Nayagan

Nayakan is a 1987 Indian Tamil-language epic crime drama film written and directed by Mani Ratnam.

Produced by Muktha Srinivasan, the film stars Kamal Haasan in the lead role alongside Saranya (in her feature debut), Janagaraj, Karthika, Vijayan, M. V. Vasudeva Rao, Delhi Ganesh, Nizhalgal Ravi, Nassar and Tara.

The film revolves around the evolution of Velu Naicker, played by Kamal Haasan, from an ordinary slum dweller to a highly respected crime lord in the Bombay underworld.

Nayakan is loosely based on the life of Varadarajan Mudaliar and inspired by The Godfather (1972).

Cinematography was handled by P. C. Sreeram, and editing by B. Lenin and V. T. Vijayan. Filming began in late 1986, taking place primarily in Madras.