Nayagan
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| Nayagan | |
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| 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, Karhtika, Nassar, Delhi Ganesh and Janagaraj. The film soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The film helped Kamal 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.
Nayagan is in the Time Magazine "All-Time 100 Best Films" list, issued in 2005 (see list and article).
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[edit] Plot
Sakthivelu Nayagan (Kamal Hassan), the protagonist, is born to a union leader involved in various anti-government movements. The child Velu witnesses his father's death in a police shootout. Orphaned, he escapes to Bombay.
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.
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 a chip off the old block and is eager to join his father in his activities. He takes on an assignment to eliminate a potential witness against his father, which costs him his life. Velu's daughter (Karthika) is at odds with her father over his form of justice and killings. The death of her brother was the final 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 ACP happens to be Velu's son in law as his daughter had secretly married him, but the ACP doesn't know that. More encounters take place but Velu gives himself up to the authorities 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 involvement in the alleged nefarious activities. A supportive and emotional crowd gathers at the courthouse, awaiting Velu's release. Velu emerges to greet the tumultuous crowd but is unexpectedly assassinated on the court premises by Inspector Kelkar's retarded son— whom Velu had adopted— when he learns that Velu was the cause of his father's death.
[edit] 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
[edit] 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, Chorus
- Andhi Mazhai Megam - T. L. Maharajan and chorus
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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