Ram Ki Janmabhoomi

For other uses, see Ram Janmabhoomi.

Ram Ki Janmabhoomi^[1] (transl. Rama's birthplace) is a 2019 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Sanoj Mishra. The film is produced and written by Jitendra Narayan Singh and stars Manoj Joshi and Govind Namdev.^[2] The movie deals with the controversial issue of Ram Mandir.^[3] The film was theatrically released on 29 March 2019.^[4] It is produced by Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi.

Ram Ki Janmabhoomi
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Sanoj Mishra
Written by	Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi
Produced by	Jitendra Narayan Singh Tyagi
Starring	Govind Namdeo Manoj Joshi Sunil Gupta Rima Mishra Nazneen Patni Rajveer Singh
Cinematography	Sandeep Tyagi, Neetu Iqbal singh
Production company	Cine Craft Productions
Release date	29 March 2019 (2019-03-29)
Country	India
Language	Hindi

Plot

On 2 November 1990, large numbers of Kar Sevaks arrive to Ayodhya, amidst heavy police presence. In one incident, the police open fire on a group of Kar Sevaks, killing a number of them. That night, a police officer after seeing the dead bodies, informs an unnamed politician (netaji) over the radio that the task he had told has been completed.

In Ayodhya, Sadanand Shastri and Naushad Ali discuss the recent shooting and the Babri Masjid dispute. Shastri fears a conspiracy, while Ali dismisses it as politics. Meanwhile, Zafar Khan, head of the All India Sharia Board, incites a Muslim gathering, warning that Hindus—or “Kafirs”—seek to destroy the Babri Masjid.

At home, Ali’s family discusses a prospective groom for his daughter Rehana, while Shastri retires from teaching, to dedicate himself to social service. That night, Khan’s followers display guns smuggled from Pakistan to prepare for riots.

Soon after, agitated Kar Sevaks urge Shastri to take action for the Ram Mandir. He urges peace, but when some Kar Sevaks begin raising temple funds, two are attacked and killed by armed Muslims.

Shastri writes a letter to Zafar Khan, informing him that "Ram Janmabhoomi", the place that Babri Masjid is located, holds special significance as birthplace of Rama a similar position to Hindus like Mecca and Medina for Muslims and asks him to help in the construction of the Ram Mandir to strengthen Hindu-Muslim relations. The letter incenses Khan as he feels Muslims and their effort for the independence of India are being omitted and he tells his followers to prepare to defend the Babri Masjid.

When Rehana’s wedding is fixed, both Shastri and Bharti are not invited, leaving them disappointed. Shastri, sensing Khan’s hostility, urges his followers to stay united.

Outside Zafar Khan’s madrasa, some Muslims tell him they want peace and good relations with Hindus. But Khan angrily commands them to wage jihad, shun business with Hindus, and be ready to sacrifice for Allah. Later, worried Muslims approach Naushad Ali, telling him Khan is inciting violence with Pakistani backing and plead with him to intervene for peace.

Rehana tells Arif that she misses Shastri who she considered like a father but he is angered at her words. After Rehana overhears her father-in-law Zafar Khan planning to assassinate Shastri, she calls her friend Bharti who in turn alerts the police. The police raid the procession that Shastri is leading and arrest the would-be assassins as well as Shastri. Soon after, news breaks that Kar Sevaks have climbed the Babri Masjid and demolished it.

Rehana scolds Arif for plotting to kill Shastri and incite violence. Enraged, Arif impulsively divorces her by uttering triple talaq. The next day, he regrets his action and seeks advice from a Maulvi, who says that Sharia law requires Rehana to undergo Nikah Halala—marry another man, consummate the marriage, and be divorced—before she can remarry him. Hearing this, her father Naushad Ali suffers a heart attack and collapses.

Fearing public disgrace over Rehana’s Nikah Halala, Zafar Khan decides to perform it himself. Zafar and Rehana get married and that night, in Rehana's bedroom, Zafar offers her alcohol to reduce her embarrassment of the situation. But when he undresses her to commit Halala, he is enamored by her youthful beauty and the two have sex. The next day, when Arif asks his father to give talaq to Rehana so he can remarry her, Zafar lies that the Halala was incomplete due to his age and that Arif must treat her as his mother until it is done.

Bharti approaches Syed Waseem Rizvi, the head of the Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Wakf Board for help in promoting peace during these uncertain times. Rizvi agrees to talk to Zafar Khan and also arranges for Shastri's bail. That night, when Arif looks longingly again at Rehana, Khan reprimands him again to consider her as his mother and not have any impure ('napak') thoughts about her. When Rehana accuses Zafar of deceiving his own son, Zafar Khan hits her and then rapes her.

Rizvi visits Zafar Khan at his madrasa, urging that the Babri Masjid be shifted to maintain peace, citing Mir Baqi’s Shia origin and the Shia Board’s claim. Khan rejects this, insisting the Sunni community will rebuild the mosque on the original spot and accuses Shias of betraying Islam. Talks collapse.

That night, Arif finds Rehana weeping over Khan’s abuse. The next morning, he forces his father to give Rehana triple talaq at gunpoint, planning their immediate nikah.

Rizvi then gathers Shia scholars, advocating leaving the Ram Mandir site to Hindus and building a “Masjid-e-Aman” elsewhere. They agree. That night, Khan seeks Pakistani funds for a major incident to stop the temple.

The next day, Shastri publicly thanks Rizvi for supporting the temple. Rizvi condemns the Mullahs colluding with Pakistan and declares that Shias and Hindus will build the Ayodhya temple, while a new mosque will rise on Shastri’s donated land.

Bharti visits Rehana that night and overhears Zafar plotting Shastri’s murder with his Pakistani contact. Spotted, she flees, but Zafar’s men chase, shoot, and leave her for dead. She survives briefly, names Zafar to the police in the hospital, and dies. Later, Zafar’s men attack Rizwi during a press interview; he takes cover, and his guard kills two assailants. When the attempt fails, police raid Zafar’s madrasa, forcing him to flee to Pakistan.

Rizvi tells Shastri that Zafar Khan has turned devilish, responsible for Bharti’s death, mass killings, and even committing Halala with his own daughter-in-law. Arif takes Rehana to a doctor, who reveals she is pregnant. Arif is joyful at first, but is shocked when Rehana says she is unsure if the child is his or his father’s. Moments later, she jumps off a building, witnessed by Shastri. That night, as Shastri walks by the river, an armed Muslim shoots him dead.^[5]

Cast

• Manoj Joshi as Sadanand Shastri:^[2] Bharti's father, Rehana's sworn uncle and Naushad Ali's friend
• Govind Namdeo as Zafar Khan, head of All India Sharia Board, Arif's father and Rehana's father-in-law later turned second husband
• Jitendra Narayan Tyagi as Himself, Head of Shia Waqf Board and Shastri's accompalice.
• Nazneen Patni as Rehana,^[2] Naushad Ali's daughter, Bharti's best friend, Shastri sworn niece, Arif's wife later turned step-mom and Zafar's daughter-in-law later turned second wife
• Rajveer Singh as Arif Khan, Zafar's son and Rehana's first husband
• Manveer Choudhaary as Rahman
• Trisha Sachdeva as Bharti, Shastri's daughter and Rehana's best friend
• Aditya as Nazin
• Vikas Kumar as a Muslim
• Raj Soni as a Hindu ^{[citation needed]}

Release

In December 2018, following the release of the trailer, a Bombay high court ruling restrained Rizvi from releasing the film without authorization from the Central Board of Film Certification.^[6][7]

On March 28, 2019, the Supreme Court refused to stop the release of the film, in response to a petition claiming that the release of the film would vitiate the ongoing mediation proceedings in the Ayodhya land dispute case.^[8]