rama

Only a couple of weeks ago, a documentary screening of Anand Patwardhan‘s ‘Ram Ke Naam’ (In The Name Of God) was called off in Pune. The documentary traces the progress of BJP‘s Rath Yatra led by Lal Krishna Advani that would later push into Ayodhya in an attempt to establish a Ram Temple.

The documentary was made in 1991 and does not make for a great visual experience but it more than makes up for its poor video quality by transporting the audience to that chaotic time in the country’s history. A year later, the Babri Masjid was demolished and sparked riots across India that killed thousands.

In today’s times of religious extremism, a documentary as powerful as ‘Ram Ke Naam’ needs to be watched and understood by the masses to form an informed opinion about one of the most important chapters in India’s history.