Raam (2005 film)

Raam is a 2005 Indian Tamil-language mystery thriller film written, produced and directed by Ameer. The film stars Jiiva, Gajala and Saranya Ponvannan, with Kunal Shah, Rahman, Ganja Karuppu and Murali playing supporting roles. The film was released on 4 March 2005 and became a sleeper hit. It was screened at the 2006 Cyprus International Film Festival, where it won two awards for Best Actor and Best Musical Score for Jiiva and Yuvan Shankar Raja, respectively. The film was critically acclaimed with praise for the performances of Jiiva and Saranya, screenplay, music and cinematography. The film was remade in Hindi as Bolo Raam (2009) and in Kannada as Huccha 2 (2018).

Plot
In the picturesque town of Kodaikanal, a haunting tale unfolds, centered around the intricate bond between a young man named Raam and his mother, Saradha. The narrative kicks off with a chilling scene – both Raam and his mother lying in a pool of blood. As the authorities discover Raam is still alive, they apprehend him for the alleged murder of his mother, setting the stage for a riveting investigation led by Police Inspector Umar.

The plot unravels through a gripping flashback, revealing Raam as a teenager grappling with mental challenges, later diagnosed as autistic. His deep, almost obsessive love for his mother inadvertently entangles her in a web of troubles. Raam, with a low tolerance for wrongdoing, becomes the prime suspect in Saradha's brutal murder. As Inspector Umar meticulously probes into the lives of Raam and those connected to him, a myriad of potential motives emerge.

Living next door is Karthikayeni, the daughter of Sub-Inspector Malaichamy, who finds herself drawn to Raam. However, Raam's response to her affection is blunt and uncompromising. The tension escalates when Saradha is discovered murdered, triggering a relentless pursuit of truth by Inspector Umar.

The investigation takes unexpected turns, revealing dark secrets and hidden connections. The police unravel a shocking revelation – it was Karthikayeni's brother, Satish, who committed the heinous act out of fear that Saradha would expose his drug addiction. Confronted by Umar, Satish inflicts fatal harm and escapes, leaving a trail of chaos.

Amidst the turmoil, Raam, driven by a thirst for justice, discovers Satish's hideout. A brutal confrontation ensues, culminating in Raam's triumph over the antagonist. The film concludes with the police closing in on the hideout, capturing the intensity of the moment as Raam meditates on a dilapidated rooftop.

Production
Ameer revealed while he was working in Nandha (2001), he got to witness an incident in a local news channel where a 20 year old man sitting near his mother's corpse, feeling remorse for murdering his mother. This triggered Ameer to make a film on that incident; however he changed the script by not portraying the son as murderer. Jiiva who was in search of story for his third film met cinematographer Ramji who informed him that Ameer wanted to make a film with him which prompted Jiiva to meet him and agreed to act under his direction after hearing the script and character. Ameer decided to produce the film on his own after the initial producers who produced Ameer's debut Mounam Pesiyadhe (2002) backed out. To portray his character, Jiiva grew his hair long, had to remain blank and did a lot of recce and also met a person who had autism and observed his mannerisms. The filming was primarily held at Kodaikanal where sets were built on the land belonging to Jiiva's family. The scene where Jiiva meditates was shot at Dolphin Nose, Kodaikanal. The film took nearly two years to complete.

Soundtrack
The music was scored by Yuvan Shankar Raja. The soundtrack features seven tracks, including one instrumental. All lyrics were penned by Snehan.

Critical reception
Malathi Rangarajan of The Hindu wrote, "Crafted with care and treated with finesse, Raam is a luminous feather in the maker's cap". Visual Dasan of Kalki called Raam a miracle cure for rotten taste. M. Bharat Kumar of News Today wrote "Director Ameer needs to be applauded for coming up with a gripping emotional melodrama detailing the travails of an autistic boy, which is sure to impress movie buffs. Engrossing screenplay by the director himself, excellent cinematography by Ramjhi [sic] and good background score by Yuvan Shankar Raja add strength to the movie".

Accolades
At the 2006 Cyprus International Film Festival, Jiiva won the award for Best Actor in a Feature Film, and Yuvan won for Best Musical Score in a Feature Film. He remains the only Indian to have received that award to date.