image1.jpegk Hey Ram poster in Tamil HEY RAM! 2000, Starring, written, directed and produced by Kamal Haasan is both a landmark of the Bollywood cinema and a landmark in the career of Tamil superstar Kamal Hasaan. Basically an historical drama dealing with the background of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in early 1948 by a confused Hindu fanatic and an impassioned call for an end to communal strife between Hindus and Moslems in India, a never ending problem. In passing a call as well for an end to hostility between India and Pakistan, a single people separated by a line on the map.Saketh Ram is an archaeologist by profession. We see him at the beginning on a dig at Mohenjo Daro but the excavation is stopped as the violence of Partition breaks out. Next we see him at a drinking party with old friends in Calcutta which is followed by a playful and somewhat naughty sequence with some hot bedroom action with his lovely wife (a most enticing Rani Mukherji). However their domestic bliss is soon destroyed during the "direct action day" riot in Calcutta following the 1947 Partition of India when a raging mob breaks into the house raping and killing his wife.Saketh emerges hellbent on revenge and is soon convinced that Mahatma Gandhi who was against separation and preached tolerance of all religions including Islam is responsible for all the problems happening in the country. He is enlisted for the job of assassinating Gandhi by a young Hindu extremist, One of his best friends, Amjad Ali Khan (Shahrukh Khan) is a whiskey drinking Moslem and the two will have to protect each other later from raging Hindu and Muslim mobs as the film progresses. At the time of the film SRK was 35 and well established as the "King of Bollywood" whereas Kamaal at age 46 reigned in south India as the King of "Kollywood" (the Tamil film industry). Interestingly SRK agreed to take a secondary backup role in this film but though he has far less screen time than Kamal he just about steals every scene he is in. More over, whereas Khan usually plays a Hindu in Bollywood films, here he gets to be his real self as a Muslim. This is a trilingual film with interplay between Hindi, Tamil and English. Lots of English because the two main characters do not understand each others languages (Tamil and Hindi) so they have to resort to English which is in fact the real situation even today when Tamils and North Indians meet. A lesser known actress, Vasundhura Das, (better known as a singer) is compelling as Saketh's second wife Mythili. Other featured Indian stars are Hema Maliini (Sholy, of Tamil origin) and Nasureddin Shah, veteran of the Parallel film movement, as Mahatma Gandhi. According to popular legend Ghandi is reputed to have exclaimed "Hey Ram" (Oh God!) as he was shot. Kamal discards the legend but retains it as his title. Gandhi did however say,"I will gladly accept a bullet if it stops the strife between Hindus and Muslims". He got his bullet but not quite his final wish. In the film the story is narrated by Ram to his grandson from his death bead half a century later on 6 December 1999, the 7th anniversary of the Destruction of the Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, a landmark in Hindu hatred of Indian Moslems. The rest is flashback. Some concessions to the sing and dances of Masala films are made but this is overall a serious masterfully made historico-political drama that should be on the must-see list of any follower of the Indian cinema scene. Alex, Budapest, 28 November, 2017

I hesitate to call this a great film, because it has too many flaws (I was particularly annoyed by the "old Saketh Ram" scenes). Nor is it a film I yearn to see again, like many other films. So, why a 10 -- a rating, I've only given to 4 other films?Because, more than a dozen years after I first saw it, it remains the most powerful and thought-provoking film I have seen. For answering two questions I had, and also for its powerful transformation. First the questions:I had always wondered when I read about riots and seemingly common people going berserk and killing people from another religion, "how could someone kill an innocent person just because they were Sikh/ Muslim / Hindu?" In dialogues with friends, it was easy to pass that away with "It is the uneducated, poor, dis-satisfied -- led by a bunch of thugs," and remain comfortable with the knowledge, "That could never happen to me."This movie shows with amazing clarity how a normal peace-loving academic, with no communal feelings, can turn into a killing machine, dispatching Muslims without a shred of remorse. Powerful scenes with the slaughter of the protagonist's wife and his subsequent conversion to avenging angel...The second question I had -- I am an unabashed Gandhi-phile, rating him the greatest human that ever lived -- is how could a Hindu want to kill Gandhi? Again, this movie brilliantly depicts how a section of society could fixate on Gandhi as the root of all of India's ills, and determine that his execution was the solution to India's ills. These aren't raving lunatics plotting to kill Gandhi, but patriots -- misguided surely, but patriots in their own minds -- who are willing to kill Gandhi for the good of the nation. Saketh's conversion to the self- appointed assassin is totally believable.Finally, apparently a lot of people were upset that this film showed anti-Gandhi sentiments (apparently the irony of stoning theaters to protest a film seemingly disparaging the Apostle of Nonviolence was lost on the protesters). Here is where, I disagree, and the single reason why this film lingers in my mind. (Spoilers follow:)THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST PRO-GANDHI FILM EVER MADE. Yes, even more than Attenborough's deification of the Mahatma.Yes, the first 99% of the film is profoundly anti-Gandhi, but at the very end of the film, when Saket Ram repents and goes to seek Gandhi's forgiveness transforms this film completely. Because Saketh Ram's change of heart is driven not by Gandhi himself, but the actions of Amjad Khan (Shahrukh Khan in one of his best roles), Saketh's friend, and a true Gandhian. And that transformation is so powerful and authentic, that the film remains fresh in my mind today -- can't wait to see it with my children. And for that reason, flaws and all, I give it a 10.

This is one of the few Hindi films to take head on issues related with India's partition and succeed. 'Hey Ram' features an impressive performance by Kamal Hasan. His role is complex and its hard to see how anyone else could have done better. There are lots of religious metaphors subtly woven into the script. Naseeruddin Shah is a memorable eccentric Gandhi. Shahrukh Khan has a small role but impresses. The film is very violent and some parts are quite difficult to watch, so beware. The period detail is effective. Ultimately, the film makes a strong plea for tolerance but does so without strident moralizing. Highly recommended.Overall 9/10

the movie as a whole was realism at its best which is rarely seen in Indian movies. the screenplay was professionalism at its level best and though it did not do well at the box office it is arguably the best movie of any genre. the story is a flashback and the scenes just rollback to the pre -independence era where the situation is quite the same as it is now. the characterisation were well worked out and the music just steals the show. kamal has done a wonderful job and has done away with idiotic songs and comic tracks that is a common thing in all Indian movies. on the whole a movie cannot get any better than this. must see