"Nawazuddin Siddiqui Cries Over Role Cut in Hey Ram by Kamal Haasan; Hema Malini Turns Down Esha Deol’s Casting"

In the current wave of nationalist films, many often lean towards jingoism, making it rare to find a film that offers a nuanced narrative, one that takes the time to explore a character’s journey from vengeance to redemption. When such depth is lacking in contemporary cinema, audiences often look back to timeless classics like Kamal Haasan’s Hey Ram.

In the movie, Kamal Haasan plays a well-educated man whose life is turned upside down when his wife falls victim to sectarian violence during the Partition. Filled with rage, he initially holds Mahatma Gandhi responsible and even tries to assassinate him, only to later undergo a dramatic transformation. The film also stars Shah Rukh Khan and Naseeruddin Shah in pivotal roles.

Hey Ram is filled with intriguing behind-the-scenes stories, one of the most notable being Nawazuddin Siddiqui's involvement. Before becoming one of India’s most celebrated actors, Nawaz worked as an assistant director on Hey Ram and even had a brief acting role in the film. In an interview, Nawaz shared his thoughts about his role,“It was actually a substantial role. I was supposed to be this victim of a mob attack whom Kamalji rescues. I was excited about this opportunity to share screen space with my idol.”

However, just before the film’s release, he received the surprising news that his scene had been removed. During a previous appearance on Kapil Sharma’s show, Nawaz shared the heartbreaking incident. He recalled, "The premiere was held at Film City in Mumbai, and I brought along at least 5-6 of my friends."I told them, ‘Boss Hey Ram aarahi hai, Maine kaam kia hai usmein (I have worked in that film).’ Everyone came. Before the film began, Kamal Haasan sahab came to me and said, ‘Nawaz, apne doston ko bol do ki tumhara role cut gaya hai (Tell your friends your role has been cut)." A heartbroken Nawaz told Kamal Haasan, “Sir meri bahut bezzati hojaege."

However, Nawaz's contribution to the film didn’t go unrecognized. Years later, after he rose to fame as an actor, Kamal Haasan recalled that Nawaz had shown great acting talent even during his role in Hey Ram. “I am proud of him. He was also an assistant director of Hey Ram. He was a fantastic actor even then, wo footage ki wajah se scene cut ho gaya. He’s talking about it casually now, but that day he was heartbroken,” Kamal said on Kapil’s show.

Esha Deol was considered for a role in Hey Ram, where she would have played Kamal Haasan's character's second wife, Mythili Ram. However, after discussing it with her mother, Hema Malini, they both felt the role wasn't right for Esha's debut. As a result, Hema declined the casting offer, and the role went to Vasundhara Das. “I was offered Kamal Haasan’s Hey! Ram. In fact, my mother was acting in the film. We both realised the role wasn’t appealing enough for a launch. Those roles weren’t what I was looking for.”