ज़ख़्म

This movie is winner of National Award for National Integration.

Its hero Ajay Devgan also won National Award for the Best Actor in 1998.

A really superb movie!

'Zakhm' is one of Mahesh Bhatt's most down-to-earth works to date. Rumour has it that the movie is based on Bhatt and his mother. Bhatt's attempt at storytelling is genuine but it does tend to get preachy towards the end and slightly derails. Yet, 'Zakhm' remains a moving experience mostly because of the performances, songs and rawness. The use of darker tinted colours only contributes to the film's gloominess and the characters' loneliness and desire.

Bhatt's daughter Pooja Bhatt produces and stars in 'Zakhm' giving her career-best performance. One may wonder why she didn't get any recognition for it. Incidentally this is Pooja Bhatt's last movie as female lead actress and Mahesh Bhatt's last as director. After that both Bhatts opted for production.

Ajay Devgan too delivers one of his best performances. This is perhaps the first film that got him recognized as a serious actor and a fortunate deviation from those horrible dishum-dishum action flicks he was better known for. Kunal Khemu is brilliant and Sonali Bendre has a graceful presence. Ashutosh Rana is okay.

The songs are beautiful and they wonderfully immerse with the narrative. My favourites are 'Par Likh Key', 'Maa Ney Kahaan' and 'Gali Mein Aaj Chand Nikla'. The soundtrack is very calming and it brings that effect in an otherwise dark intense film. 'Zakhm' is one of Bhatt's best works. 'Zakhm' may have ended up being a better film if Bhatt toned down on the preachy element and focused mainly on the mother's story. The fact that it released near the time of 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' may have lead it to go unnoticed but 'Zakhm' is a film that is worth the time.

A stunning adaptation depicting real-life events in the famous Bhatt family. A denial of familial truths conspires to affect the lives of a young boy and his mother.

Recommended Indian cinema for fans of the 'less-Bollywoodised'.

This movie was released in the year 1998 .... 6 years after 1992 Babri Mosque demolition leading to massive communal riots all over India. 'Zakhm' is actually a movie depicting the heart-wrenching relationship of a mother and her son. In this movie, the lead actor Ajay Devgan has given one of the best performances of his life. It was one of the reasons why he was honored with 1999 National Award for the best performance in a leading role.

In this film two stories are executed in parallel each depicting the past and present life of the lead actor. In the past life it has been shown how he and his mother face social stigma due to various social, religious and ethical beliefs and in present both reluctantly become the part of 1992 communal riots because of Babri Mosque demolition.

These riots were mostly politically motivated and it has also been shown in this film. The producer and director of this film himself claimed that the story of this film is inspired by a real life story and by his efforts he has justified the same.

Watch this film. It is undoubtedly one of the best films ever made. A solid 10 out of 10. Strongly recommended....

This is one of the best and bravest films to deal with the issue of communal harmony in India and is even more relevant after the gujarat events. Amazing screenplay, story and direction. Acting is top notch especially ajay devgan has got to have the most intense actors around.. his eyes are so expressive, he doesn't need to speak!!Pooja and Kunal Khemu excel.Heartfelt and touching lyrics, especially hum yahan. This is one movie which is extremely well balanced and will raise the hackles of the fundamentalist elements from both sides.Congrats to Mr Bhatt for this achievement. Mr Bhatt gets is right on so many levels with this movie, Bravo Sir!!Certainly one of the best movies of the past 30 years.