Hey Ram

In 1999, an elderly Hindu man named Saket Ram lies on his deathbed in Chennai. His grandson Saket Ram Jr., a famous historical fiction novelist, and their family doctor Munawar accompany him as he begins recounting his grandfather's past. The present-day narration frames the flashback that follows, linking old violence to the modern-day unrest.

In 1946, Ram and Amjad Ali Khan work as archaeologists under Mortimer Wheeler at Mohenjo-daro in the Sind Province. Their collaboration reflects relatively cordial relations between Indians and the British, despite mounting political tension. When riots threaten the site, it is shut down, forcing Ram to confront violence beyond the dig.

During Direct Action Day riots, Ram saves a Sikh girl from a Muslim mob but returns home to a tragedy: Aparna is raped and killed by a mob, and the family tailor Altaf is killed by Ram in retaliation. The personal loss drives Ram deeper into vigilante violence against those he blames. The events unfold in Calcutta amid rising communal tensions.

Unable to cope with Aparna's death, Ram continues violently through the streets and encounters Shriram Abhyankar, a Thanjavur Marathi Hindu leader who offers him a chance to join his militia. Abhyankar also hands Ram a banned book on anti-Gandhi rhetoric to read, shaping his political awakening. The encounter marks a shift from personal vengeance to organized extremism.

In 1947, Ram returns to his hometown of Thanjavur as his brother and sister urge him to remarry. He marries Mythili, the daughter of family friends, though the mood remains heavy with the impending partition and Gandhi's influence. The wedding scene contrasts with the political storms brewing around them.

Ram travels to Calcutta, visits his old home, and laments Aparna's death. He joins a mob that confronts Gandhi and Suhrawardy about the riots. While the mob forgives Gandhi, Ram remains aloof and initially refuses to forgive him, deepening his estrangement from Gandhi's message.

During their honeymoon in Bombay State, Ram and Mythili encounter Abhyankar again and meet a dethroned Maharaja. They reconnect with Ram's Sindhi friend Manohar Lalwani, who has suffered greatly from the riots, and Ram's hatred toward Gandhi is rekindled by Lalwani's misery. The trip broadens Ram's circle of influences and grievances.

Abhyankar's faction tightens its belief that Gandhi is responsible for India's division and violence, and they task Ram with carrying out Gandhi's murder. After a horse-riding accident leaves Abhyankar quadriplegic, Ram swears to renounce personal attachments and continue the mission, binding his fate to a political conspiracy.

In the post-partition period, Ram travels to Varanasi for a purification rite before heading to Delhi. He unknowingly stays at the same hotel as Nathuram Godse and hides his gun on a delivery truck, later proceeding to retrieve it from a soda factory in Chandni Chowk.

Back at the Chandni Chowk soda factory, Ram reunites with Amjad, who reveals that Muslims including his wife Nafisa and their children are hiding there. A brutal confrontation erupts; Amjad is struck on the back of the head and dies soon after in hospital, while Ram struggles to protect the Muslims until authorities arrive. The incident deepens Ram's moral conflict.

Gandhi is assassinated by Godse. Ram tries to shoot Godse but is restrained by a bystander, and the crowd's violence is checked. Gandhi's long walk to Pakistan is offered as a path to forgiveness, but Ram chooses to live by Gandhian principles instead, reframing his previous vendetta into a commitment to non-violence. The event marks a decisive turn in Ram's conscience.

As order returns to calm, Ram dies and his funeral unfolds with his grandson present. Gandhi's great-grandson Tushar Gandhi visits Ram Jr's private room, where Ram Jr passes Gandhi's footwear and spectacles to him—a symbol of the enduring connection between their lives. The story closes by linking Gandhi's legacy to Ram's acceptance of non-violence.