Nayakan

Nayakan (1987)

நாயகன்

Are you a good man or a bad man?

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

Date of release
1987-10-21
TMDB
7.9 / 10 (100)
Runtime
2h 36m
Genres
Drama, Crime
Director
Mani Ratnam

Casting

Interesting facts

  • Awards: 0 · Nominations: 1

Nayakan is a 1987 Indian Tamil-language epic crime drama film directed by Mani Ratnam who wrote the screenplay, with dialogues by Balakumaran. Produced by Muktha Films, the film stars Kamal Haasan and Saranya Ponvannan, with Karthika, Janagaraj, Vijayan, M. V. Vasudeva Rao, Delhi Ganesh, Nizhalgal Ravi and Nassar in supporting roles. It revolves around the evolution of Velu Naicker (Haasan) from an ordinary slum dweller to a highly respected crime lord in the Bombay underworld.

Production

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.

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 und…

In September 1986, Haasan gave his schedule dates for the film to Srinivasan, and was paid ₹17.5 lakh (US$145,583 in 1987) for playing Velu. Ratnam wanted Haasan to have as realistic a look as possible. He preferred Haasan in traditional Hindu attire.

Neela, the wife of Velu, was played by Saranya, who made her debut in the film. The character was created by Srinivasan to reduce the violent content and help the film cater to family audiences. Ratnam wanted a "new face" to portray Neela as he felt only then the character would have the required zest and gusto. Saranya sent her photograph to Ratnam to audition for the role. She was later cast after a successful screen test.

Ratnam believes that Nassar was suggested to him by Haasan, when Raghuvaran was being considered for the role of the assistant commissioner Patil. Raghuvaran declined as the script required him to cut his hair short. Nassar shot for six days and initially believed there was nothing special in his role. He later admitted his surprise of the reach of his character post-release.

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