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Nayagan official poster

Nayagan(1987)

9.0/10
Tamil145 mins

Nayagan (1987) is a 145-minute Tamil film directed by Mani Ratnam. Starring Saranya ponvannan, Nizhalgal Ravi and Kamal Haasan. With an audience rating of 9.0/10, Nayagan stands as one of the notable Tamil releases of 1987.

Director:Mani Ratnam
Mood:
darkemotionalsuspenseful
Where to watch:
OTT availability not confirmed yet. Check Netflix · Prime Video · Hotstar · ZEE5

Quick Facts

Theatrical Release
1 January 1987
Director
Mani Ratnam
Language
Tamil
Runtime
2h 25m
GudVibe Rating
9.0/10

Storyline

A young boy sees his father killed. After taking revenge on a corrupt police officer, he flees to a new city. There, he rises to become a powerful crime boss.

A boy's revenge becomes a city's nightmare.

Film Details

9.0Rating
145Minutes
TamilLanguage
ACertificate
Release Date1 January 1987
Release Typetheatrical
Also Known Asநாயகன் · Hero · Nayakudu · Velu Nayakan · Nayagan · People's Hero

Parental Guide

Violence
Moderate
Language
Moderate
Sex / Nudity
Moderate
Drugs
Mild
Intensity
Moderate

Vibe & Tags

Mood
darkemotionalsuspenseful
Themes
revengecorruptionfamilyidentity
Tonegritty
Pacingslow-burn
Complexityrequires-attention
Audiencemultiplex
Best Withalone
Violence4
Emotion5
Humor1
Rewatchability5

Reviews & Ratings

Your Rating
9/10Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Trivia

  • The film was inspired by the real-life Mumbai gangster Varadarajan Mudaliar, and also draws from the story of Vito Corleone in The Godfather.
  • Mani Ratnam initially wanted Rajinikanth for the lead role, but the actor felt he was too young to play a character aging over decades.
  • Cinematographer P.C. Sreeram used diffused lighting and smoke to create a distinctive, painterly look, inspired by Rembrandt's portraits.
  • The iconic scene where Velu Naicker carries his dying friend was shot in a single, unbroken take lasting over two minutes.
  • The film's background score by Ilaiyaraaja was recorded with a 100-piece orchestra in Madras, a large ensemble for its time.
  • Nayakan was India's official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 60th Academy Awards, though it was not nominated.
  • The young Velu Naicker is played by Master Udayaraj, who is the son of veteran actor Delhi Ganesh.

Notable Collaborations

Frequent partnerships reunited in Nayagan

Music Composer-Selvam59 films
Assistant Commissioner Patil-Music Composer49 films
Assistant Commissioner Patil-Iyer21 films
Assistant Commissioner Patil-Actor17 films
Assistant Commissioner Patil-Selvam17 films
Assistant Commissioner Patil-Actor13 films
Assistant Commissioner Patil-Neela13 films
Actor-Assistant Commissioner Patil11 films
Assistant Commissioner Patil-Director of Photography8 films
Music Composer-Durai8 films
Music Composer-Director of Photography6 films

Frequently Asked Questions