Sathyaraj & Bharathiraja Movies Together List — 3 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-07-13 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Sathyaraj and Bharathiraja appeared together in 3 Tamil films between 1980 and 1987. Their highest-rated collaboration was Kadalora Kavithaigal (1986 — 7.5/10). Films span Valli Mayil (1980) through Vedham Pudhithu (1987).
The Sathyaraj & Bharathiraja partnership
From Valli Mayil (1980) to Vedham Pudhithu (1987). Kadalora Kavithaigal is the one most viewers reach for. The played out closed with Vedham Pudhithu in 1987.
It started with Valli Mayil (1980).
The shape of the work
Never on the same side of the camera — Sathyaraj actor, Bharathiraja director, across all 3 films. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- Bharathiraja directed Sathyaraj in three films between 1980 and 1987 — but after Vedham Pudhithu (1987) flopped hard, they never worked together again.
- In Kadalora Kavithaigal (1986), Sathyaraj played a rowdy named 'Kumar' who falls for a village belle — the scene where he silently watches her bathe in the sea became a talking point for its raw, earthy romance that Bharathiraja was famous for.
- Valli Mayil (1980) was Sathyaraj's first film as a lead actor, and Bharathiraja gave him that break — it didn't set the box office on fire, but it got Sathyaraj noticed as more than a villain.
- Sathyaraj once said in an interview: 'Bharathiraja sir saw the actor in me when others only saw a villain. He gave me Valli Mayil and changed my career.'
- Vedham Pudhithu (1987) had a controversial scene where Sathyaraj's character slaps a woman — audiences walked out of theatres, and the film's failure made both men avoid each other for decades.
3 films across 1 decade
- Kadalora Kavithaigal
- Vedham Pudhithu
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
3 films across 7 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
After Vedham Pudhithu, Sathyaraj kept going for 171 more films; Bharathiraja stepped back.
Before Valli Mayil, Sathyaraj had starred in 5 films, including Sattam En Kaiyil (1978) and Enipadigal (1979).
After Vedham Pudhithu, Sathyaraj went on to appear in 171 more films, including Baahubali (2015) and Baahubali 2 (2017).
Before Valli Mayil, Bharathiraja had directed 6 films, including Padhinaru Vayadhiniley (1977) and Niram Maaratha Pookkal (1979).
After Vedham Pudhithu, Bharathiraja went on to direct 38 more films, including Kizhakku Cheemayile (1993) and Seethakathi (2018).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Sathyaraj & Bharathiraja's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Janagaraj is the through-line — cast on 2 of their 3 films.
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