Mani Ratnam & A. R. Rahman Movies Together — 21 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
About This Collaboration
Mani Ratnam & A. R. Rahman have worked together on 21 films in Indian cinema. Their collaboration began in 1992 and extends to 2023, representing 31 years of joint work. Working Mani Ratnam as Director and A. R. Rahman as Original Music Composer, their pairing brought together complementary creative strengths that produced a body of work with varied but notable audience reception.
Among their most acclaimed works are "Ponniyin Selvan 1", "Indira", "Guru" — with "Ponniyin Selvan 1" earning a top rating of 7.8/10. Across all their joint films, they maintain an average audience rating of 6.1/10 — reflecting a body of work that has largely found favour with audiences.
Their most productive period was the 1990s, when they delivered 7 films that shaped the era's cinema. The bulk of their work is in Tamil cinema. From "Roja" (1992) to "Ponniyin Selvan 2" (2023), their partnership has evolved through shifting industry landscapes while maintaining its artistic core.
This page brings together their complete joint filmography, a year-by-year timeline of the partnership, the extended network of directors, actors, and crew they shared across projects, and a curated list of similar creative pairings you may want to explore.
Career Context
Before Roja, Mani Ratnam had directed 7 films, including Agni Nakshatram (1988) and Mouna Ragam (1986).
After Ponniyin Selvan 2, Mani Ratnam went on to direct 1 more film, including Thug Life (2025).
Roja was A. R. Rahman's acting debut.
After Ponniyin Selvan 2, A. R. Rahman went on to appear in 9 more films, including Maidaan (2024) and Amar Singh Chamkila (2024).
Collaboration DNA
Partnership Pattern
21 films across 31 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 2 languages, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Creative Evolution
- Indira
- Iruvar
- Guru
- Aaytha Ezhuthu
- OK Kanmani
- Chekka Chivantha Vaanam
- Ponniyin Selvan 1
- Ponniyin Selvan 2
This duo's 21-film partnership spans 4 decades of Indian cinema, with their most productive period being the 1990s when they delivered 7 films that defined the era.



















Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Mani Ratnam & A. R. Rahman's professional partnership
Shared Crew
People who worked on Mani Ratnam & A. R. Rahman's films together
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