'Nayakan', 35 years on: The enduring legacy of Mani Ratnam, Kamal Haasan's first Tamil outing

Kamal Haasan in a still from Mani Ratnam's 'Nayakan' (1987).

Spoilers ahead. More than 35 years after it was made, Mani Ratnam-directed Nayakan (also spelt Nayagan), starring Kamal Haasan, continues to enthral audiences, especially in Tamil Nadu. The film, which was critically acclaimed on release, in October 1987, launched the ever-popular gangster genre in Tamil cinema, in a way Ratnam's earlier Pagal Nilavu (1985) could not.

Over three decades later, Haasan and Ratnam have declared plans to reunite and make a new movie. The new film, with the working title “KH 234” — Haasan’s 234th film — has been announced at a time when both the actor and director are coming off the biggest hit of their careers.

Haasan’s Vikram, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, made nearly Rs 500 crore at the box office. Ratnam’s historical outing Ponniyin Selvan I made, at least, Rs 480 crore, according to news reports.

The new film — to be produced by Raaj Kamal Films International and Ratnam’s Madras Talkies and scored by Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Grammy winner AR Rahman — will be released in 2024.

That’s all folks, for the moment, on their new outing. In contrast, memories of the older collaboration is still fresh as a fiddle. What was it about the gangster film that redefined how such films would be made in the years to come?

Upon its release, Nayakan (The Hero) proved to be path-breaking for its innovative storytelling style in Tamil cinema. A hit at the box office, it launched the high-profile career of its director. Cinematographer PC Sreeram and editors Lenin and VT Vijayan also came in for high praise. The Muktha Sreenivasan-produced film was loosely based on The Godfather (1972) and Once Upon A Time in America (1984). The story of real-life Bombay don Varadarajan Mudaliar became Ratnam's subject of inquiry.

Haasan, quite unequivocally, won the National Award for best actor. Thotta Tharani and PC Sreeram won the best production design and cinematography awards, respectively. And, Nayakan was India’s official entry for the Oscars for best foreign language film in 1988.

While the Academy did not nominate it, Time magazine chose the movie as one of the 100 best-ever movies of all time, an honour the country hasn’t forgotten.

Supporting Haasan was a stellar cast, including Saranya, Karthiga, Janagaraj, Delhi Ganesh, "Nizhalgal" Ravi, Nasser, MV Vasudeva Rao and Vijayan.

Set in the 1980s in Dharavi, an urban Tamil slum located in the heart of Mumbai (then Bombay), the film, however, starts in Thoothukudi, where Sakthivel “Velu”, a young boy, murders a cop for killing his union leader father Ratnavelu Naicker (also spelt Nayakar). Velu flees town and ends up in Mumbai, where he is raised in the house of a Muslim man (Rao), affectionately called Vappa (father). “Naalu perukku uthavumna ethuveme pavamille (if it helps some people, even doing things that are illegal is right)” is the refrain Vappa uses. Vappa falls ill and is unable to smuggle.  Velu, next in line, takes Vappa’s words as his dictum.

Nayakan is divided into three acts, with make-up being the only clue of demarcation. In his 20s, Velu is captured and tortured by the Mumbai police for defying them and standing up for his slum. Tamil writer Balakumaran’s dialogues create an aura around the character. “Naan adicha nee sethuduva (you will die with just my touch)” is Velu’s reply to inspector Kelkar’s torture. Later, Nayakan kills Kelkar in cold blood and in public view inside Dharavi.

Much like in the original films Nayakan is based on, music, here too, in composer Isaignani Ilaiyaraja’s 400th film, propels the plot. Thenpandi cheemaiyile, the titular song, still plays on a loop at many tea shops.

Velu goes to the brothel with Janagaraj’s character. Also seen there are Yamuna Rani and MS Rajeswari, famous dancers of the time. Art directed by “Thotta” Tharani and stunts choreographed by “Super” Subbarayan, and PC’s camera work for the “Naan chirithal Deepavali (I can bring about Diwali with a smile)” is spectacular.

Saranya’s character spouts: “Nalaiykku kanakku pariksha” (tomorrow is Maths exam). Thoughts of sex fly out of the window, and Velu passes out on a chair. Our hero later marries her, in a way, rescuing her from a lifetime of prostitution.

“Neeyoru kaadal sangeetham (you are my love song)”, a moving love ballad, accompanies Velu’s nuptials with Neela (Saranya) at a temple, attended only by Janagaraj.

As the act changes, Settu tries demolishing a portion of the Dharavi slum. In response, Velu and other residents wreck Settu’s house. No one in Dharavi comes forward to give away Velu Nayakar to the police.

Neela is killed by midnight in Velu’s house by a rival gang of Reddys. A regretful Velu decides to send his children to Madras (now Chennai).

Days pass by and they grow up. Velu’s son Surya ("Nizhalgal" Ravi) wants to follow in his father’s footsteps.

Charu (then an upcoming and terrific Karthiga) disputes Velu’s attitude of taking the law into his own hands. Surya, eventually, dies and his sister Charu leaves their father, Velu, in the lurch.

A new inspector (Nasser) arrives with a fresh warrant against Velu Nayakar. When Velu visits his house with the intention of seeking repercussions for arresting Selva, Velu’s point man (played by Janagaraj), he finds his daughter Charu is married to the inspector as a way of washing her sins. What haunts Nayakan is his grandson Shakthi Velu asking him: “Neenga nallavara? Kettavara? (Are you a good or a bad man?)”

The hero’s end will be unheroic. The mentally-challenged son (Tinnu Anand) of Kelkar, whom Velu had killed aeons ago, dons his father’s uniform and, with his father’s gun, kills Nayakar.

When the film begins, the subtext is rather heavy. Velu has already been tortured by the Thoothukudi police and is subjected to police torture for the second time in Mumbai. The persecution of Tamils was rampant in Dharavi in the 1980s.

The fight for Dharavi was primarily a fight for land. When the disenfranchised people of the slum find themselves without patta land, Velu with local support gets the land back. Later, when Velu finds that his people are without ambulances, he starts a service purely for the poor.

It’s important that Velu Nayakar — the murderer of inspector Kelkar — does all of this without standing for elections. The path he takes is illegal, but his summit is without evil. Over a period of time, Velu becomes a regular Mumbaikar. He celebrates Holi with his family and indulges in Ganesh Chaturthi.

When made, Nayakan was spectacular on so many levels. From the production design to the expensive outdoor shots, the movie was mounted on an unbelievable scale.

Having seen Nayakan several times, from an exciting first watch to later viewings, my opinion kept changing. Upon a recent revisit, I feel that Nayakan is soaked in sentimentality. Karthiga’s role and her penetrative stand against her own father seem more sentimental than what they were on first watch.

The Tamils of Dharavi (one of the biggest urban slums in South Asia) were a persecuted lot until Varadarajan Mudaliar (1926-88) came to their rescue. Seeing no legal means to fight for his people, Vardha Bhai slowly became a don.

Several other movies, including Ardh Satya (1983), Mashaal (1984), Dayavan (1988), Agneepath (1990), Thottal Poo Malarum (2007) and Kaala (2018), were inspired by the life of Mudaliar.

After the success of Ratnam’s Revathi and Mohan-starrer Mouna Ragam (Silent Symphony, 1986), Haasan and the director decided to work on a movie together. Originally, they wanted to do a sleek action film along the lines of James Bond. Closer home, the life of Varadarajan Mudaliar made their subject more real and relatable for the audience. Both actor and director wanted to make a Godfather kind of movie. They also wanted something that would be alag (different). The story of Mudaliar is compelling because he fought for the underdog and their rights. Hailing from Thoothukudi, he identified himself with the fundamental rights of the Tamils, even though his modus operandi was illegal.

The dialogue by Balakumaran is written in Ratnam’s style. Many sentences are delivered in a staccato style, which audiences across Tamil Nadu would always identify with Mani Ratnam. Nayakan has aged gracefully in the last three decades since it was made, and, for its dialogues, acting chops and storytelling, the film demands a revisit, before the actor-director duo bring out their sophomore together.