Rajinikanth & Kader Khan Movies Together List — 7 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-07-16 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Rajinikanth and Kader Khan appeared together in 7 Hindi films between 1984 and 1991. Their highest-rated collaboration was Hum (1991 — 6.0/10). Films span Meri Adalat (1984) through Khoon Ka Karz (1991).
The Rajinikanth & Kader Khan partnership
Between 1984 and 1991, they barely worked apart — 7 films in 7 years. For 7 years, a Rajinikanth–Kader film arrived almost every year. They saved their best for last — Hum (6.0/10) came 7 years in.
From Meri Adalat (1984) to Khoon Ka Karz (1991). The played out closed with Khoon Ka Karz in 1991.
The shape of the work
The 1980s account for 71% of everything they made together. The 1980s belonged to ChaalBaaz; the 1990s to Hum. Rajinikanth acted in every film; Kader Khan acted in all of them. Strictly Hindi cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- Rajinikanth was already a superstar in Tamil when he signed 'Meri Adalat' (1984). Kader Khan was the one who insisted on casting him for the Hindi market. The director wasn't sure a South Indian hero could pull off a Hindi courtroom drama. Kader Khan personally rewrote some of his own lines to make Rajinikanth's Hindi delivery sound natural.
- In 'Wafadaar' (1985), Kader Khan played the villain opposite Rajinikanth's hero. But on set, Khan would quietly pull Rajinikanth aside between takes and teach him how to time a punchline in Hindi. Rajinikanth later said Khan was the only co-star who ever gave him acting notes without making it feel like a lecture.
- After 'Khoon Ka Karz' (1991) flopped, Rajinikanth stopped doing Hindi films for years. But he and Kader Khan stayed in touch. Khan would call Rajinikanth every Diwali. Rajinikanth once flew Khan to Chennai for a private dinner when Khan was ill in the late 2000s. No cameras, no press.
- Kader Khan said in a 2003 interview: 'Rajini is a genius. But in Hindi, he needed a shield. I became that shield. I told him, just look at my eyes during the scene — I will carry the language for both of us.'
7 films across 2 decades
The 1980s accounted for 5 films, averaging 5.2/10.
The 1990s accounted for 2 films, averaging 5.0/10.
- ChaalBaaz
- Meri Adalat
- Hum
- Khoon Ka Karz
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
7 films across 7 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Hindi being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
When they first worked together, Rajinikanth had 67 films behind them; Kader Khan had 30. After Khoon Ka Karz, Kader Khan kept going for 100 more films; Rajinikanth stepped back.
Before Meri Adalat, Rajinikanth had starred in 67 films, including Padhinaru Vayadhiniley (1977) and Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai (1979).
After Khoon Ka Karz, Rajinikanth went on to appear in 37 more films, including Robot (2010) and Petta (2019).
Before Meri Adalat, Kader Khan had starred in 30 films, including Kaalia (1981) and Qurbani (1980).
After Khoon Ka Karz, Kader Khan went on to appear in 100 more films, including Sooryavansham (1999) and Raja Babu (1994).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Rajinikanth & Kader Khan's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Shakti Kapoor is the through-line — cast on 4 of their 7 films. Shakti Kapoor appears alongside them in 4 films — practically a third lead.
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