The Indian movie, `Zakhm` is a film of the year 1998 directed and produced by Mahesh Bhatt. The movie stars Ajay Devgan, Pooja Bhatt, and Kunal Khemu in prime roles while south Indian actor Nagarjuna plays a major role in the movie. In 1998 Ajay Devgan won National Film Award for Best Actor for "Zakhm". This film has been turned into a TV series named "Naamkarann", which was aired from September 2016 to May 2018 on Star Plus channel.

Synopsis of Zakhm
Mrs. Desai played by Pooja Bhatt is a Bombay-based widow and lives with her singer son, Ajay played by Ajay Devgan, his pregnant wife Sonia played by Sonali Bendre, and a second son, Anand played by Akshay Anand. Anand is currently involved in a right-wing organization run by Subodh Malgaonkar played by Asutosh Rana. Things take a turn for the worst when militants storm the Babri Masjid in Uttar Pradesh and demolish it. Anger runs high amongst the Muslim community, which led to riots, even in far-off Bombay. The Bombay police move quickly and a curfew is imposed in the more sensitive parts such as Mohammed Ali Road, Jogeshwari, and Dharavi. It is on this day that Mrs. Desai goes to offer prayers at her usual place of worship, and it is here that she will be attacked by militants. She gets admitted to the Holy Family Hospital with more than 80 per cent burns, and virtually no chance of surviving.

Ajay is into conflicts with Sonia, who wants to leave India, and re-locate to England, where she wants to give birth to her child without any constraints to religion and caste. But the main thing Ajay has to do is to carry out his mother`s last request i.e. to bury her, which is consistent with the Hindu and Muslim religions. Ajay is the only one who knows the answer to this and must ensure that her last request is fulfilled despite of Subodh Malgaonkar`s increasing pressure that his mother be cremated according to Hindu Rites.

Through flashback it can be seen that there are the struggles of his mother, who had to undergo the struggle in order to bring up her children. She was in love with a Hindu film producer played by Nagarjuna Akkineni. Unfortunately she was not allowed to marry him on account of her Muslim faith. This was a harsh fact that she had children with a Hindu man. And because of this fact of her life she hid her faith and lived her life as a Hindu. After his father`s death, Ajay`s mother made Ajay promise to bury her in the Muslim faith when she dies. This was because of her belief that only through a proper burial she will be able to find herself reunited with her lover in heaven. Ajay`s mother succumbs to the burns. Still the resistance comes in Ajay`s task in the form of the leader Subodhbhai and his younger brother Anand. Ajay finally gathers courage and makes his brother understand about the fact that their mother was Muslim by caste and there is no point continuing the argument. He eventually buries his mother and thus fulfills his mother`s wish.

Cast and Crew of Zakhm
"Zakhm" is directed by Mahesh Bhatt while it is produced by Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. The film is written by Mahesh Bhatt, Tanuja Chandra and Girish Dhamija, while Nirmal Jani does the cinematography. The cast of the film Zakhm is mentioned below:

Ajay Devgn as Ajay R. Desai
Kunal Khemu as young Ajay R. Desai
Nagarjuna as Director Raman Desai
Pooja Bhatt as Mrs. Desai
Sonali Bendre as Sonia A. Desai
Ashutosh Rana as Subodh bhai
Sharat Saxena as Inspector Pawar at hospital
Akshay Anand as Anand R. Desai
Avtar Gill as Isa
Zafar Karachiwala
Saurabh Shukla as Gurdayal Singh
Madan Jain as Anwar Hashmi
Amardeep Jha
Namartha Dhamija
Vishwajeet Pradhan as Sr. Inspector Yadav

Soundtracks of Zakhm
Music is composed by M. M. Kreem and lyrics of the film are of Anand Bakshi. The soundtracks along with their playback singers are enlisted below:

Gali Mein Aaj Chaand Nikla by Alka Yagnik
Hum Yahan Tum Yahan by Kumar Sanu
Maa Ne Kaha by M. M. Keeravani
Padh Likh Ke by Alka Yagnik
Hum Yahan Tum Yahan by Alka Yagnik
Maa Ne Kaha by Chitra
Raat Sari Bekaraari Mein by Alka Yagnik
Maa Ne Kaha by M. M. Kreem (Sad Version)
Gali Mein Aaj Chaand Nikla by Alka Yagnik (Sad Version)