Samantha Akkineni & Atlee Kumar Movies Together List — 3 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-06-04 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Samantha Akkineni and Atlee Kumar appeared together in 3 Tamil films between 2016 and 2017. Their highest-rated collaboration was Mersal (2017 — 7.7/10). Films span Theri (2016) through Mersal (2017).
The Samantha Akkineni & Atlee Kumar partnership
From Theri (2016) to Mersal (2017). Mersal is the one most viewers reach for. It started with Theri (2016).
The shape of the work
Samantha Akkineni acted in every film; Atlee Kumar directed all of them.
Partnership facts
- Atlee didn't want Samantha for Theri. He thought she was too 'urban' for the village girl role. Samantha flew to his office unannounced, sat him down, and said 'I can do this. Trust me.' He cast her on the spot.
- On the sets of Mersal, Atlee would deliberately not give Samantha her full dialogue sheet before a scene. He wanted her to react fresh, like the audience would. She'd get annoyed, but the takes were always electric.
- The 'Enna Solla' song from Theri became the most requested wedding dance number in Tamil Nadu for two straight years. Every 2017-2018 wedding had at least one couple trying to copy Samantha's steps.
- After Mersal wrapped, Atlee gifted Samantha a custom-made director's chair with 'Theri Girl' embroidered on it. She still has it in her home office. He said it was because she was the first actor who ever fought him for a role.
- Atlee once said: 'Samantha is the only actor who can make me rewrite a scene at 2 AM and I'll still thank her for it.' He said this during a Mersal press meet in Chennai.
3 films across 1 decade
- Mersal
- Theri
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
3 films across 1 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 2 languages, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
43% of Atlee Kumar's screen credits are with Samantha Akkineni. After Mersal, Samantha Akkineni kept going for 20 more films; Atlee Kumar stepped back.
Before Theri, Samantha Akkineni had starred in 25 films, including 10 Enradhukulla (2015) and Makkhi (2012).
After Mersal, Samantha Akkineni went on to appear in 20 more films, including Super Deluxe (2019) and Rangasthalam 1985 (2018).
Before Theri, Atlee Kumar had directed 2 films, including Nanban (2012) and Raja Rani (2013).
After Mersal, Atlee Kumar went on to direct 2 more films, including Jawan (2023) and Bigil (2019).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Samantha Akkineni & Atlee Kumar's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Vijay is the through-line — cast on 3 of their 3 films. Vijay appears alongside them in 3 films — practically a third lead.
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