Kamal Haasan’s film Hey Ram has an interesting tribute to Bengali actress Aparna Sen. Shruti Haasan recently revealed this fun connection while promoting her latest film Coolie.
During an interview, Shruti spoke about her father’s dedication to acting. She mentioned that Kamal had even learnt Bengali for his 2000 film Hey Ram.
The surprising detail was that Kamal did it out of admiration for Aparna Sen. Shruti shared that he named Rani Mukerji’s character “Aparna” in the film just to impress the actress.
At the time, Kamal was deeply fond of Aparna Sen. This admiration led him to pay tribute by giving the character her name.
Aparna Sen is a celebrated actor, director, and writer in Bengali cinema. She has won nine National Film Awards and is also the mother of actress Konkona Sen Sharma.
She is remembered for acting in films like Basanta Bilap (1973) and Memsaheb (1972). As a director, her acclaimed works include 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981) and Goynar Baksho (2013).
Hey Ram was written, directed, produced, and headlined by Kamal Haasan himself. Naming the character Aparna was his way of honouring the veteran actress.
Although the film drew controversy for its portrayal of Gandhi and related events, it received critical appreciation. Fans now find this revelation charming, calling it a sweet tribute to one of Kamal’s favourite artists.
