When Ram Came To Bollywood

Bollywood movies have a soft corner for Dil and Pyaar. But its Ram love is no less prolific.

It's no surprise Akshay Kumar, whom Caravan magazine dubbed Hindutva's poster boy, has a new release with Ram in its title.

Directed by Abhishek Sharma, Ram Setu revolves around an archaeologist's endeavours to establish the existence of the mythical bridge from the Ramayana.

Sukanya Verma lists some popular movies featuring Ram in its title.

Ram Lakhan

Subhash Ghai's tale of Jackie Shroff and Anil Kapoor's brotherly love exemplified in the reliable Ram and playful Lakhan alongside a mother harbouring a secret vendetta over their family's downfall is masala at its dhina dhin dha best.

 

Ram Avtar

Sunny Deol and Anil Kapoor play besties Ram and Avtar who fall for the same girl -- played by Sridevi -- in this Sangam-knock off. The 1988 love triangle is best remembered for its catchy Ungli Mein Angoothi number.

 

Ram Jaane

A loose rip-off of James Cagney's Angels With Dirty Faces, Shah Rukh Khan plays the anonymous orphan Ram Jaane whose thuggish ways and childhood friends Vivek Mushran and Juhi Chawla sum up his chalk and cheese ways.

Ram Jaane is pure hokum, but SRK hamming away in shirtless suits enjoys a faithful fan following.

 

Ram Tere Ganga Maili

Raj Kapoor's hill station romance-turned-social drama marks Mandakini's introduction to silver screen. Of course, it's the sight of her bathing under a waterfall in nothing except a transparent white sari or breast feeding a new-born that grabbed all the eyeballs.

 

Ghar Mein Ram Gali Mein Shyam

Govinda and Neelam's charming jodi infused life in many a run-of-the-mill dramas. But not even their combined magic can salvage this baloney about philandering husbands and suspicious wives.

 

Hey! Ram

The title of actor-director Kamaal Haasan's controversial, cryptic creation set against the backdrop of India's Partition and Mahatma Gandhi's assassination alludes to the latter's last words. But it's his explicit kissing and lovemaking scenes with much younger co-stars Rani Mukerji and Vasundhara that garnered maximum focus.

 

Ram Balram

Vijay Anand's breezy bromance starring Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan in the titular avatars is masala done right. One's a cop, another a crook -- both blindsided by a wolf in sheep's clothing until they know better.

 

Ram Shastra

Jackie Shroff and Manisha Koirala lend their blend of glamour and gloss to Sanjay Gupta's copy of Hollywood thriller, Hard to Kill. Jaggu has played numerous Ram's since his beloved cop routine in Ram Lakhan. Ram Shastra continues the tradition if not success.

 

Ram Aur Shyam

Dilip Kumar's famous double role as the mousy Ram and daredevil Shyam set the benchmark for contrasting twins separated at birth swapping places as adults and, finally, reuniting to teach their tyrant an unforgettable lesson.

 

Goliyon Ki Raas Leela: Ram Leela

Originally titled Ram Leela, Sanjay Leela Bhansali added the Goliyon Ki Raas Leela in wake of protests claiming 'hurts religious sentiments.' Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone's scorching Romeo and Juliet and fiery depiction of warring Gujarati clans turned the box-office on fire and sparked off a real-life romance, resulting in marriage some years later.

 

Aaj Ka MLA Ram Avtar

Rajesh Khanna's amusing turn as a barber turned minister Ram Avtar in the 1984 political satire highlights the superstar's comic chops as well as the truth of its still relevant observations.

 

Ram Rajya

Film-maker Vijay Bhatt, also Vikram Bhatt's grandfather, chronicles the post-Ravan's defeat events wherein Lord Ram and Sita's reunion is delayed for the sake of agnipariksha. Prem Adib plays Ram while Shobhana Samarth (Nutan and Tanuja's mum and Kajol's grandmother) slips in the role of Sita.

 

Ram Tere Kitne Naam

Fat shamed and romantically rejected Sanjeev Kumar finds luck as a Bollywood actor in P Madhavan's Ram Tere Kitne Naam tracing his journey from Peturam to Ram Kumar.