'' Nayakan '' was released on 21 October 1987 on the occasion of Diwali and received critical acclaim . Haasan 's performance earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor . The film also earned the National Awards for Best Cinematography ( P. C. Sriram ) and Best Art Direction ( Thotta Tharani ) . The film was India 's official submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1988 at the 60th Academy Awards , but was not nominated
60th Academy Awards
60th Academy Awards
Nayakan