Nayakan and Fatherhood
Velu Nayakar, Policemen and Fatherhood. I observed that the emotions of, and towards one’s father, played quite an important role in Mani Ratnam’s Nayakan, from the beginning through the end. It leads to turning points and conflicts that goes on to make and break Velu Nayakar. Turning point number 1: The film starts with Velu’s father getting killed in his arms, and him avenging the murder by killing the man who did it and running away to Bombay. In Bombay, he eventually finds a friend in Selva, and a father figure in Husain Bhai.
Turning point 2: Husain Bhai gets murdered, and Velu goes on to avenge the death of his foster father by killing the policeman who did it, again. This changes his position in his community, Velu goes on to become Velu ‘Bhai’. Velu goes on to support the inspector’s son and forms a bond, because he can relate to what it feels like to grow up without a father. And this relationship also pays off later in the film, in the same arc.
Cut to the latter half of the film, where Velu is in his fifty’s and is asked for a favor by the SP, to thrash up goons who attacked and molested his daughter. His paternal instincts kick in and he executes the job, which his daughter witnesses. When confronted, he says “Vaakku kuduthuten ma, enna maadhiri oru thagappanukku” (I made a promise, to a father like myself), which eventually leads to a conflict with his daughter over his violent ways. The conflict eventually leads to another turning point, where the daughter decides to leave him after the death of her brother. Cut to the end of the film, Velu comes across his daughter after being estranged for years. He is overcome with guilt and grief and is conflicted with his own emotions as a father, which eventually leads to his surrender with the police. Final turning point: Velu’s death. He gets shot, by Ajit, the son of inspector Kelkar, who, like Velu, avenges the death of his father, dressed like a policeman. It is also worthy to note that both the men Velu killed were dressed in the uniform when they died, as well. What a way to symbolically represent that Karma pays off.(Not a believer, just saying). This film is a gift that keeps on giving.
