| Errors | Missing | Unverified | Supported |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
Based on internal knowledge of the 1987 film Nayakan, directed by Mani Ratnam, the oldest notable cast member at the time of filming was M. V. Vasudeva Rao.
Here are the specific details regarding his involvement:
M. V. Vasudeva Rao was a veteran actor primarily known for his work in Kannada cinema, most notably winning the National Film Award for Best Actor for the film Chomana Dudi (1975). In Nayakan, his presence provided a grounded, patriarchal gravitas to the early segments of the film.
While Kamal Haasan (the lead) appears much older in the latter half of the film, he was only approximately 32–33 years old during production and used extensive prosthetic makeup designed by Michael Westmore to achieve the look of an elderly man.
(Note: This summary was generated by Gemini 3.0 Flash)
The AI Summary attributes the makeup design to Michael Westmore without verification. While it's possible he contributed, no sources confirm this claim. The actual makeup artist(s) for the film are not identified in available sources.
This biographical detail could help verify the birth year calculation. If he died in 2002 at age 82, he would have been born around 1919-1920, which aligns with available information.
Additional context about his extensive career beyond just Chomana Dudi.
M. V. Vasudeva Rao was the oldest notable cast member of Nayakan (1987) at the time of filming. He was born circa 1919 (Wikipedia lists 'c. 1919', though some sources cite 1920), making him approximately 67-68 years old during filming in late 1986 and early 1987. He played the pivotal role of Hussain Bhai, an aging smuggler and mentor who takes in the young protagonist Sakthivelu (later Velu Nayakar, played by Kamal Haasan) when he arrives in Bombay as a fugitive. Hussain Bhai provides shelter and introduces him to smuggling, while instilling the moral philosophy that 'if a deed helps four people, then it isn't wrong, even if illegal' - a principle that becomes Velu's guiding ethos. M. V. Vasudeva Rao was a veteran actor primarily known for his work in Kannada cinema, having won the National Film Award for Best Actor for Chomana Dudi (1975). Other major cast members at the time of filming included: Goga Kapoor (46 years old, born 1940), Delhi Ganesh (42-43 years old, born 1944), Kamal Haasan (32 years old, born 1954), and Janagaraj (31-32 years old, born 1955).