Overview
A gripping tale of love, loss, and political turmoil during a pivotal moment in history.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Dense
- Violence
- Graphic
- harrowing
- intense
- serious
- serious film night
- historical cinema viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly acclaimed the film's ambitious historical scope, technical craft, performances, and message of religious unity, while noting its excessive length and occasional simplicity.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film opens with an elderly Saket Ram before shifting into an extended account of his life during the 1940s.
Saket's response to the murder of Aparna makes him vulnerable to Hindu extremist recruitment and revenge politics.
Saket's Hindu nationalist loyalties fracture when he becomes entangled in violence involving both Hindu attackers and Muslim civilians.
Critics specifically praised the art direction, costumes, cinematography, prosthetic makeup, and recreation of old India.
Films like Hey Ram, and why
Garm Hava
historical political drama examining religious extremism, communal violence, and moral transformation
Earth
period Indian drama portraying the human consequences of partition-era communal conflict
Gandhi
political historical drama centered on Gandhi, nonviolence, and the ethical consequences of nationalist struggle
The Last Emperor
intense historical drama about ideological radicalization and the personal cost of political violence
Movie Details
- Director
- Kamal Haasan
- Release Date
- 2000-02-18
- Runtime
- 199 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (65)
Cast
- Kamal Haasan
- Shah Rukh Khan
- Hema Malini
- Rani Mukerji
- Vasundhara Das
- Girish Karnad
- Naseeruddin Shah
- Om Puri
- Atul Kulkarni
- Vikram Gokhale
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Eros Now Select Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Hey Ram about?
- A traumatized Hindu nationalist is drawn into an assassination conspiracy during the violent birth of modern India, only to confront the moral collapse beneath his convictions.
- What is Hey Ram like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Hey Ram as measured, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as dense.
- Is Hey Ram violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Hey Ram as graphic.
- What did critics think of Hey Ram?
- Critics broadly acclaimed the film's ambitious historical scope, technical craft, performances, and message of religious unity, while noting its excessive length and occasional simplicity.
- Which films are like Hey Ram?
- Films with a similar feel include Garm Hava, Earth, Gandhi, and The Last Emperor.
- How long is Hey Ram?
- Hey Ram runs 199 minutes.
- Where can I watch Hey Ram?
- In United States, Hey Ram streams on Eros Now Select Apple TV channel.
