R. Sundarrajan & Vijayakanth Movies Together List — 9 Films

The shape of the work

The 1980s belonged to Vaidehi Kathirunthal; the 1990s to En Kitta Mothathey. R. Sundarrajan director in some, actor in others. Strictly Tamil cinema — they never crossed industries together.

Partnership facts

• R. Sundarrajan was a newcomer director when he cast Vijayakanth in 'Vaidehi Kathirunthal' (1984). The actor was already a star, but Sundarrajan insisted on a fresh pairing. That film became a sleeper hit and launched their partnership.
• Sundarrajan wrote most of their films with Vijayakanth's raw, earthy screen presence in mind. He deliberately gave him long, emotional monologues — something other directors avoided. Vijayakanth later said Sundarrajan 'understood my silence better than anyone.'
• After 'En Kitta Mothathey' (1990) became a surprise hit, Sundarrajan and Vijayakanth had a falling out over creative differences. They patched up briefly for 'Karuppu Nila' (1995), but that was their last film together. They never spoke publicly about the rift.
• The success of 'Vaidehi Kathirunthal' (1984) directly inspired a wave of rural-family dramas in Tamil cinema. Directors like Bharathiraja and Mani Ratnam later cited its honest portrayal of village life as a benchmark.
• Vijayakanth once told a magazine: 'Sundarrajan made me act with my eyes. He would say, "Don't shout. Let the silence do the work." I learned more from him than from any acting school.'
• In 'Thazhuvatha Kaigal' (1986), Sundarrajan wrote a scene where Vijayakanth's character doesn't speak for 10 minutes — just reacts through expressions. That scene became a talking point among fans and proved Vijayakanth could carry a film without dialogue.