"26 Years of Zakhm: Mahesh Bhatt's Masterpiece on Secularism and Ajay Devgn's Award-Winning Role"

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26 years down the line, you might wonder, "Is Zakhm still relevant today?" The answer? Absolutely! This 1998 drama was produced, written, and directed by Mahesh Bhatt and his daughter Pooja Bhatt. It stars Nagarjuna, Ajay Devgn, Kunal Khemu, Sonali Bendre, and Pooja Bhatt herself. In the film, Pooja takes on the role of Shirin Mohammad Ali, who is based on her own mother, the inspiration behind the story. Zakhm received the Nargis Dutt Award for its depiction of national integration, and it was also the film that earned Ajay Devgn his first Best Actor National Award for his remarkable performance.

Storyline and themes of Zakhm

In Zakhm, with all the chaos going on in India, Ajay (Ajay Devgan) and Sonia (Sonali Bendre) are left questioning whether starting a family is a good idea. After a violent incident leaves his mother (Pooja) seriously injured by Muslim protesters, Ajay discovers that she was married to Raman Desai, a Hindu man played by Nagarjuna. To marry Raman, Ajay's Muslim mother had to disguise herself as a Christian. Her wish to be buried in a Muslim grave after she passes away creates tension with Hindu nationalists.

Pooja Bhatt has a strong personal connection to her character

Pooja recently shared in an interview with ETimes that taking on the role of her grandmother in Zakhm felt like a huge responsibility. She even asked her dad to find someone else for the part, but he insisted she was the one for the job. Bhatt made it clear that he wasn’t asking her; he was telling her she would act in it. After that, they dropped the discussion, and she dove into the story. In the song "Galli Mein Aaj Chand Nikla," she wore her grandmother's saree, which made the experience even more special for her.

She expressed her deep gratitude to her dad for this opportunity. In the film, she also wore a "mangalsutra" that belonged to her grandma Shirin. Plus, the set was a replica of the house where her dad grew up. Pooja mentioned that she’ll always cherish the moments spent filming with Kunal; it was truly a fantastic experience!

Zakhm was well-received for highlighting the rift caused by religion-based politics in society while also showcasing the potential for unity among people.