Manobala & Raghava Lawrence Movies Together List — 3 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-07-13 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Manobala and Raghava Lawrence appeared together in 3 Tamil films between 2011 and 2019. Their highest-rated collaboration was Kanchana (2011 — 6.2/10). Films span Kanchana (2011) through Kanchana 3 (2019).
The Manobala & Raghava Lawrence partnership
From Kanchana (2011) to Kanchana 3 (2019). It started with Kanchana (2011).
The shape of the work
Manobala acted in every film; Raghava Lawrence acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- Raghava Lawrence was already a star choreographer when he decided to direct Kanchana (2011). He cast Manobala as the comedic sidekick — but Manobala was so terrified of the horror-comedy genre that he almost walked off set on day one. Lawrence had to personally calm him down and promise the ghost scenes would be shot with a laugh track playing.
- On the sets of Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva (2017), Lawrence gave Manobala complete freedom to improvise his dialogue. Manobala would rewrite his lines minutes before a take, and Lawrence would adjust the blocking around his rambling comedy. The result was a chaotic, unpolished energy that no other actor in Lawrence's films could replicate.
- The success of Kanchana 3 (2019) directly led to Lawrence launching a spin-off web series centered on Manobala's character — a first for Tamil horror-comedy. The series was announced in 2020 but never released, making it a cult curiosity among fans who still ask for it.
- Manobala and Lawrence had a standing ritual: before every film's first day shoot, Lawrence would make Manobala sit in the director's chair for five minutes. Manobala later said it was Lawrence's way of saying 'you're my co-pilot, not just an actor.'
- Manobala once told a Tamil magazine: 'Lawrence is the only director who lets me be a fool on screen without making me feel like one off it.' He said this during the Kanchana 3 press meet in 2019.
3 films across 1 decade
- Kanchana
- Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
3 films across 8 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
When they first worked together, Manobala had 68 films behind them; Raghava Lawrence had 17. After Kanchana 3, Manobala kept going for 39 more films; Raghava Lawrence stepped back.
Before Kanchana, Manobala had starred in 68 films, including Pithamagan (2003) and Gopurangal Saivathillai (1982).
After Kanchana 3, Manobala went on to appear in 39 more films, including Irugapatru (2023) and Viduthalai: Part II (2024).
Before Kanchana, Raghava Lawrence had starred in 17 films, including Muni (2007) and Muni (2007).
After Kanchana 3, Raghava Lawrence went on to appear in 3 more films, including Jigarthanda Double X (2023) and Rudhran (2023).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Manobala & Raghava Lawrence's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Devadarshini is the through-line — cast on 3 of their 3 films. Devadarshini appears alongside them in 3 films — practically a third lead.
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