Sivaji Ganesan & Ganthimathi Movies Together List — 6 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-07-13 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Sivaji Ganesan and Ganthimathi appeared together in 6 Tamil films between 1973 and 1992. Their highest-rated collaboration was Rajaraja Cholan (1973 — 7.5/10). Films span Rajaraja Cholan (1973) through Thevar Magan (1992).
The Sivaji Ganesan & Ganthimathi partnership
After 10 years apart, they came back together for Tharaasu (1984). They didn't share a set between 1974 and 1984. Their work runs across 3 decades of Tamil cinema.
Remarkably even — every film rates between 6.2 and 7.5. From Rajaraja Cholan (1973) to Thevar Magan (1992).
The shape of the work
The 1970s belonged to Rajaraja Cholan; the 1990s to Thevar Magan. Sivaji Ganesan acted in every film; Ganthimathi acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- For Rajaraja Cholan (1973), director A. P. Nagarajan was set to cast someone else as the lead. Sivaji Ganesan personally insisted on Ganthimathi playing the queen — he had seen her stage work and believed only she could match his intensity in the court scenes.
- In Vani Rani (1974), Ganthimathi played a double role opposite Sivaji. He deliberately slowed his dialogue delivery in scenes with her — he told the crew she needed space to land her lines with full weight. That film became a rare example of a male star adjusting his rhythm for a co-star.
- Thevar Magan (1992) was their last film together. It directly inspired Kamal Haasan to make Virumaandi (2004) — he has said in interviews that watching Sivaji and Ganthimathi's mother-son dynamic in that film made him want to explore the same raw family conflict.
- On the sets of Tharaasu (1984), Ganthimathi would bring homemade snacks for Sivaji every single day. He called her 'amma' (mother) off-camera too — even though she was younger than him. The crew said they never saw him accept food from any other co-star.
- Ganthimathi once said in a 1995 interview: 'Sivaji sir never treated me like a supporting actress. He would stand with me during rehearsals until I got the scene right — even if it took an hour. That's why I gave my best in every film with him.'
- In Mannukkul Vairam (1986), Sivaji played a father and Ganthimathi played his wife. He insisted on a scene where she slaps him — unheard of for a male superstar then. He told the director: 'If she doesn't hit me hard, the audience won't believe her anger.' She did it in one take.
6 films across 3 decades
The 1970s brought 3 films together, anchored by Rajaraja Cholan (7.5/10).
The 1980s brought 2 films together, anchored by Tharaasu (7.3/10).
The 1990s accounted for 1 film, averaging 6.2/10.
- Rajaraja Cholan
- En Magan
- Tharaasu
- Mannukkul Vairam
- Thevar Magan
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
6 films across 19 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
30% of Ganthimathi's screen credits are with Sivaji Ganesan. When they first worked together, Sivaji Ganesan had 107 films behind them; Ganthimathi had 3.
Before Rajaraja Cholan, Sivaji Ganesan had starred in 107 films, including Thiruvilaiyadal (1965) and Karnan (1964).
After Thevar Magan, Sivaji Ganesan went on to appear in 7 more films, including Once More (1997) and En Aasai Rasave (1998).
Before Rajaraja Cholan, Ganthimathi had starred in 3 films, including Thirumalai Thenkumari (1970) and Iravum Pagalum (1965).
After Thevar Magan, Ganthimathi went on to appear in 11 more films, including Virumaandi (2004) and Nila (1994).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Sivaji Ganesan & Ganthimathi's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
People who worked on Sivaji Ganesan & Ganthimathi's films together
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