, anchored by Rajaraja Cholan (7.5/10).
The 1980s brought 10 films together, anchored by Sandhippu (7.5/10).
- Pasamalar
- Deiva Magan
- Rajaraja Cholan
- Thirisoolam
- Sandhippu
- Iru Medhaigal
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
24 films across 26 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
38% of M. N. Nambiar's screen credits are with Sivaji Ganesan. After Jallikattu, M. N. Nambiar kept going for 37 more films; Sivaji Ganesan stepped back.
Before Pasamalar, M. N. Nambiar had starred in 3 films, including Baghdad Thirudan (1960) and Ellorum Innaattu Mannar (1960).
After Jallikattu, M. N. Nambiar went on to appear in 37 more films, including Thanga Manasukkaran (1992) and Enga Ooru Kavalkaran (1988).
Before Pasamalar, Sivaji Ganesan had starred in 8 films, including Padikkadha Medhai (1960) and Irumbu Thirai (1960).
After Jallikattu, Sivaji Ganesan went on to appear in 14 more films, including Mudhal Kural (1992) and Puthiya Vaanam (1988).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of M. N. Nambiar & Sivaji Ganesan's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
M. S. Viswanathan is the through-line — music on 15 of their 24 films. M. S. Viswanathan scored 15 of them. They worked with the same 17 people again and again — a small repertory company.
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