Hey Ram
HEY RAM (2000, d. Kamal Haasan)
Arguably South Indian megastar Kamal Haasan’s most accomplished work both as an actor and filmmaker is the enthralling and exhausting 202-minute period drama Hey Ram (’Oh God’) released in 2000. Set against the backdrop of India’s impending Partition in 1946, this incredibly dark, powerful epic traces the journey of Saket Ram (Haasan), a Tamil archaeologist haunted by the rape and murder of his Bengali wife Aparna (Rani Mukherji) by Muslims rioting over the issue of the about-to-be formed Pakistan. Brainwashed by Hindu fanatics, Ram slowly descends into the brink of insanity as he dedicates his life to assassinating the man he holds responsible: Mahatma Gandhi.
A labour of love for Haasan, Hey Ram (which he wrote, directed, starred and even sung in) is a disturbing, multi-layered masterpiece that re-opens deep wounds from India’s past as it attempts to deliver a message of peace. Political, controversial and featuring numerous scenes of unglamourised violence and sex, it was banned in many areas of India and virtually ignored in the regions in which it was not. Reviews from the media were lukewarm - critics praised the film’s performances and technical prowess, but played safe and steered clear of voicing an opinion on its artistic content. Regardless of one’s standpoint however, it cannot be denied that Hey Ram is a mesmerising experience that runs a whole gamut of emotions. Its hypnotic imagery, brooding score and compelling narrative encapsulate the viewer in a dark world that is at times difficult to watch, but even harder to turn away from. Even those unaware of the movie’s many religious and political subtexts shouldn’t find it any less riveting.
Just as wondrous to behold is the movie’s eclectic all-star dream cast that includes Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, classically-trained singer Vasundhara Das (best known to Western audiences as the reluctant bride in Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding) and veteran actor Naseerudin Shah, heavily made-up as Gandhi. The entire ensemble deliver powerhouse performances and seeing Shah Rukh Khan, Bollywood’s number one romantic comedy actor, sporting a beard and turban and standing side-by-side with Kamal Haasan for the first time in movie history in the film’s bloody climax is a particularly exciting sight to behold for any Indian cinema fan.
Face to face at last: Shah Rukh Khan and Kamal Haasan in Hey Ram
Hey Ram was filmed in sync-sound in both Hindi and Tamil back-to-back and of the two available DVD releases, the Tamil disc from U.S. distributor BMD offers a superior anamorphic transfer, but sadly terribly out of sync subtitles. First time viewers would be advised to instead seek out the Hindi DVD from Eros International which only features letterboxed video, but far clearer subs.