M. G. Ramachandran & M. Krishnan Nair Movies Together List — 4 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-06-03 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
M. G. Ramachandran and M. Krishnan Nair appeared together in 4 Tamil films between 1971 and 1976. Their highest-rated collaboration was Rickshawkaran (1971 — 7.6/10). Films span Rickshawkaran (1971) through Oorukku Uzhaippavan (1976).
The M. G. Ramachandran & M. Krishnan Nair partnership
Between 1971 and 1976, they barely worked apart — 4 films in 5 years. From Rickshawkaran (1971) to Oorukku Uzhaippavan (1976). The unfolded closed with Oorukku Uzhaippavan in 1976.
Rickshawkaran is the one most viewers reach for. It started with Rickshawkaran (1971).
The shape of the work
M. G. Ramachandran acted in every film; M. Krishnan Nair directed all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- MGR personally chose M. Krishnan Nair to direct 'Rickshawkaran' (1971) after seeing his work in Malayalam. Nair was a relative newcomer to Tamil cinema at the time.
- On the sets of 'Naan Yen Pirandhen' (1972), MGR would often rewrite his own dialogues in the morning. Krishnan Nair let him do it — he knew MGR's mass connect better than any script could.
- The success of 'Rickshawkaran' (1971) directly led to MGR greenlighting two more films with Krishnan Nair back-to-back in 1972 — a rare move for an actor who usually spaced out his directors.
- Krishnan Nair was one of the few directors MGR trusted to shoot outdoor sequences without him being present. For 'Oorukku Uzhaippavan' (1976), MGR gave Nair a blank cheque on locations.
- MGR once told a magazine: 'Krishnan Nair doesn't direct me. He just lets me be the character. That's why I keep coming back.'
4 films across 1 decade
- Rickshawkaran
- Naan Yen Pirandhen0
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
4 films across 5 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
57% of M. Krishnan Nair's screen credits are with M. G. Ramachandran. When they first worked together, M. G. Ramachandran had 65 films behind them; M. Krishnan Nair had 3.
Before Rickshawkaran, M. G. Ramachandran had starred in 65 films, including Oli Vilakku (1968) and Anbe Vaa (1966).
After Oorukku Uzhaippavan, M. G. Ramachandran went on to appear in 7 more films, including Avasara Police 100 (1990) and Indru Pol Endrum Vaazhga (1977).
Before Rickshawkaran, M. Krishnan Nair had directed 3 films, including Mannippu (1969) and Aalukkoru Veedu (1960).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of M. G. Ramachandran & M. Krishnan Nair's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
Kanchana is the through-line — cast on 2 of their 4 films.
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