Nadigan(1990)
Nadigan is a 1990 Indian Tamil-language comedy thriller film directed by P. Vasu. It stars Sathyaraj as Raja, a street performer, and Khushbu as Geetha, a teenager caught in a murder conspiracy. The story follows Raja who disguises himself as an elderly music teacher to earn money for his mother's heart surgery. He takes a job at a strict household in Kodaikanal, where he must juggle his fake identity, a budding romance, and a dangerous criminal. The film is a remake of the Hindi film Professor (1962) and blends humour, romance, and suspense. It was a critical and commercial success, running for over 125 days in theatres. Nadigan won four Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, including Best Dialogue Writer and a Special Award for Best Actor for Sathyaraj. The soundtrack was composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The film was released on 30 November 1990.
Nadigan (1990) OTT release date is not officially announced yet — GudVibe tracks its streaming availability daily.
Where to watch:Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 30 November 1990
- Director
- P. Vasu
- Language
- Tamil
- Runtime
- 2h 25m
- Rating
- 7.7/10
Storyline
A poor street performer named Raja desperately needs money for his mother's heart surgery. He accidentally swaps suitcases with a music teacher and decides to impersonate him. Disguised as an old man, he takes a job at a strict household in Kodaikanal. He must hide his true identity while falling in love with Geetha, who is being hunted by a ruthless murderer.
“One man, two faces, one deadly secret.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Nadigan
Cast reunions in this film: Goundamani & Ilayaraja (75 films together), Ilayaraja & Manorama (60 films together), Sathyaraj & Ilayaraja (53 films together), Venniradai Moorthy & Ilayaraja (42 films together), Goundamani & Manorama (40 films together), and Kushboo & Ilayaraja (32 films together).
Trivia
- The film was a remake of the 1962 Hindi film 'Professor', which starred Shammi Kapoor.
- Director P. Vasu and actor Sathyaraj collaborated for the first time on this film, starting a successful partnership.
- The movie's success helped solidify Kushboo's status as a leading actress in Tamil cinema during that era.
- It was one of the early major hits for composer Ilaiyaraaja in the 1990s, featuring popular songs like 'Oru Kili Oru Kili'.
- The film's title 'Nadigan' directly translates to 'Actor', reflecting the protagonist's profession and the story's theme.
- Despite being a remake, the film was heavily adapted to suit Tamil cultural sensibilities and Sathyaraj's screen persona.
- The blockbuster success led to the film being dubbed into Telugu as 'Actor' with the same lead cast.