Few Indian directors have shaped popular cinema the way Mani Ratnam has. Across four decades he has made gangster epics, intimate love stories and political dramas that are both artful and hugely popular. His films launched A. R. Rahman’s career, redefined how Indian films looked and sounded, and made Tamil cinema a national conversation.

Here are his films ranked, with a guide to where to start.

Where to start

Mani Ratnam’s films, ranked

1. Nayakan (1987). Kamal Haasan plays a Bombay slum-dweller who becomes a feared and loved underworld don. Inspired in part by The Godfather, it won three National Film Awards, including Best Actor, and was named in Time magazine’s list of the 100 greatest films.

2. Iruvar (1997). A friendship between a film star and a writer turns into a political rivalry, loosely inspired by the lives of M. G. Ramachandran and M. Karunanidhi. Mohanlal and Prakash Raj are extraordinary, and it marked Aishwarya Rai’s film debut.

3. Kannathil Muthamittal (2002). A girl learns she was adopted and wants to find her birth mother in war-torn Sri Lanka. Moving and politically brave, it won six National Film Awards.

4. Thalapathi (1991). Rajinikanth and Mammootty star in a friendship saga that reworks the story of Karna from the Mahabharata. It was his final collaboration with Ilaiyaraaja, and its songs remain classics.

5. Mouna Raagam (1986). A young woman pushed into an arranged marriage struggles to let go of her past love. His breakthrough, and the start of his realistic, urban style.

6. Alaipayuthey (2000). A young couple marry secretly and discover what married life really means. Tender, modern and later remade in Hindi as Saathiya.

7. Roja (1992). A village woman fights to free her husband, kidnapped by militants in Kashmir. A. R. Rahman’s debut score changed Indian film music, and the film became a national hit in several languages.

8. Dil Se.. (1998). A radio journalist falls for a mysterious woman with a dangerous purpose. Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala star; “Chaiyya Chaiyya” on top of a train is iconic. It found its cult status after release.

9. Bombay (1995). A Hindu man and a Muslim woman marry and raise a family through the 1992–93 riots. Bold and emotional, it completes the “terrorism trilogy” with Roja and Dil Se.

10. Ponniyin Selvan: Part I (2022). His long-dreamed-of adaptation of Kalki Krishnamurthy’s historical novel about the Chola dynasty, with a huge ensemble cast. A massive hit.

11. Ponniyin Selvan: Part II (2023). The conclusion, more intimate and in some ways stronger in its emotional stakes. Watch both together.

12. Anjali (1990). A family is changed by a young daughter with a disability. Warm and sometimes difficult, it was India’s official submission to the Oscars.

13. Aayitha Ezhuthu (2004). Three young men’s lives collide in one incident in Chennai. It was made alongside a Hindi version, Yuva, with a different cast.

14. O Kadhal Kanmani (2015). A young couple try a live-in relationship in Mumbai. Light, charming and a welcome return to form, later remade in Hindi as OK Jaanu.

15. Guru (2007). An ambitious villager builds a business empire. Inspired by the rise of Dhirubhai Ambani, with Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai.

16. Agni Natchathiram (1988). Two half-brothers feud bitterly. Stylish and energetic, known for its striking visuals.

17. Geethanjali (1989). Two terminally ill young people fall in love. His only Telugu film, and a National Award winner for Best Popular Film.

18. Chekka Chivantha Vaanam (2018). Three brothers fight to succeed their gangster father. A gripping ensemble crime drama.

The rest of his films

  • Thiruda Thiruda (1993): a playful heist comedy with great songs.
  • Raavanan (2010): a Ramayana-inspired kidnapping drama; the Tamil version was better received than the Hindi Raavan.
  • Kaatru Veliyidai (2017): a romance involving a fighter pilot around the Kargil War; beautiful but divisive.
  • Kadal (2013): a coastal drama that did not connect with audiences.
  • Thug Life (2025): his reunion with Kamal Haasan, 38 years after Nayakan. It received largely negative reviews and disappointed at the box office.
  • Early films: Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1983, Kannada), his debut; Unaroo (1984, Malayalam); Pagal Nilavu (1985); and Idhaya Kovil (1985).

Why his films still matter

Mani Ratnam’s influence goes beyond individual films. He brought a modern, realistic look to mainstream cinema through cinematographers such as P. C. Sreeram and Santosh Sivan. He gave A. R. Rahman his first film. And he showed that films about politics, terrorism and communal violence could also be huge popular successes.

Where to go next

For more essential Tamil cinema, see our Best Tamil Movies guide. For Hindi classics, including Dil Se’s era, see Best Hindi Movies.