"Nayagan" 1987 - Movie Review

"Nayagan" is a Tamil crime drama film directed by Mani Ratnam and released in 1987. The film stars Kamal Haasan in the lead role and also features Saranya Ponvannan, Karthika, and Nassar in prominent roles. The film is loosely based on the life of Varadarajan Mudaliar, a Mumbai underworld don.

Nayakan was released on 21 October 1987, Diwali day. It became a critical and commercial success, running for over 175 days in theatres. Haasan's performance earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor. The film also earned the National Awards for Best Cinematography (Sreeram) and Best Art Direction (Thota Tharani). The film was India's official submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1988 at the 60th Academy Awards; however, it was not shortlisted among the final nominees. It was included in TIME's "All-Time 100 Best Films", and News18's "100 greatest Indian films of all time". The film was remade in Hindi as Dayavan

In the mid-1980s, Muktha Srinivasan narrated a story inspired by the American film The Godfather (1972) to Sivaji Ganesan who agreed to act in the film. Amala and Kamal Haasan were also confirmed to act. However Ananthu, then an associate of Haasan, felt that it would be a Ganesan-focused film and not a Haasan film. The project was dropped. Haasan later told Srinivasan about the-then upcoming director Mani Ratnam. Ratnam had previously wanted to cast Haasan as the protagonist in his directorial debut, Pallavi Anu Pallavi (1983), but the collaboration could not materialize then as Haasan was committed to Raja Paarvai (1981) at that time

Srinivasan came to Ratnam's house and gave him an envelope, which contained a cassette of the Hindi film Pagla Kahin Ka (1970). Ratnam, after watching the film, met Haasan and rejected the offer to remake the film. After Haasan asked him the kind of film he preferred to make, Ratnam suggested two stories: one was in the action genre similar to Dirty Harry (1971) and Beverly Hills Cop (1984), while the other was based on the life of the Bombay underworld don Varadarajan Mudaliar; the latter was finalized. Ratnam had earlier narrated this story, when it was only an idea, to producer R. C. Prakash, but it was not picked up then. Cinematography for Nayakan was handled by P. C. Sreeram, and editing by B. Lenin and V. T. Vijayan.

The film is set in the slums of Mumbai and follows the life of Velu Naicker (played by Kamal Haasan), a young boy who becomes a gangster after being forced to leave his village. The film explores the complex character of Velu Naicker as he rises to power in the underworld and tries to balance his personal life with his criminal activities.

The film is a masterpiece of Tamil cinema and is widely regarded as one of the greatest Indian films of all time. The direction by Mani Ratnam is impeccable, and the performances by the cast are outstanding. Kamal Haasan's portrayal of Velu Naicker is particularly noteworthy, as he brings a depth and complexity to the character that is rarely seen in Indian cinema.

The film also features some iconic scenes and dialogues that have become part of Tamil cinema folklore. The scene where Velu Naicker confronts the corrupt politician and declares "Neenga Nallavara Kettavara" (Are you good or bad?) has become a classic.

"Nayagan" (1987) is a highly acclaimed Tamil movie that has received widespread critical acclaim and audience appreciation over the years. It has also won several awards, including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil and the Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Film.

On the popular movie review website IMDb, "Nayagan" has a rating of 8.8 out of 10 based on over 21,000 user ratings. On the other hand, on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has a 100% approval rating based on 10 reviews.

These ratings reflect the immense popularity and critical acclaim that "Nayagan" has received over the years. The movie is widely regarded as a masterpiece of Indian cinema and is considered a must-watch for anyone interested in Tamil or Indian cinema.

Overall, "Nayagan" is a must-watch film for any cinema lover. It is a powerful and emotional story that explores the complexities of human nature and the harsh realities of life in the underworld. The film's impact on Tamil cinema is immeasurable, and it continues to be a source of inspiration for filmmakers to this day.