Sivakumar & K. Vijayan Movies Together List — 5 Films

The shape of the work

The 1980s account for 60% of everything they made together. The 1970s belonged to Madhana Maaligai; the 1980s to Vandichakkaram. Sivakumar acted in every film; K. Vijayan directed all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.

Partnership facts

• K. Vijayan didn't want to cast Sivakumar in 'Puthu Vellam' (1975). He thought the actor was too 'urban' for the village role. Sivakumar showed up to the office in a lungi and torn shirt, unshaven, and refused to leave until Vijayan gave him a screen test. He got the part.
• On the set of 'Madhana Maaligai' (1976), Sivakumar would deliberately flub his lines in the first take. He knew Vijayan would yell, and that anger would make the director's blocking tighter and funnier. The final comedy scenes in that film are built on that tension.
• The success of 'Vandichakkaram' (1980) directly led to the trend of 'cycle chase' sequences in Tamil action comedies. Every major star wanted one for the next three years. Vijayan and Sivakumar accidentally invented a sub-genre.
• Sivakumar and Vijayan had a standing bet on every film: if the movie ran for 100 days, Vijayan had to cook a full meal for Sivakumar's family. If it flopped, Sivakumar had to wash Vijayan's car for a month. Sivakumar washed the car exactly once — after 'Aani Ver' (1981).