Biography
The man who revolutionized Tamil-language cinema, Mani Ratnam is the biggest director in South India and one of the most respected directors in all of India. Each of his films contains its own unique style, with beautifully photographed songs and unique back-lighting, and deal with a wide variety of topics, from the classic Indian love story to political thrillers.
Known For
Complete Filmography

Thug Life
2025
Director, Producer, Writer
In a world ruled by crime and betrayal, mafia kingpin Sakthivel and his brother Manikkam rescue a young boy, Amaran, during a violent police shootout ...

Jigarthanda DoubleX
2023
Thanks
A notorious gangster is incited to transform into a film hero and opts for a filmmaker and their project descends into a scenario they had never antic...

Ponniyin Selvan: Part II
2023
Screenplay, Director, Producer
968 AD. The Pandyan assassins gather once again to destroy the Chola dynasty. Now the mighty Chola princes must fight the Pandyas, the Rashtrakutas an...

Ponniyin Selvan: Part I
2022
Director, Screenplay, Producer
The Chola kingdom is under threat from forces both internal and external, and with crown prince Aaditha Karikalan, his younger brother Arunmozhi Varma...

Putham Pudhu Kaalai
2020
Writer
Putham Pudhu Kaalai brings together 5 of the most celebrated directors in Tamil cinema - Sudha Kongara, Gautham Menon, Suhasini Mani Ratman, Rajiv Men...

Vaanam Kottatum
2020
Story, Dialogue, Producer
A simple father's life whose one mistake breaks him away from his dear family. Even after many years, when he finally meets his family, the same mista...

Chekka Chivantha Vaanam
2018
Producer, Dialogue, Story
A bloody power struggle erupts between three brothers who are vying to take over the family business following the death of their father.

Kaatru Veliyidai
2017
Director, Producer, Story
Romance is in the air as the lives of Fighter Pilot Varun & Medical Doctor Leela collide amidst the scenic beauty of Kashmir. While Leela yearns for V...

Ok Jaanu
2017
Story, Screenplay, Producer
Adi and Tara move to Bombay to pursue their dreams. A chance meeting sparks off a heady, no strings attached romance until their careers pull them apa...

O Kadhal Kanmani
2015
Story, Producer, Director
Aadi and Tara fall in love but both hate the idea of marriage and plan to separate when their lives take them to different countries. However, as they...

Jai Ho
2014
as self
The Film brings to its viewers, a hitherto unseen and unheard narrative of one of the greatest musicians the world has ever known: A. R. Rahman

Kadal
2013
Producer, Director, Screenplay
A wrongdoer is caught red-handed and he is not going to forgive the man who exposed him.

Raavan
2010
Director, Producer, Screenplay
A bandit leader kidnaps the wife of the policeman who killed his sister, but later falls in love with her.

Raavanan
2010
Producer, Director, Story
After inspector Dev stirs the reign of Veeraiya, a tribal outlaw, the latter responds by kidnapping his wife, Ragini. While she tries to escape from h...

Guru
2007
Director, Producer, Story
A villager, Gurukant Desai, arrives in Bombay in 1958, and rises from its streets to become the biggest tycoon in India.

Yuva
2004
Director, Producer, Screenplay
An accident on a bridge ties together three young men from different social classes, sparking a course of events that will forever alter their lives.

Aayitha Ezhuthu
2004
Producer, Director, Screenplay
A goon, who dreams of making it big in life, a student leader, who strives to keep politicians away from college election and a third guy who wants to...

Annavru
2003
Story
Surya, who was abandoned by his 14-year-old unwed mother Nirmala after his birth, grows up in the slums and finds a friend in a local criminal leader,...

Saathiya
2002
Producer, Screenplay, Story
A couple elopes to get married and set up home hoping that just love will do the trick - but that's just the beginning of their story.

Five Star
2002
Producer
The story focuses on five friends at the Madras Institute of Technology, who want to remain friends and hope to join the same company after graduation...

Kannathil Muthamittal
2002
Producer, Director, Screenplay
A little girl is told by her parents that she is adopted. Determined to find her birth mother, her family eventually agrees to take her to Sri Lanka, ...

Dum Dum Dum
2001
Producer, Screenplay
Adityan, a city slicker's marriage is fixed by his dad in the village to Ganga, a village belle. He is not happy with it, as he wants to marry a city ...

Alaipayuthey
2000
Director, Story, Screenplay
Karthik and Shakthi marry against the wishes of their families and start their new life. However, they soon realize that marriage is not the bed of ro...

Taj Mahal
1999
Writer
Even though Maayan and Machakanni are deeply in love with each other, her brother decides to get her married to someone else. So, Maayan's friends res...

Dil Se..
1998
Story, Director, Screenplay
Journalist Amar falls for a mysterious woman on an assignment, but she does not reciprocate his feelings. However, when Amar is about to get married, ...

Nerrukku Ner
1997
Producer
Raghu and Shanti are divorced couple which sparks problems between both respective younger brothers.

Iruvar
1997
Director, Screenplay, Producer
A fictionalized account of the lives of 1980s Tamil Nadu political icons M. G. Ramachandran and M. Karunanidhi, continuing the tryst between Tamil cin...

Aasai
1995
Producer
A man kills his wife when she learns that he lusts after her sister. He then begins to make his moves for his sister-in-law. When he tries to sabotage...

Indira
1995
Producer, Screenplay
A group of villagers from Maranur, India, and their clash with a neighbouring village leader as their community begins to prosper. Soon, money and gre...

Bombay
1995
Director, Screenplay, Producer
A Hindu man and a Muslim woman fall in love in a small village and move to Mumbai, where they have two children. However, growing religious tensions a...

Thiruda Thiruda
1993
Director, Screenplay, Producer
An Inspector is assigned to track down a large sum of stolen money. His investigations lead him to a couple of small time crooks, a village belle, a m...

Gaayam
1993
Story, Screenplay
Durga is in love with Anith; he is all set to marry her and settle down in life. But things change when his brother Mohanakrishna is killed by a rival...
Dasarathan
1993
Producer
Dasarathan is a 1993 Tamil language film directed by Kitty. The film features Sarathkumar and Heera in lead roles whilst Sivakumar, Saranya and Gandhi...

Roja
1992
Director, Story, Screenplay
Roja lives in a Tamil village, and her sister is about to marry a man from the city, who decides to marry Roja instead and gets a job assignment in Ka...

Thalapathi
1991
Director, Story, Screenplay
Surya, a courageous man who was raised in the slums, fights for the rights of the poor and befriends Deva, who hires him as his commander and changes ...

Chathriyan
1990
Producer, Screenplay, Story
An honest cop's wife is murdered because of his role in the conviction of a local goon, which forces him to quit the police force.

Anjali
1990
Director, Writer, Dialogue
After a few years, Chitra learns that her child, who was believed to be dead, is alive but is suffering from a mental illness. However, her family fac...

Geethanjali
1989
Director, Screenplay, Story
Prakash, who is diagnosed with terminal cancer, and Geethanjali, an equally ill patient, fall in love with each other. However, when she learns about ...

Dayavan
1988
Writer
A tale of near Biblical proportions, telling the story of Dayavan, a heroic do-gooder who dedicates his life to helping those less fortunate then hims...

Agni Natchathiram
1988
Director, Writer
Two step sons of an honest noble man choose different professions. One becomes a police office and the other turns into a goon. The rest of the film r...

Nayakan
1987
Director, Story, Screenplay
Velu Naicker, who witnesses the brutal murder of his father, kills a corrupt policeman and escapes to Mumbai, only to become a gangster.

Mouna Raagam
1986
Director, Writer
Divya, a college student, is forced to marry Chandrakumar due to family pressure. However, she asks for a divorce as a wedding gift, revealing her pas...

Idhaya Kovil
1985
Director
Shankar, a budding singer loses his love, Gowri, who commits suicide. When Shankar turns famous, he eventually develops friendship with Surya, a colle...

Pagal Nilavu
1985
Director, Screenplay, Dialogue
An aimless youth joins a gang out of a sense of gratitude, but complications arise when he falls in love with the sister of the new police officer in ...

Unaru
1984
Director
Social drama realistically traces the trials and travails in the life of sincere men from impoverished backgrounds, who find themselves unable to get ...

Pallavi Anu Pallavi
1983
Director, Dialogue, Screenplay
A man falls in love with an older woman who is separated from her husband. As he struggles between the demands of a relationship and those of society,...