Nayagan

All you want to know about Nayagan

Nayagan
Directed by Mani Ratnam
Produced by Mani Ratnam
G. Venkateswaran
Written by Mani Ratnam
Starring Kamal Haasan
Saranya
Janagaraj
Tinnu Anand
Delhi Ganesh
Nizhalgal Ravi
Karthika
Nasser
Neena
Music by Ilaiyaraaja
Cinematography P. C. Sriram
Distributed by Sujatha Films
Release date(s) 1987
Running time 145 mins
Language Tamil
IMDb profile

Nayagan (1987) (Tamil: நாயகன், a.k.a. Nayakan) is a Tamil feature film written and directed by Mani Ratnam. Nayagan means 'The Hero' or 'The Leader' in Tamil.

Nayagan has been called "The Godfather" of Tamil cinema, as it portrays the life of an underworld don in Bombay (now Mumbai). While the film draws inspiration from The Godfather trilogy[citation needed], it is adapted to an Indian scenario. The story revolves around the life of a real-life underworld don called Varada or Varadarajan Mudaliar. The film sympathetically depicts the struggle of South Indians living in Mumbai.

The lead character is played by the actor Kamal Haasan. The cast also includes Saranya, Karthika, Nassar, Delhi Ganesh and Janagaraj. The film soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The film helped Haasan secure a Indian National Award for his performance. Nayagan was nominated by India as its entry for the Best Foreign Language Film for the Academy Awards in 1987. The film was a massive blockbuster and ran for over 200 days in many theatres. The film won Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam many accolades and recognition throughout the whole nation.

Nayagan is in the Time Magazine "All-Time 100 Best Films" list, issued in 2005 (see list and article).


Contents

Plot

Sakthivelu Nayakar (Kamal Hassan), the protagonist, is born to an anti-government union leader. The child Velu is tricked by the police into locating his father, and then witnesses his father's death in a police shootout. Then after doing the final rites for his father, he kills the person who was the cause for his father's death. Orphaned, he escapes to Bombay.

Kamal Hassan during the shooting of the movie
Kamal Hassan during the shooting of the movie

Stranded and homeless in the big city, he is rescued by a kind-hearted Muslim fisherman who takes him into his home in the sprawling suburban slums of Dharavi. His foster-father is also a small-time smuggler known for his generosity in the slum. Upon his running afoul of a senior crimelord -- the corrupt local police officer Inspector Kelkar -- the fisherman is arrested on smuggling charges, and later murdered. Velu Nayagan, now a young man who has come into his own, goes in search of the officer and bludgeons him to death.

Kamal Hassan in a scene from the movie
Kamal Hassan in a scene from the movie

With this act, he is seen at once a saviour and a man to be feared amongst the slum residents. As their godfather and protector, he flourishes by resuming his dead foster-father's local smuggling activities. He marries a destitute school-girl-turned-prostitute (Saranya) and has two children. Conflicts and power struggles occur in the competitive web of the smuggling world, in which Velu's wife becomes a casuality. Velu's kids are sent away to Chennai as a result and return years later to their father's home, as young adults.

The son, Surya (Nizhalgal Ravi) is eager to join his father in his activities. He hires outside thugs to eliminate a potential witness against his father. They succeed in eliminating the witness, but their failure to cover their tracks leads police to him at a gas station and an accident costs him his life. Velu is heartbroken. Velu's daughter (Karthika) is at odds with her father over his form of justice and killings. The death of her brother was the last straw for her and she cuts off her relationship with her father and leaves him.

A newly appointed Assistant Police Commissioner (Nasser) starts afresh the hunt to bring Velu Nayakar to justice over his alleged activities, and manages to secure an arrest warrant. This Commissioner is unknowingly Velu's son-in-law, as his daughter had secretly married him. After continued pursuit resulting in the beatings and burning of villagers by police, Velu surrenders to the police to spare the lives of the residents of his slum. He is tried in court but is released due to the lack of adequate evidence for his alleged nefarious activities. A supportive and emotional crowd gathers at the courthouse, awaiting Velu's release. Velu emerges to greet the tumultuous crowd but unexpectedly gets shot by Inspector Kelkar's retarded son — whom Velu had adopted — after he learns that Velu had killed his father long ago.

Awards

The film has won the following awards since its release:

1988 National Film Awards (India)

  • Won - Silver Lotus Award - Best Actor - Kamal Haasan
  • Won - Silver Lotus Award - Best Cinematography - P.C. Sriram
  • Won - Silver Lotus Award - Best Art Direction - Thotta Tharani

Soundtrack

The soundtrack features five songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics by Ilaiyaraja and Pulavar Pulamaipithan.

  • Nee Oru Kaadhal Sangeetham - Mano and K.S. Chitra
  • Thenpaandi Cheemayile - Ilaiyaraaja and Kamal Haasan
  • Nila Adhu Vaanathumele - Ilaiyaraaja
  • Naan Sirithal Deepawali - Jamunarani, Rajeswari and Chorus
  • Andhi Mazhai Megam - T. L. Maharajan and Chorus

See also

External links

v • d • e
Films directed by Mani Ratnam
Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1983) • Unaru (1985) • Pagal Nilavu (1985) • Idaya Kovil (1985) • Mouna Raagam (1986) • Nayagan (1987) • Agni Natchathiram (1988) • Geethanjali (1989) • Anjali (1990) • Thalapathi (1991) • Roja (1992) • Thiruda Thiruda (1993) • Bombay (1995) • Iruvar (1997) • Dil Se (1998) • Alaipayuthey (2000) • Kannathil Muthamittal (2002) • Aayitha Ezhuthu (2004) • Yuva (2004) • Guru (2007) • Ravana (2010)
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nayagan"

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