Mansoor Ali Khan & Pandu Movies Together List — 5 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-06-05 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Mansoor Ali Khan and Pandu appeared together in 5 Tamil films between 1992 and 2006. Their highest-rated collaboration was Varalaru (2006 — 6.6/10). Films span Naalaiya Theerpu (1992) through Varalaru (2006).
The Mansoor Ali Khan & Pandu partnership
After 11 years apart, they came back together for Varalaru (2006). They didn't share a set between 1995 and 2006. They saved their best for last — Varalaru (6.6/10) came 14 years in.
From Naalaiya Theerpu (1992) to Varalaru (2006). It started with Naalaiya Theerpu (1992).
The shape of the work
The 1990s account for 80% of everything they made together. The 1990s belonged to Naalaiya Theerpu; the 2000s to Varalaru. Mansoor Ali Khan acted in every film; Pandu acted in all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- Mansoor Ali Khan was a bodybuilder with zero acting experience when Pandu cast him as the villain in Naalaiya Theerpu (1992). Pandu saw him at a gym and offered the role on the spot — no audition, no screen test.
- On the set of Rajadhi Raja Raja Kulothunga Raja Marthanda Raja Gambeera Kathavaraya Krishna Kamarajan (1993), Pandu would deliberately provoke Mansoor Ali Khan before a fight scene — calling him weak — to get a real, angry reaction on camera. Mansoor didn't know it was a trick until years later.
- After Seethanam (1995) wrapped, Pandu and Mansoor Ali Khan had a falling out over a financial dispute. They didn't speak for nearly a decade. Pandu later admitted in a 2005 interview that he regretted letting money come between them.
- "Pandu made me a star. Without him, I would still be lifting weights in a gym." — Mansoor Ali Khan, in a 2012 TV interview about their first collaboration.
- The success of their first film together, Naalaiya Theerpu (1992), directly led to Mansoor Ali Khan being cast as the main villain in the blockbuster Baashha (1995) — the role that made him a household name across Tamil Nadu.
5 films across 2 decades
The 1990s accounted for 4 films, averaging 5.3/10.
The 2000s accounted for 1 film, averaging 6.6/10.
- Naalaiya Theerpu
- Asuran
- Varalaru
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
5 films across 14 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
After Varalaru, Mansoor Ali Khan kept going for 47 more films; Pandu stepped back.
Before Naalaiya Theerpu, Mansoor Ali Khan had starred in 3 films, including Captain Prabhakaran (1991) and Thangamana Thangachi (1991).
After Varalaru, Mansoor Ali Khan went on to appear in 47 more films, including Leo (2023) and Kick (2023).
Before Naalaiya Theerpu, Pandu had starred in 14 films, including Nadigan (1990) and Poovizhi Raja (1988).
After Varalaru, Pandu went on to appear in 31 more films, including Pokkiri (2007) and Thoonga Nagaram (2011).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Mansoor Ali Khan & Pandu's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
People who worked on Mansoor Ali Khan & Pandu's films together
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