Celebrating a Tamil cinematic masterpiece (and probably among the top 5 Indian films) which was released on this date 28 years ago (October 21, 1987).
A biopic on Mumbai's underworld don Varadaraja Mudaliar, 'NAYAGAN' underlined MANI RATNAM's genius in using visuals, lighting (dark and subtle), background score, dialogue, natural sound and silence to stunning effect.
This film will also be remembered for Kamal Haasan's epic performance (as Velu Nayagan), P. C. Sriram's magnificent cinematography, Thota Tharani's Art Direction, and a haunting soundtrack by ILAIYARAJA....
I am sure Nayagan will continue to stay in the list of TIME magazine's 'All-Time 100 Best Films' for a long time....
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(If you still haven't seen the film, do get the DVD and watch it on your home screen. And if you want to know how to screw up up a masterpiece, watch Nayagan's Hindi remake (DAYAVAN)..)
Here is a classic scene from the film: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kOUcRIbw-gw
Reminiscing about the film, Kamal wrote in an article (in the Hindu in 2013) that "Nayakan was one of the films — along with the films I’ve done with Balu Mahendra, K. Vishwanath and, of course, my guru K. Balachander — that made me decide that I should not be doing short-lived masala movies anymore. Except nostalgia, they added nothing to my career. I was fed up. I was nearing middle-age. I thought, 'If I don’t do this now, then when will I do it?' After wrapping the film, I was so happy that I took Sarika and went for a walk around the empty set. I remember just sitting there with a satisfied sigh."
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