{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Use Indian English|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox film | image = Nadigan poster.jpg | caption = Poster | director = [[P. Vasu]] | screenplay = P. Vasu | based_on = {{based on|''[[Professor (1962 film)|Professor]]''}} by [[Abrar Alvi]] | producer = M. Ramanathan | starring = [[Sathyaraj]]<br />[[Khushbu Sundar|Khushbu]] | cinematography = [[Ashok Kumar (cinematographer)|Ashok Kumar]] | editing = P. Mohan Raj | music = [[Ilaiyaraaja]] | studio = Raj Films International | released = {{Film date|df=yes|1990|11|30}} | country = India | language = Tamil }} '''''Nadigan''''' ({{translation|Actor}}) is a 1990 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[comedy thriller]] film written directed by [[P. Vasu]]. A remake of the [[Hindi]] film ''[[Professor (1962 film)|Professor]]'' (1962), it stars [[Sathyaraj]] and [[Khushbu Sundar|Khushbu]]. The film was released on 30 November 1990 and became a critical and commercial success, winning four [[Tamil Nadu State Film Awards]].
== Plot == Vishwanathan, a ruthless businessman, murders his partner Raghu to avoid sharing massive profits. He stages the murder to look like suicide and plays the innocent at his daughter's wedding, feigning grief over Raghu's death. Unbeknownst to Vishwanathan, a videographer secretly records his conversation with a henchman, discussing the murder plan. The videographer escapes and hides the incriminating video cassette in Geetha's bag as she flees in her car. Tragically, the videographer is later killed in a theater by Vishwanathan's men, and his body disappears before Geetha can report the incident to the police. Vishwanathan's men are hot on the trail of Geetha, the one who unknowingly possesses the damning evidence. Geetha, Radha, Dippa, and Prashanth live with their spinster aunt, Anandha Karpagavalli, in a vast Island Estate in [[Kodaikanal]]. Karpagavalli is a strict, old-school caretaker who enforces traditional values and discipline, restricting the freedom of the teenage sisters and their younger siblings, who find her rules suffocating.
Raja, a street performer, is struggling to make ends meet. His mother needs a [[Graft (surgery)|bypass graft]] surgery within 30 days, and Raja must find a way to earn the money. The doctor recommends a change of environment for his mother's treatment, so they head to Kodaikanal, and are also in search of a job. On their journey by train, Raja meets Devaraj, a music teacher travelling to the Island Estate for a job that pays {{INRConvert|3000|year=1990}} per month. Devaraj carries a recommendation letter with a contact address, hoping to secure the position. When Raja and Devaraj exit the train, they accidentally swap suitcases. Raja finds Devaraj's job offer letter in his suitcase and, desperate to fund his mother's surgery, decides to take the job. He disguises himself as an old man, "Devaraj," by wearing a beard and white hair, and joins the Island Estate as a music teacher and caretaker.
Meanwhile, the real Devaraj is unable to find Raja or the Island Estate due to his poor English, as people don't understand what he means by "Is-land." As "Devaraj," Raja gains Karpagavalli's trust by praising her excessively, and she develops romantic feelings for him, thinking he's an unmarried elderly man. Meanwhile, Geetha and Radha try to outsmart "Devaraj" and enjoy freedom beyond their aunt's restrictions. They devise plans to get rid of him, but all their attempts fail. Once, Geetha is saved by Raja from Vishwanathan's henchmen. At this moment, Geetha believes him to be a different person from her music teacher, Devaraj, and develops feelings for Raja. Kurangu Kannayiram, a petty thief, hides in Raja's house while evading the police. Upon discovering Raja's true identity, Kannayiram blackmails him, forcing Raja to let him stay in his house. As Karpagavalli reforms, she relaxes her restrictions, allowing Geetha and Radha to dress as they like, she starts obeying "Devaraj's" words, and even accepts Radha's love for [[Inspector]] Chinni. She invites "Devaraj" to stay in their house, driven by her affection for him.
Also, Kannayiram, posing as Kandhasamy, Devaraj's fake brother, enters the household. Meanwhile, Vishwanathan sends two women to retrieve the incriminating cassette from Geetha's house secretly. Geetha convinces her aunt to consider Raja as a potential groom, which Karpagavalli accepts after meeting Raja. In return, she seeks Raja's help to arrange her union with "Devaraj", unaware that "Devaraj" is Raja in disguise. Raja is shocked by the proposal. When "Devaraj" removes his disguise, Geetha discovers his true identity as Raja and feels betrayed, leading to a breakup. Soon, Geetha's friend Maya sends the video cassette to Chinni, but Vishwanathan's henchwoman abducts Geetha at knifepoint, taking the cassette. Raja rescues Geetha, but Vishwanathan kidnaps her family, demanding the cassette. Raja, along with Kannayiram, saves the family, and Karpagavalli learns about Raja's dual identity. After a brief fight and a road chase, Raja saves the family, and Vishwanathan's men are arrested for their crimes.
In the end, the real Devaraj, whose suitcase was swapped with Raja's, finally finds the Island Estate and meets Karpagavalli to take up the music teacher position.
== Cast == {{cast listing| *[[Sathyaraj]] as Raja *[[Khushbu Sundar|Khushbu]] as Geetha *[[Manorama (Tamil actress)|Manorama]] as Anandha Karpagavalli<ref>{{Cite news |last=Yamunan |first=Sruthisagar |date=12 October 2015 |title=When the camera rolled, she lived the character' |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/when-the-camera-rolled-she-lived-the-character/article7751052.ece |url-status=live |access-date=20 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029074558/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/when-the-camera-rolled-she-lived-the-character/article7751052.ece |archive-date=29 October 2016}}</ref> *[[Goundamani]] as Kurangu Kannayiram *[[Vennira Aadai Moorthy]] as Devaraj *[[Chinni Jayanth]] as Chinni *[[Prathapachandran]] as Vishwanathan *[[Ramu (actor)|Ramu]] as Vishwanathan's henchman *[[Pandu (actor)|Pandu]] as Pandu *[[Thalapathy Dinesh|Dinesh]] as Vishwanthan's henchman *[[Oru Viral Krishna Rao]] as a constable *[[Sethu Vinayagam]] as Inspector General of Police *[[Kamala Kamesh]] as Raja's mother *Balambika as Radha *[[Sakthi Vasu|Master Prashanth Vasu]] as Prashanth *Baby Natasha Ali as Dippa *[[Mansoor Ali Khan (actor)|Mansoor Ali Khan]] as Vishwanthan's henchman (uncredited role) }}
== Production == ''Nadigan'' is a remake of the [[Hindi]] film ''[[Professor (1962 film)|Professor]]'' (1962).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chatterji |first=Shoma A |author-link=Shoma A. Chatterji |date=19 October 2017 |title=Lekh Tandon |url=http://upperstall.com/profile/lekh-tandon/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420203020/http://upperstall.com/profile/lekh-tandon/ |archive-date=20 April 2018 |access-date=20 April 2018 |website=Upperstall.com}}</ref> Although the story is set primarily in [[Ooty]], the film was shot in [[Kodaikanal]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 November 2020 |title=Sibiraj recollects the shooting of Nadigan as the film marks its 3oth anniversary |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/sibiraj-recollects-the-shooting-of-nadigan-as-the-film-marks-its-3oth-anniversary/articleshow/79495015.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116010016/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/sibiraj-recollects-the-shooting-of-nadigan-as-the-film-marks-its-3oth-anniversary/articleshow/79495015.cms |archive-date=16 January 2021 |access-date=4 September 2021 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>
== Soundtrack == The soundtrack was composed by [[Ilaiyaraaja]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nadigan Tamil film LP Vinyl Record by Ilayaraja |url=https://mossymart.com/product/nadigan-tamil-film-lp-vinyl-record-by-ilayaraja/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210904054806/https://mossymart.com/product/nadigan-tamil-film-lp-vinyl-record-by-ilayaraja/ |archive-date=4 September 2021 |access-date=4 September 2021 |website=Mossymart}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=30 November 1990 |title=Nadigan (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) - EP |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/nadigan-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/1658384905 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230902032128/https://music.apple.com/us/album/nadigan-original-motion-picture-soundtrack-ep/1658384905 |archive-date=2 September 2023 |access-date=2 September 2023 |work=[[Apple Music]]}}</ref>
{{Track listing | headline = Track listing | extra_column = Singer(s) | total_length = 29:24 | title1 = Aattama Paattama | extra1 = [[S. P. Balasubrahmanyam]] | lyrics1 = [[Vaali (poet)|Vaali]] | length1 = 04:52 | title2 = Deva Malligai | extra2 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, [[S. Janaki]] | lyrics2 = [[Pulamaipithan]] | length2 = 04:45 | title3 = Vela Vanthu | extra3 = [[Malaysia Vasudevan]] | lyrics3 = Vaali | length3 = 04:47 | title4 = Enge Nimmathi | extra4 = S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | lyrics4 = Ilaiyaraaja | length4 = 04:51 | title5 = Adi Veluthu | extra5 = [[K. S. Chithra]], S. P. Balasubrahmanyam | lyrics5 = Vaali | length5 = 05:04 }}
== Release and reception == ''Nadigan'' was released on 30 November 1990.<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 November 2020 |title='நடிகன்' வெளியாகி 30 ஆண்டுகள் நிறைவு: சிபிராஜ் நெகிழ்ச்சி |url=https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/606777-sibiraj-tweet-about-nadigan.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130072754/https://www.hindutamil.in/news/cinema/tamil-cinema/606777-sibiraj-tweet-about-nadigan.html |archive-date=30 November 2020 |access-date=4 September 2021 |website=[[Hindu Tamil Thisai]] |language=ta}}</ref> N. Krishnaswamy of ''[[The Indian Express]]'' praised Sathyaraj's acting and Ashok Kumar's cinematography.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Krishnaswamy |first=N. |date=30 November 1990 |title=Nadigan |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19901130&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=27 February 2019 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=7 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> C. R. K. of ''[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]]'' praised the film's humour, music and cinematography.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=சி. ஆர். கே. |date=16 December 1990 |title=நடிகன் |url=https://archive.org/details/kalki1990-12-16/page/n21/mode/2up |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230902031847/https://archive.org/details/kalki1990-12-16/page/n21/mode/2up |archive-date=2 September 2023 |access-date=28 December 2022 |magazine=[[Kalki (magazine)|Kalki]] |page=21 |language=Ta |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> The film was a success, running for over 125 days in theatres.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 December 2022 |title=32 வருடங்களை நிறைவு செய்த சத்யராஜின் நடிகன்! |url=https://tamil.news18.com/photogallery/entertainment/cinema-sathyaraj-p-vasu-khushbu-manorama-nadigan-completes-32-years-848256.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202070938/https://tamil.news18.com/photogallery/entertainment/cinema-sathyaraj-p-vasu-khushbu-manorama-nadigan-completes-32-years-848256.html |archive-date=2 December 2022 |access-date=5 December 2022 |website=[[News18]] |language=ta}}</ref> It won the [[Tamil Nadu State Film Awards]] for [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Dialogue Writer|Best Dialogue Writer]] (Vasu), Special Award for Best Actor (Sathyaraj), [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Art Director|Best Art Director]] (Salam) and [[Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Stunt Coordinator|Best Stunt Director]] (Vikram Dharma).<ref>{{Cite news |date=30 October 1992 |title=Chinnathambi bags six awards |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=P9oYG7HA76QC&dat=19921030&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |access-date=14 February 2021 |work=[[The Indian Express]] |pages=3 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
{{P. Vasu}}
[[Category:1990 films]] [[Category:1990 Indian films]] [[Category:1990s comedy mystery films]] [[Category:1990s comedy thriller films]] [[Category:1990s mystery thriller films]] [[Category:1990 Tamil-language films]] [[Category:Films directed by P. Vasu]] [[Category:Films scored by Ilaiyaraaja]] [[Category:Films shot in Kodaikanal]] [[Category:Indian comedy mystery films]] [[Category:Indian comedy thriller films]] [[Category:Indian mystery thriller films]] [[Category:Tamil remakes of Hindi films]] [[Category:Tamil-language comedy thriller films]] [[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]] [[Category:Tamil-language mystery thriller films]]