Hey Ram is a glimpse of yesterday, from a temporary height called today. Hey Ram is a glimpse of the tumultuous tides of Indian history which have hopefully, reached us to a safe landing. The story begins at the bedside of Saket Ram. 89 years old Saket Ram is trying to die as gracefully as possible astride waves of nostalgia and his memories. The story goes back to the 1940s where Saket Ram (Kamal Haasan) and his close associate and friend Amjad Ali Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) are archaeologists working under Mortimer Wheeler at the excavation sites of Mohanjodaro. Saket Ram and Amjad do not see the need for such a division of India. Gandhiji never did like this division to accommodate an Islamic state. He wanted to accommodate all within one country as brothers and equals. Patel and Rajaji were of the opinion that it would be better to let the two communities, Hindus and Muslims, live apart in peace. Even before Patel, Rajaji and other wise men could come to a decision, the pedestrian religious fanatics had decided to fight it out directly. It was almost a civil war. Calcutta becomes an altar of human sacrifice for both Hindus and Muslims. It was 1946 that Saket then living in Calcutta is drenched in this religious insanity. Saket has already come a long way from home, the Calcutta riots make him loose his way further. He tries to find his way back to a place called home. The directions and addresses given to him are right. He even seems to know the people but finding that elusive place called home seems impossible. A second marriage this time arranged by concerned elders, also fails to help him settle down.