Sathyaraj & Manivannan Movies Together List — 30 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-07-13 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Sathyaraj and Manivannan appeared together in 30 Tamil films between 1984 and 2013. Their highest-rated collaboration was Nooravathu Naal (1984 — 7.5/10). Films span Nooravathu Naal (1984) through Nagaraja Cholan MA, MLA (2013).
The Sathyaraj & Manivannan partnership
Their work runs across 4 decades of Tamil cinema. After 8 years apart, they came back together for Vengayam (2011). 1994 was their peak — 5 films in twelve months.
They didn't share a set between 2003 and 2011. For 29 years, a Sathyaraj–Manivannan film arrived almost every year.
The shape of the work
The 1980s belonged to Nooravathu Naal; the 2010s to Vengayam. Manivannan director in some, actor in others. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- Sathyaraj and Manivannan hold the record for the most films together as a hero-villain pair in Tamil cinema — 26 films over 29 years, starting with Nooravathu Naal in 1984 and ending with Nagaraja Cholan MA, MLA in 2013.
- In Thai Maaman (1994), their on-screen rivalry was so intense that the scene where Manivannan's character slaps Sathyaraj's character became a meme template in Tamil households — people still use it to describe a sudden, shocking betrayal.
- Their 1986 film Muthal Vasantham was a turning point for both: it proved that a hero and villain could share equal screen time and still deliver a hit, changing how Tamil cinema wrote antagonist roles in the late 80s.
- Sathyaraj once said in an interview: 'Manivannan was the only actor who could make me nervous on set. He didn't act like a villain — he became one, and I had to fight to keep up.'
- In Jallikattu (1987), their face-off dialogue — 'Nee enna nadikka vare, naan unna nadikka varen' — is still quoted by fans when describing a no-win situation between two stubborn rivals.
- They worked together in four films released in 1994 alone — Amaidhi Padai, Thozhar Pandian, Thai Maaman, and Veera Padhakkam — making it the calendar year with the highest output for any hero-villain duo in Tamil cinema history.
30 films across 4 decades
The 1980s brought 12 films together, anchored by Nooravathu Naal (7.5/10).
The 1990s brought 12 films together, anchored by Thai Maaman (7.5/10).
The 2000s accounted for 4 films, averaging 3.8/10.
The 2010s accounted for 2 films, averaging 4.5/10.
- Nooravathu Naal
- Muthal Vasantham
- Thai Maaman
- Pudhu Manithan
- Unnai Kann Theduthey
- Asathal
- Vengayam
- Nagaraja Cholan MA, MLA
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
30 films across 29 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
79% of Manivannan's screen credits are with Sathyaraj. After Nagaraja Cholan MA, MLA, Sathyaraj kept going for 71 more films; Manivannan stepped back.
Before Nooravathu Naal, Sathyaraj had starred in 13 films, including Sandhippu (1983) and Moondru Mugam (1982).
After Nagaraja Cholan MA, MLA, Sathyaraj went on to appear in 71 more films, including Baahubali (2015) and Baahubali 2 (2017).
Before Nooravathu Naal, Manivannan had directed 5 films, including Nizhalgal (1980) and Ilamai Kalangal (1983).
After Nagaraja Cholan MA, MLA, Manivannan went on to direct 3 more films, including Jothi (2022) and Madha Gaja Raja (2025).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Sathyaraj & Manivannan's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Ilayaraja scored 13 of them. They worked with the same 14 people again and again — a small repertory company. Senthil appears alongside them in 8 films — practically a third lead.
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