Kamal Haasan’s Nayakan to Rajinikanth’s Thalapathi: 10 Mani Ratnam films with Ilaiyaraaja’s musical score

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Not just acclaimed individually, Mani Ratnam and Ilaiyaraaja stand out as exceptional collaborators in the realm of filmmaking, leaving indelible marks on Indian cinema. Born on the same day, they’ve produced a collection of timeless movies as director and musician respectively.

Here are 10 films that had Mani Ratnam as the filmmaker and Ilaiyaraaja as the composer.

1. Pallavi Anu Pallavi 

  • Cast: Anil Kapoor, Lakshmi, Kiran Vairale, Sundar Raj, Vikram Makandar
  • Release date: January 7, 1983

I had the pleasure of following the journey of “Pallavi Anu Pallavi,” a captivating Kannada romance that served as Mani Ratnam’s directorial debut in Sandalwood, alongside the talented Anil Kapoor. The legendary Ilaiyaraaja lent his musical genius to this film, creating a soundtrack that beautifully complemented the story of a young man and an older woman who found themselves entwined in a unique romantic relationship.

2. Unaroo

  • Cast: Mohanlal, Sukumaran, Ratheesh, Unni Mary, Sabitha Anand
  • Release date: April 14, 1984

In simpler terms, the Malayalam political drama “Unaroo” saw another partnership between Mani Ratnam and Ilaiyaraaja. The movie’s plot revolved around a band of workers who bravely challenged their union leaders to facilitate the establishment of a new factory. It offered an intimate perspective on the internal conflicts that surfaced within Kerala’s labor unions.

3. Geethanjali 

  • Cast: Nagarjuna Akkineni, Girija, Vijayakumar, Vijayachander, Sumithra
  • Release date: May 12, 1989

Back in the past, the Telugu romantic drama titled Geethanjali was a box office hit, as it played continuously in cinemas for more than 100 days. Not only did it win the National Film Award and six state Nandi Awards, but its narrative also stood out. It tells the heartwarming tale of two people diagnosed with terminal illnesses who fall in love, fully aware that their time together is limited.

4. Pagal Nilavu

  • Cast: Murali, Revathi, Sathyaraj, Goundamani, Sarath Babu, Radhika Sarathkumar
  • Release date: June 28, 1985

The Tamil film “Pagal Nilavu,” directed by Mani Ratnam, gained significant recognition for its powerful musical composition by Ilaiyaraaja. This movie portrays the life of a young man who finds himself in a challenging predicament as he is torn between his affection for the police officer’s sister and his allegiance to a criminal boss. Notably, this was the first Tamil film directed by the filmmaker.

5. Idaya Kovil

  • Cast: Mohan, Radha, Ambika, Goundamani, Thyagu, Ilavarasu
  • Release date: September 14, 1985

Although Idaya Kovil’s movie didn’t quite shine at the box office, its songs and soundtrack ended up as memorable tunes in their own right. The film tells a story of Suresh, who has feelings for a lively girl called Sudha. However, it’s Shankar, a singer, that Sudha ultimately comes to love.

6. Mouna Ragam

  • Cast: Mohan, Revathi, Karthik, Sonia, Vani, VK Ramasamy
  • Release date: August 15, 1986

As a connoisseur of life’s many facets, allow me to share my insights on Mouna Ragam, another captivating romantic drama from the Tamil cinema realm, masterfully crafted by the visionary Mani Ratnam. This cinematic gem was born from a short story penned by the filmmaker himself, initially not part of his planned cinematic journey until he completed writing it.

In this moving tale, we follow the poignant journey of a young woman named Diya, who carries the remnants of her past love for Manohar, a man now lost to her. The film unfolds the raw emotions and complexities of their shared history, offering a profound exploration of love, loss, and memory.

7. Nayakan 

  • Cast: Kamal Haasan, Saranya, MV Vasudeva Rao, Janagaraj, Delhi Ganesh
  • Release date: October 21, 1987

In simpler terms, “Nayakan” was Mani Ratnam’s debut project with Kamal Haasan, and it was based, somewhat, on the life of notorious Mumbai underworld figure Varadarajan Mudaliar. This film drew inspiration from the movie “The Godfather”. In its time, “Nayakan” was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful.

8. Agni Natchathiram

  • Cast: Prabhu, Karthik, Amala, Jayachitra, Nirosha, Tara
  • Release date: April 15, 1988

In simpler terms, the movie Agni Natchathiram was designed as a traditional spicy drama, serving as a follow-up to Mani Ratnam’s previous work, Mouna Ragam. The film’s soundtrack was created by Ilaiyaraaja, and its storyline revolved around two half-brothers who disagreed over the rightful inheritance of their father.

9. Anjali

  • Cast: Raghuvaran, Revathi, Prabhu, Janagaraj, Saranya, Nishanti
    Release date: July 12, 1990

The Tamil movie titled Anjali narrates the tale of a terminally ill and intellectually challenged girl, who endures heart-wrenching anguish at the hands of her family. This moving production garnered widespread praise and took home three prestigious National Awards.

10. Thalapathi

  • Cast: Rajinikanth, Mammootty, Arvind Swamy, Jaishankar, Amrish Puri
  • Release date: November 5, 1991

In simpler terms, the Tamil film “Thalapathi” draws inspiration from the legendary relationship between Duryodhana and Karna in the epic Mahabharata. This was the final joint project by Mani Ratnam and Ilaiyaraaja. The storyline primarily focuses on the bond between a fearless slum resident and a criminal figure.

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2025-06-02 10:23