Rajinikanth & Poornam Viswanathan Movies Together List — 7 Films

The shape of the work

The 1980s account for 86% of everything they made together. The 1970s belonged to Naan Vazhavaippen; the 1980s to Thillu Mullu. Rajinikanth acted in every film; Poornam Viswanathan acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.

Partnership facts

• Rajinikanth was already a star when they first shot Naan Vazhavaippen (1979), but Poornam Viswanathan was a veteran character actor who had been in the industry since the 1950s. The director paired them specifically to give Rajini a strong, father-figure foil — something his earlier films lacked.
• In Moondru Mugam (1982), Rajinikanth played a triple role — but the emotional anchor of the film was his scenes with Viswanathan. Viswanathan’s measured, understated delivery forced Rajini to dial down his usual flamboyance, creating a quieter, more vulnerable performance that critics still call his most restrained.
• Kai Kodukkum Kai (1984) was the first Tamil film where Rajinikanth played a blind man. Viswanathan played his caretaker. That film directly inspired the 2005 Hindi blockbuster Black — though Sanjay Leela Bhansali never officially credited it.
• Viswanathan was a strict vegetarian and teetotaller. On the sets of Un Kannil Neer Vazhindal (1985), he would personally pack extra idlis for Rajinikanth, who was then known for his heavy drinking. Rajini later said those idlis were the only thing that got him through the morning shoots.
• "He never treated me like a junior. He would sit with me between shots and ask, 'Viswanathan sir, is this line working?' That humility is why I did four films with him." — Poornam Viswanathan, in a 1998 interview with Ananda Vikatan.