Zakhm

Zakhm (Devanagari: ज़ख़्म; English: wound) is a 1998 Hindi drama film produced by Mukesh Bhatt for Pooja Bhatt Productions and directed by Mahesh Bhatt. The lead roles are played by Ajay Devgan, Pooja Bhatt, Sonali Bendre, Kunal Khemu and Nagarjuna, with music composed by M. M. Keeravani. The film won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration.

Plot

Music director Ajay (Ajay Devgan) argues with his wife, Sonia (Sonali Bendre) over whether to give birth to their child in a foreign country or in India (because of the insecurity caused by the Mumbai riots).

Ajay soon learns that his mother (Pooja Bhatt) has been burned by a group of Muslim rioters while leaving a temple and is in critical condition. In flashback, the struggles which his mother had to undergo to raise her children are shown. She was in love with a Hindu film producer Raman Desai (Nagarjuna) but was not allowed to marry him on account of her Muslim faith. He marries her but does not document or acknowledge their marriage as it was done without any traditional upholdings. The fact that she had children with a Hindu man forces her to hide her faith and live her life as a Hindu, even in front of her son.