Sivaji Ganesan & K.S. Prakash Rao Movies Together List — 4 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-06-05 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Sivaji Ganesan and K.S. Prakash Rao appeared together in 4 Tamil films between 1968 and 1982. Their highest-rated collaboration was Avan Oru Sarithiram (1976 — 7.5/10). Films span Harichandra (1968) through Garuda Saukiyama (1982).
The Sivaji Ganesan & K.S. Prakash Rao partnership
Their work runs across 3 decades of Tamil cinema. From Harichandra (1968) to Garuda Saukiyama (1982). Avan Oru Sarithiram is the one most viewers reach for.
The unfolded closed with Garuda Saukiyama in 1982. It started with Harichandra (1968).
The shape of the work
The 1960s belonged to Harichandra; the 1980s to Garuda Saukiyama. Sivaji Ganesan acted in every film; K.S. Prakash Rao directed all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- Prakash Rao was a Telugu director who barely spoke Tamil. Sivaji Ganesan insisted on working with him anyway after seeing his Telugu hit 'Bhakta Prahlada'. For 'Harichandra' (1968), Sivaji personally translated every dialogue into Tamil for the crew during shoots.
- On 'Vasantha Maligai' (1972), Prakash Rao let Sivaji rewrite his own lines on set. Sivaji would pace around, mutter the script, then deliver a version that was punchier. Rao never said no — he just adjusted the camera to match Sivaji's new rhythm.
- Their 1976 film 'Avan Oru Sarithiram' directly inspired the 1980s trend of 'anti-hero with a heart' in Tamil cinema. Rajinikanth later said in an interview that he studied Sivaji's performance in this film to build his own 'Baasha' character.
- Prakash Rao and Sivaji had a standing ritual: before every film's first shot, Rao would hand Sivaji a fresh jasmine garland. Sivaji would wear it for the first scene, then pass it to the makeup man. They did this for all four films, without ever discussing it.
- Sivaji once told a magazine: 'Prakash Rao never directed me. He just placed the camera where my eyes wanted to go.' He said this at a 1982 press meet for 'Garuda Saukiyama'.
4 films across 3 decades
The 1960s accounted for 1 film.
The 1970s brought 2 films together, anchored by Avan Oru Sarithiram (7.5/10).
The 1980s accounted for 1 film.
- Harichandra0
- Avan Oru Sarithiram
- Vasantha Maligai0
- Garuda Saukiyama0
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
4 films across 14 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
36% of K.S. Prakash Rao's screen credits are with Sivaji Ganesan. When they first worked together, Sivaji Ganesan had 63 films behind them; K.S. Prakash Rao had 0. After Garuda Saukiyama, Sivaji Ganesan kept going for 54 more films; K.S. Prakash Rao stepped back.
Before Harichandra, Sivaji Ganesan had starred in 63 films, including Thiruvilaiyadal (1965) and Karnan (1964).
After Garuda Saukiyama, Sivaji Ganesan went on to appear in 54 more films, including Sandhippu (1983) and Iru Medhaigal (1984).
Harichandra was K.S. Prakash Rao's directorial debut.
After Garuda Saukiyama, K.S. Prakash Rao went on to direct 7 more films, including Hero No. 1 (1997) and Mr. Bechara (1996).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Sivaji Ganesan & K.S. Prakash Rao's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Major Sundarrajan is the through-line — cast on 2 of their 4 films.
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