Set to re-release in 4K format from November 3rd onwards till the run-up to Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan's birthday i.e November 7, filmmaker Mani Ratnam's landmark film Nayakan can be enjoyed at leading multiplexes and single-screens across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
Spreading enough cheer amongst Tamil cinema fans and especially among the fandom of both the actor and director, this decision seems to be a fitting tribute to the cinematic excellence of both creative forces, who have taken Tamil cinema to newer heights with Nayakan. Earlier on social media, a brand new poster of the film was released consolidating this news.
Inspired from the life of Varadarajan Mudaliar, the man who came from Tamil Nadu with two dimes in his pocket but grew to become an influential and dreaded crime boss in Mumbai, Nayakan sees Haasan play Velu Naicker, a man who masterminds every criminal activity in the city but is known to be generous and large-hearted amongst the marginalised and oppressed.
Released in 1987, Nayakan fetched Haasan his National Award for Best Actor and was adjudged as one among the All-Time 100 Best Films by Time Magazine. Cinematographer PC Sreeram, who evnetually went to collaborate with Ratnam in the latter's consecutive releases also received National Honours for Best Cinematography while Thotta Tharani, who recently worked on the production design for Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan franchise, was awarded the National Award for Best Art Direction.
The film also features Saranya Ponvannan, Karthika, Janagaraj, Vijayan, M. V. Vasudeva Rao, Delhi Ganesh, Nizhalgal Ravi, Nassar and Tara. Following the success of Nayakan, it was also remade in Hindi as Dayavan with Vinod Khanna and Madhuri Dixit in the lead.
