59 Films Together
59 films·1977–1994·Top Music Composer: Karthik Raja (2 films)·Top co-star: Thengai Srinivasan (17 films)
Rajinikanth & Ilayaraja Movies Together List — 59 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-07-13 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Rajinikanth and Ilayaraja appeared together in 59 Tamil films between 1977 and 1994. Their highest-rated collaboration was Padhinaru Vayadhiniley (1977 — 8.4/10). Films span Gaayathri (1977) through Veera (1994).
59
Films Together
6.2
Average Rating
1977 - 1994
Career Span
Tamil
Primary Language
Credibility
Career Phase
Active×Active
Long-Term Partnership
The Rajinikanth & Ilayaraja partnership
Their work runs across 3 decades of Tamil cinema. 1979 was their peak — 6 films in twelve months. For 17 years, a Rajinikanth–Ilayaraja film arrived almost every year.
From Gaayathri (1977) to Veera (1994). Aval Appadithan (1978, 8.1/10) is the underseen one in the catalogue.
The shape of the work
The 1970s belonged to Padhinaru Vayadhiniley; the 1990s to Veera. Rajinikanth acted in every film; Ilayaraja scored all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
59 films across 3 decades
The 1970s brought 15 films together, anchored by Padhinaru Vayadhiniley (8.4/10).
The 1980s brought 34 films together, anchored by Nallavanuku Nallavan (7.8/10).
The 1990s accounted for 10 films, averaging 4.7/10.
1970s
Films15
Avg Rating7.7/10
Notable:
- Padhinaru Vayadhiniley
- Mullum Malarum
Era:
Rajinikanth: ActiveIlayaraja: Active
1980s
Films34
Avg Rating6.0/10
Notable:
- Nallavanuku Nallavan
- Johnny
Era:
Rajinikanth: ActiveIlayaraja: Active
1990s
Films10
Avg Rating4.7/10
Notable:
- Veera
- Mannan
Era:
Rajinikanth: ActiveIlayaraja: Active
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
Duration1977–1994
Span17 years
59 films across 17 years represents focused partnership.
Language Distribution
Tamil59 films (100%)
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
66% of Rajinikanth's screen credits are with Ilayaraja. After Veera, Ilayaraja kept going for 118 more films; Rajinikanth stepped back.
Rajinikanth
Before Gaayathri, Rajinikanth had starred in 2 films, including Apoorva Raagangal (1975) and Moondru Mudichu (1976).
After Veera, Rajinikanth went on to appear in 28 more films, including Robot (2010) and Petta (2019).
Ilayaraja
Gaayathri was Ilayaraja's acting debut.
After Veera, Ilayaraja went on to appear in 118 more films, including Pithamagan (2003) and Merku Thodarchi Malai (2018).
Decade
#1→#2→#4
→#6
→#20
→#22
→#25
→#28
G
Gaayathri
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
K
Kavikkuyil
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onEros NowYouTube
★ 7.5
→#3B
Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
Padhinaru Vayadhiniley
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 8.4
→#5Bairavi
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
Mullum Malarum
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime Video
★ 8.3
→#7Aval Appadithan
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
★ 8.1
→#8Priya
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime VideoYouTube
★ 7.8
→#9I
Ilamai Oonjal Aadukirathu
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayYouTube
★ 7.6
→#10K
Kuppathu Raja
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime VideoYouTube
★ 6.8
→#11Thaayillamal Naan Illai
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 7.5
→#12Dharma Yuddham
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onApple TV+Prime VideoYouTube
★ 7.5
→#13Naan Vazhavaippen
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayYouTube
★ 7.5
→#14Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayYouTube
★ 8.3
→#15A
Annai Oru Aalayam
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros NowHungama PlayPlexYouTube
★ 7.5
→#16A
Anbukku Naan Adimai
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime VideoYouTubeYuppTV
★ 6.5
→#17Johnny
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onHungama PlayPrime VideoYouTube
★ 7.5
→#18K
Kaali
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
★ 7.3
→#19E
Ellam Un Kairasi
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Murattu Kaalai
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAhaPrime Video
★ 7.4
→#21N
Naan Potta Savaal
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
K
Kazhugu
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 7.5
→#23G
Garjanai
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 7.5
→#24Netri Kann
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime VideoYouTube
Thanikattu Raja
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
★ 6.5
→#26Puthukavithai
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayYouTube
★ 7.5
→#27Enkeyo Ketta Kural
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayPrime VideoYouTube
Moondru Mugam
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 7.5
→#29Paayum Puli
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPlexPrime VideoYouTube
★ 6.5
→#30Adutha Varisu
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 6.5
→#31Thanga Magan
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 6.5
→#32Naan Mahaan Alla
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros NowGoogle Play Movies
★ 7.5
→#33Thambikku Entha Ooru
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayPrime VideoYouTube
★ 6.7
→#34Kai Kodukkum Kai
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 6.8
→#35Anbulla Rajinikanth
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros NowYouTube
★ 6.7
→#36Nallavanuku Nallavan
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime Video
★ 7.8
→#37Naan Sigappu Manithan
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime VideoYouTube
★ 5.1
→#38Un Kannil Neer Vazhindal
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayYouTube
★ 4.2
→#39Sri Raghavendra
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros NowPrime VideoYouTube
★ 3.8
→#40Padikkadavan
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime Video
★ 5.0
→#41Mr. Bharath
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onGoogle Play MoviesPrime VideoYouTube
★ 4.2
→#42Maaveeran
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime Video
★ 4.5
→#43Velaikaran
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros NowPrime VideoYouTube
★ 4.9
→#44Guru Sishyan
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayApple TV+Eros NowPrime VideoYouTube
★ 5.2
→#45Dharmathin Thalaivan
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayApple TV+Eros NowPlexPrime Video
★ 5.3
→#46Rajadhi Raja
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime Video
★ 5.1
→#47Siva
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayShemarooMeVi Movies & TVZEE5
★ 4.3
→#48Raja Chinna Roja
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onJioHotstarPrime Video
★ 5.1
→#49Mappillai
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlaySun NXTVi Movies & TV
★ 3.9
→#50Panakkaran
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 4.2
→#51Athisaya Piravi
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime VideoYouTube
★ 4.1
→#52Dharma Dorai
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime Video
★ 4.9
→#53Thalapathi
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayManoramaMAXPrime Video
★ 5.4
→#54Mannan
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros NowPrime Video
★ 5.6
→#55Pandiyan
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayPrime VideoYouTube
★ 4.1
→#56Ejamaan
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayJioHotstarPrime Video
★ 4.4
→#57Uzhaippali
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
★ 4.2
→#58V
Valli
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
★ 3.8
→#59Veera
Tamil
Rajinikanth · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros NowPrime Video
★ 6.5
→Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Rajinikanth & Ilayaraja's professional partnership
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51
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
They worked with the same 47 people again and again — a small repertory company. Thengai Srinivasan appears alongside them in 17 films — practically a third lead.
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Other iconic Tamil director-actor duos
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