43 Films Together
43 films·1977–1996·Top co-star: Manorama (10 films)
Venniradai Moorthy & Ilayaraja Movies Together List — 43 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-06-04 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Venniradai Moorthy and Ilayaraja appeared together in 43 Tamil films between 1977 and 1996. Their highest-rated collaboration was Azhiyadha Kolangal (1979 — 8.5/10). Films span Gaayathri (1977) through Irattai Roja (1996).
43
Films Together
5.5
Average Rating
1977 - 1996
Career Span
Tamil
Primary Language
Credibility
Career Phase
Active×Active
Long-Term Partnership
The Venniradai Moorthy & Ilayaraja partnership
Their work runs across 3 decades of Tamil cinema. 1985 was their peak — 5 films in twelve months. For 19 years, a Venniradai–Ilayaraja film arrived almost every year.
The work is uneven: Azhiyadha Kolangal (8.5) at one end, Thayamma (1.0) at the other. From Gaayathri (1977) to Irattai Roja (1996).
The shape of the work
The 1970s belonged to Azhiyadha Kolangal; the 1990s to Nadigan. Venniradai Moorthy acted in every film; Ilayaraja scored all of them. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.
43 films across 3 decades
The 1970s brought 4 films together, anchored by Azhiyadha Kolangal (8.5/10).
The 1980s brought 21 films together, anchored by Nandu (7.5/10).
The 1990s brought 18 films together, anchored by Nadigan (7.7/10).
1970s
Films4
Avg Rating7.9/10
Notable:
- Azhiyadha Kolangal
- Mullum Malarum
Era:
Venniradai: ActiveIlayaraja: Active
1980s
Films21
Avg Rating5.6/10
Notable:
- Nandu
- Panneer Pushpangal
Era:
Venniradai: ActiveIlayaraja: Active
1990s
Films18
Avg Rating5.0/10
Notable:
- Nadigan
- En Kitta Mothathey
Era:
Venniradai: ActiveIlayaraja: Active
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
Duration1977–1996
Span19 years
43 films across 19 years represents focused partnership.
Language Distribution
Tamil43 films (100%)
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Tamil being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
47% of Venniradai Moorthy's screen credits are with Ilayaraja. After Irattai Roja, Ilayaraja kept going for 88 more films; Venniradai Moorthy stepped back.
Venniradai Moorthy
Before Gaayathri, Venniradai Moorthy had starred in 11 films, including Annakili (1976) and Vennira Aadai (1965).
After Irattai Roja, Venniradai Moorthy went on to appear in 37 more films, including Sangamam (1999) and Vedham (2001).
Ilayaraja
Gaayathri was Ilayaraja's acting debut.
After Irattai Roja, Ilayaraja went on to appear in 88 more films, including Pithamagan (2003) and Merku Thodarchi Malai (2018).
Decade
#1→#2
→#6
→#26
→#29
→#38
G
Gaayathri
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Mullum Malarum
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime Video
★ 8.3
→#3K
Kuppathu Raja
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime VideoYouTube
★ 6.8
→#4A
Azhiyadha Kolangal
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 8.5
→#5U
Ullasa Paravaigal
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onSun NXTYouTube
Nandu
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 7.5
→#7P
Panneer Pushpangal
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayYouTube
★ 7.5
→#8Thanikattu Raja
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
★ 6.5
→#9A
Azhagiya Kanne
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 6.8
→#10M
Metti
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
★ 7.4
→#11A
Antha Sila Naatkal
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
★ 7.5
→#12Thendrale Ennai Thodu
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 6.5
→#13Naan Sigappu Manithan
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime VideoYouTube
★ 5.1
→#14Raja Rishi
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros NowPrime VideoYouTube
★ 6.5
→#15Nalla Thambi
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayPrime VideoYouTube
★ 1.0
→#16Kanni Rasi
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
★ 6.5
→#17Naanum Oru Thozhilali
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onEros NowPrime VideoYouTube
★ 4.0
→#18M
Muthal Vasantham
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
★ 7.5
→#19E
Enga Ooru Pattukaran
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros NowPrime VideoYouTube
★ 3.0
→#20Jallikattu
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime VideoYouTube
★ 4.0
→#21A
Aalappirandhavan
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onEros NowPrime VideoYouTube
★ 6.8
→#22S
Solla Thudikuthu Manasu
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 1.0
→#23En Purushan Than Enakku Mattundhan
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 6.5
→#24Pudhea Paadhai
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayYouTube
★ 4.4
→#25T
Thangamana Purushan
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Arangetra Velai
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 3.6
→#27En Kitta Mothathey
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 7.5
→#28Mallu Vetti Minor
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Michael Madana Kama Rajan
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayPrime VideoSun NXTYouTube
★ 6.2
→#30Nadigan
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 7.7
→#31Dharma Dorai
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime Video
★ 4.9
→#32T
Thayamma
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onEros NowPrime VideoYouTube
★ 1.0
→#33K
Kalikaalam
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros Now
★ 6.5
→#34Pangali
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onEros NowPrime Video
★ 7.5
→#35Meera
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlaySun NXTVi Movies & TV
★ 3.5
→#36M
Maamiyar Veedu
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 7.0
→#37U
Ulle Veliye
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
E
Enga Muthalali
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime VideoYouTube
★ 2.5
→#39Raja Enga Raja
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onAirtel Xstream PlayEros NowJioTVPrime VideoSun NXT
★ 3.7
→#40M
Mogamull
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 3.8
→#41Avatharam
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onYouTube
★ 4.1
→#42Rajavin Parvaiyile
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
Streaming onPrime VideoYouTube
★ 5.7
→#43Irattai Roja
Tamil
Venniradai Moorthy · ActorIlayaraja · Music Composer
★ 4.8
→Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Venniradai Moorthy & Ilayaraja's professional partnership
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Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
They worked with the same 36 people again and again — a small repertory company. Manorama appears alongside them in 10 films — practically a third lead.
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