RJ Balaji & Vignesh Shivan Movies Together List — 3 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-06-05 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
RJ Balaji and Vignesh Shivan appeared together in 3 Tamil films between 2015 and 2019. Their highest-rated collaboration was Naanum Rowdydhaan (2015 — 6.7/10). Films span Naanum Rowdydhaan (2015) through 90 ML (2019).
The RJ Balaji & Vignesh Shivan partnership
From Naanum Rowdydhaan (2015) to 90 ML (2019). It started with Naanum Rowdydhaan (2015).
The shape of the work
Never on the same side of the camera — RJ Balaji actor, Vignesh Shivan director, across all 3 films. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- Vignesh Shivan was a first-time director with no hits when he cast RJ Balaji as the lead in Naanum Rowdydhaan (2015). Balaji, then a popular radio jockey, took a massive pay cut to do the film — and it became the breakout that put both their names on the map.
- On the sets of Thaanaa Serndha Koottam (2018), Balaji would rewrite his own lines in real time during takes. Vignesh let him do it — and then built entire scenes around those improvisations. The result? A comedy rhythm that felt like two friends riffing, not actors reading a script.
- Their third film together, 90 ML (2019), was a box office hit despite a 4.9 rating. It directly launched the 'drinking buddy comedy' trend in Tamil cinema — at least three low-budget imitators followed in the next two years, all trying to copy their loose, boozy banter.
- After 90 ML released, Vignesh Shivan and RJ Balaji had a falling out over creative differences. They haven't worked together since 2019. Balaji later admitted in a 2022 interview that they 'don't talk anymore' — but refused to blame either side.
- "He trusted me with a film when nobody else would. I owe my acting career to that one call." — RJ Balaji, on Vignesh Shivan casting him in Naanum Rowdydhaan, in a 2020 podcast.
3 films across 1 decade
- Naanum Rowdydhaan
- Thaanaa Serndha Koottam
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
3 films across 4 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
30% of Vignesh Shivan's screen credits are with RJ Balaji.
Before Naanum Rowdydhaan, RJ Balaji had starred in 4 films, including Vallinam (2014) and Vadacurry (2014).
After 90 ML, RJ Balaji went on to appear in 10 more films, including Veetla Vishesham (2022) and Veetla Vishesham (2022).
Before Naanum Rowdydhaan, Vignesh Shivan had directed 4 films, including Velaiyilla Pattathari (2014) and Sivi (2007).
After 90 ML, Vignesh Shivan went on to direct 3 more films, including Connect (2022) and Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal (2022).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of RJ Balaji & Vignesh Shivan's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Anirudh Ravichander is the through-line — music on 2 of their 3 films.
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