Independence Day 2023: From Hey Ram to RRR, some memorable moments of patriotism from South Indian films

Kaalapani (1996, Dir. Priyadarshan)

A still from Kaalapani.

Helmed by hitmaker Priyadarshan, Kaalapani is often hailed as one of the most intricate epic historical dramas the country has ever created. Unlike the typical pre-Independence era films where events serve as mere steps toward documented incidents, Kaalapani presents a fictional story revolving around Indian independence activists incarcerated in the Cellular Jail (Kālā Pānī) in Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the British Raj. Boasting a talented cast and crew including writer T Damodaran, Mohanlal, Prabhu, Tabu, Amrish Puri, Ilaiyaraaja, Santosh Sivan, and Sabu Cyril, the film successfully captures the harsh realities faced by Indian prisoners under the British Army’s oppression.

In a significant scene resonating with the dreams of many Independence activists, Dr Govardhan (Mohanlal), the lead character imprisoned in Kālā Pānī, challenges the beliefs of two British medical practitioners. They assert that if the British granted India its freedom, princely states would reemerge and engage in conflicts based on religion, power, regions, and languages. Countering their perspective, Govardhan emphasises that this notion stems from Britain’s deep-seated feudal complex, desiring to hinder the development of the nations they govern even after their liberation. “This is why you’ve sown the seeds of communal animosity under the guise of divide and rule policy,” he contends. He also expresses his belief that citizens will eventually realise that there’s only one true religion: patriotism.

Kurukshetra (2008, Dir. Major Ravi)

Poster of Kurukshetra.

The New York Times headline from 1999 during the Kargil War reads, “India buries soldiers that Pakistan won’t claim”. According to the report, the Indian Army laid to rest five bodies in the Himalayas, asserting that these individuals were Pakistanis, although Pakistan refused to admit them as their own. In a gesture honouring this action taken by the Indian Army, where they paid their respects to their counterparts in the opposing camp by offering them a dignified farewell, Malayalam director and retired Indian Army officer Major Ravi included a cinematic portrayal of this event in his 2008 war film Kurukshetra.

In this particular scene, which takes place against the backdrop of a flag meeting between the two armies, Indian troops arrive to retrieve the bodies of their fellow soldiers who were killed by the enemy camp. Upon examination, they realize that the Pakistan troops had violated the Geneva Convention’s guidelines for the treatment of the dead which prohibits the despoliation of war victims’ bodies. However, due to the nature of the flag meeting, the Indian troops decide not to escalate the matter at that moment. But when Colonel Mahadevan (Mohanlal), the commander of the Indian troop, urges the Pakistan Army to collect the bodies of their soldiers, the latter decline and label them as mujahideen. “It’s their custom to brand soldiers who fought for their country as terrorists. If this white flag weren’t present, none of you (Pakistan soldiers) would leave unharmed,” Col Mahadevan asserts before requesting Subedar Major Fussy to conduct the funeral following Islamic customs. “Fetch me some Pakistan flags (to drape over the deceased soldiers’ bodies),” Mahadevan exclaims in the scene that consistently evokes intense emotions.

Telugu

Poster of RRR.

RRR (2022, Dir. SS Rajamouli), Naatu Naatu song

MM Keeravaani’s “Naatu Naatu” needs no introduction as it is the winner of both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe. While the rest of the list might contain goosebumps-inducing scenes, “Naatu Naatu” might be an odd one here. However, the song easily captures the spirit of India. Take the premise of the song, it is a dance stand-off between two Indians and a bunch of British bullies, who shame the local dance style. The heroes don’t react with vengeance but they prove their prowess without expressing any hostility towards the white men. In fact, at a particular moment in the song, when the foreigners also start aping the two heroes, Ram Charan’s Sitarama Raju breaks into a wide smile and shows thumbs-up to the bullies. That’s been what India has been doing in the international arena. Be it the space race or nuclear race, India, which is still termed a developing country, has proved itself as a worthy and formidable competitor to developed nations.

Tamil

Hey Ram (2000, Dir. Kamal Haasan): “My Ram for the South”

A still from Hey Ram.

Hey Ram is perhaps the biggest heartbreak Kamal Haasan had to endure. One of the finest films made in India, it failed to become a commercial success. Like many of his movies, Hey Ram found takers over the years. The film imagines an alternate history with a protagonist, named Saket Ram (Kamal Haasan) from Madras Province, who decides to kill Mahatma Gandhi. He is motivated by the brutal death of his first wife. He is also propelled by an extreme Right-wing group. However, a particular instance changes everything for him. After losing his Muslim friend Amjad Khan to Hindu extremists, Saket Ram finds an opportunity to meet Gandhi. When Gandhi is told Ram has saved many Muslim lives during the riot, Gandhi calls him, “My Ram from the South.” He then tells Ram that if all the hatred in the country is changed into a single bullet and is used to kill him, and if his death will bring about an end to all violence, he will take it happily. Ram is moved to tears because that’s exactly what Amjad tells him before he is killed. It is one of the many brilliant moments in the classic period film, which bears a lot of solutions to our contemporary problems. Hey Ram might not propagate chest-thumping patriotism, but its brand of love for the country is more refined. Its patriotism stems from a more universal ideology–humanism.

Jai Hind (1993, Dir. Arjun and team): Arjun chooses duty over mother

A still from Jai Hind.

It’s been three decades since Jai Hind was released, and there isn’t a masala film as this one which blends all the tropes of Indian commercial cinema. However, it is still remembered for some of the most heroic scenes. To modern viewers, such scenes could come across as corny, but back then they were awe-inspiring and defined patriotism for 90s kids. Directed by Arjun and team, Jai Hind is the Indian version of Suicide Squad. A police officer recruits a bunch of prisoners, who are facing death sentences, for a dangerous mission. They have to stop a terrorist gang operating inside a dense forest. A particular scene towards the end of the film puts the hero at a crossroads (literally), where he has to choose between attending his mother’s funeral and stopping the assassination of a Mother Teresa-like figure. As Bharath (Arjun) watches his mother being carried for cremation, his comrades ask him to leave the job to them and attend the funeral. But Bharath after shedding a few tears, starts the van, and composer Vidyasagar’s “Jai Hind” chorus does the rest for the audience.

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