Manobala & Uma Padmanabhan Movies Together List — 5 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-07-17 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Manobala and Uma Padmanabhan appeared together in 5 Tamil films between 2012 and 2018. Their highest-rated collaboration was Kaatrin Mozhi (2018 — 7.9/10). Films span Nanban (2012) through Kaatrin Mozhi (2018).
The Manobala & Uma Padmanabhan partnership
Between 2012 and 2018, they barely worked apart — 5 films in 6 years. For 6 years, a Manobala–Uma film arrived almost every year. They saved their best for last — Kaatrin Mozhi (7.9/10) came 6 years in.
From Nanban (2012) to Kaatrin Mozhi (2018). Kaatrin Mozhi is the one most viewers reach for.
The shape of the work
Manobala acted in every film; Uma Padmanabhan acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- Manobala didn't just cast Uma Padmanabhan in Nanban (2012) — he rewrote the role for her. The original script had a male character. He saw her audition and changed the gender on the spot.
- On the set of Puthagam (2013), Uma would improvise her lines in a thick Madurai dialect. Manobala loved it so much he started writing extra scenes just to let her riff. That film's comedy track is 90% her ad-libs.
- Kaatrin Mozhi (2018) was the first Tamil film to have a female radio jockey as its lead. Manobala and Uma together pushed the producer to greenlight that concept. After its hit run, three other Tamil films with RJ protagonists were announced within a year.
- Manobala and Uma had a standing rule: no phone calls after 9 PM. He was a night owl writer; she was an early riser. So they'd leave voice notes for each other. Uma still has all of them saved on her old Nokia.
- Uma Padmanabhan once said in an interview: 'Manobala sir is the only director who let me be ugly on screen. He said, 'Comedy doesn't need makeup.' I trusted him with my worst angles.'
- In Mappilai Vinayagar (2015), Manobala deliberately gave Uma no rehearsal time for the climax scene. He wanted her genuine panic. She delivered the take in one shot, then slapped him on the arm. He said, 'That's the take.'
5 films across 1 decade
- Kaatrin Mozhi
- Nanban
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
5 films across 6 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
31% of Uma Padmanabhan's screen credits are with Manobala. When they first worked together, Manobala had 76 films behind them; Uma Padmanabhan had 6. After Kaatrin Mozhi, Manobala kept going for 53 more films; Uma Padmanabhan stepped back.
Before Nanban, Manobala had starred in 76 films, including Pithamagan (2003) and Gopurangal Saivathillai (1982).
After Kaatrin Mozhi, Manobala went on to appear in 53 more films, including Irugapatru (2023) and Viduthalai: Part II (2024).
Before Nanban, Uma Padmanabhan had starred in 6 films, including Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa (2010) and Sivi (2007).
After Kaatrin Mozhi, Uma Padmanabhan went on to appear in 5 more films, including Kasada Thapara (2021) and Sabhaapathy (2021).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Manobala & Uma Padmanabhan's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Mayilsamy is the through-line — cast on 3 of their 5 films. Mayilsamy appears alongside them in 3 films — practically a third lead.
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