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[ID: Gif: a chariot arrives. First the first two wheeels are shown, which are normal. Then the two back wheels, which are on fire. Then the entire chariot as seen from the back, with the fire going all the way up. End ID]
Ever since I first watched RRR, it always drew my attention how Ram arrived to get Bheem. I mean, there's the obvious part where flaming chariots aren't known for their functionality, but it's more than that. Why a chariot? He's only bringing himself, he doesn't need a goddamn chariot. Where did he even get that shit? He only has one horse, and that horse isn't anywhere to be seen. Ram's horse is brown. The horses that lead his chariot are white.
...Obvious symbolism of that aside, I've been wanting to sink my teeth into this particular piece of metaphor for years now, and I think I'm finally ready to write a little something. So let's dive into it!
So the first thing I want to note here is that the fire started at the wheels, most obviously the back wheels. As you can see in the gif that illustrates this post, the moment he arrives, the two front wheels aren't yet on fire; that changes by the moment we see it last.
[ID: The last shot of the chariot, where we can see that the front wheels are also on fire as well. End ID]
I'm not gonna say this is the Ashoka Chakra wheel in the Indian flag because it doesn't have 24 spokes (I counted 14 in this one) but I think not associating it with the dharmachakra in general is hard to do, considering this is a movie about pre-independence India. The crucial think here is that wheels represent time, not even just in Indian thought, so I don't have to explain this one. And if wheels are a functioning cycle of time, then I think it's safe to say that the burning wheels are a cycle broken. That cycle, of course, is the first act; Ram's relationship with Bheem, the camaradarie that they shared. It's all about to be shattered, entering a new era of their relationship, and the fire on the wheels represents that.
Fire has many significances in Hindu thought (I'll get to that later on), but for this one I'm just gonna focus on the destruction and creation part, because it's most relevant and most obvious. Also, he completely thrashes the chariot (I'll get to that in a minute too), so I think it's safe to say the destruction part is meant to be highlighted.
So, Ram arrives, and only the back wheels are burning. I think this signifies that there's still a little bit of time, something that hasn't been broken in their dynamics, represented here by the wheels. But seconds later, when he's already left the chariot and let it burn, it's all over, and that's why in the last shot we see of it all four wheels are burning. And then, of course, one of the burning wheels hits Bheem.
[ID: The flaming chariot topples over, and a flaming wheel hits Bheem in the chest. Upon impact, it shatters into several parts, and Bheem is sent flying back, hitting the ground hard. End ID]
That's Ram's first actual blow to Bheem, even if nothing indicates he meant for the wheel to hit him. I mean, it speaks for itself. Before Ram even started hitting Ram with his body, he shattered their relationship, and that was a blow big enough to send Bheem, a man who fought a tiger and won, reeling. This is the hurt the betrayal has already caused Bheem, manifested in the form of this shattered relationship directly hitting his chest, ending the cycle once and for all, not only because then the wheel is well and truly gone (note that it only shatters once it hits Bheem), but because once the hurt and betrayal has already hit Bheem, there's no going back to what their relationship once was.
Awesome (not!). Let's get further into the chariot itself now, and what it means for Ram to completely thrash it.
So the first and most obvious level of metaphor here is that the chariot Ram is riding is a war chariot. This model with 4 horses has been typically used for war in Indian epics, so I think the first thing it represents is Ram's will to fight Bheem, yes, but also his inner turmoil. He's at war with himself, as we've seen in the previous scene he was in, punching the walls until his knuckles bled. Fighting Bheem means fighting a war against not only the Gonds, but also actively himself.
Crucially, it's not a war Ram expects to come back from.
And I'm not even just talking about the fire.
The first thing he does when he arrives is let go of the horses.
[ID: Ram lets go of the reigns, then releases the horses from the chariot, so it starts to go astray. End ID]
Second thing is get the fuck out of there.
[ID: Ram jumps off the chariot and starts running alongside it. End ID]
And then... Yup, no more chariot.
[ID: The burning chariot turns over and hits the ground, exploding into several pieces. End ID]
So, if Ram arrives in the chariot for war, and he doesn't plan to have it for long enough to like, go back... I think this signifies Ram not expecting to ever go back.
I think that's more metaphorical than literal - there is no turning back; their relationship won't ever be the same and Ram won't ever be the same, either. But there's also a literal component to it, because, I think, Ram expects (hopes) for that to be his last war. Because if, after doing this, he gets promoted to the Special Officer rank, then his fight will supposedly be over. Which is interesting, because that's supposed to be only the beginning. Getting the weapons is supposed to be the means to the end of liberating his people, so after that there should be many more battles - the real battles - to come, against the British. But Raju has forgotten about the ends and is completely convinced all he needs is the means. So, he thinks of this as his last battle because he completely lost sight of what (and who) he is fighting for.
But there's another, more important layer to this, because this isn't just a chariot. This is - and I'm fairly certain this is extremely obvious to people already familiar with Indian and/or Hindu culture - Arjuna's chariot.
[ID: Depiction of Arjuna riding into war in his chariot. It is led by four white horses, with Krishna holding the reigns. End ID]
[ID: Raju's chariot, also led by 4 white horses. End ID]
The design of the chariot itself is a little different, but the important part, which is that it's a chariot led by four white horses, is there. It'd typically have two wheels instead of four, but I think this part is less relevant than the symbolism.
In the Mahabharata, Arjuna's chariot is articulated as a metaphor for the way to reach enlightenment, as expressed here:
Having mounted the chariot that is yoked to the great elements and restrained by the buddhi [intellect], the soul of beings [bhutatman] drives about everywhere. Yoked to the assemblage of senses [as to steeds], with the manas [mind] indeed as the charioteer, ever restrained by the buddhi, is the great chariot made of brahman. (source)
This is also explained in more detail here. The short of it is that this is the path to Dharma (duty, in the most relevant meaning of the term for Ram's situation). The chariot itself is supposed to be the body, and contained in it is supposed to be the soul. The charioteer is the intellect, which through the reigns (mind), controls the senses (horses). This works better when there are five horses (I've seen depictions with both 4 and 5 horses, but in Raju's case we have 4), but I've also seen interpretations where the four horses represent the senses, the mind, the willpower, and the intellect. Thus meaning that the horses are the tools we have at our disposal to achieve Dharma, but they must be under control and led by an unified charioteer if we want to get somewhere.
You know, exactly what Ram isn't doing.
Before we get further into that, I'd just like to quickly point out that, if the horses are the senses (typically 5, including in Hindu philosophy), and there are only 4, I believe that the last one that Raju still keeps with himself is...
[ID: Bheem holding Raju's face as he begs, "just look into my eyes once, brother". End ID]
There's certainly not much to taste or smell in this battle, so these are all but irrelevant. He's obviously deaf to Bheem's pleas, and numb to any of the hits he's been dealt, hm... Probably since his father died. The one thing that's still present is his sight. Which is why he's so careful not to look at Bheem until they start fighting for real, because if he actually sees the consequences of his actions, the devastation in Bheem's eyes, he just might break. It's probably the last part of himself that's still present in his scene - he's certainly feeling as little as possible and thinking as little as possible - and so it's the one he's careful to conceal.
Okay, back to the chariot and Ram completely thrashing it.
This goes without saying, but you can't achieve your Dharma if you destroy the chariot. That is the opposite of what your ass should be doing. Krishna isn't blowing the chariot to hell, he's leading it. Crucially, you're supposed to be in control of it. Ram is not in control of it, he's out of control. Which, unlike the previous part, may seem paradoxical, since he's holding himself so carefully here, repressing himself so deeply. But that repression isn't born of a control of the senses - it's born of trauma. He's dissociating (again). We can see clearly when that starts because we see Ram's breakdown right before deciding to arrest Bheem. He's screaming, crying, punching the wall, and then he sees his bloody knuckles, has literal flashbacks, and his face goes blank. It's not just the doubt that it's over, it's every feeling; the pain, the attachmnet to Akhtar, even the will to get to his objective. It looks like resolve, but, if anything, he's empty; he's not no longer struggling because he's resolved the situation within himself, but because he's completely erased it. There's no room for thought, only mindless following.
Which is why the first thing he does is get rid of the horses - the senses. From that moment on, Ram is no longer feeling anything. He's also certainly not wielding the "inner powers" as put in the interpretation of the four horses chariot. Instead, they're running astray, disconnected from him. When he gets off the chariot, this is symbolic of him not thinking, no longer being in control of his own mind. If the charioteer is the intellect, then the lack of it means a complete lack of thought; pure action without purpose.
And while the chariot itself represents the body, it is crucial to remember that, riding it, is the soul. So when it gets blown all the way to hell, it's not just his body he's destroying - it's his soul. By forsaking Bheem, Ram is forsaking himself. And, of course, there is no Dharma without a soul. He believes he's doing his duty, to achieve his essential mission in life, but it's the precise opposite; he's forsaking his duty, his soul, and himself. He's turning into something unrecognizable, to a point where for all intents and purposes there should be no turning back.
That is the crucial part, in my opinion: destroying the chariot means destroying himself, ruining his chances of achieving his goals, and forsaking his soul. That's what Ram's been doing from the moment he decides to betray Bheem.
With the chariot explained, let's talk about the fire.
As has been thoroughly established in the entire movie, Ram is the fire. That is the first layer of symbolism that's always present in the movie. But also, fire is an essential element in Hindu thought; the Rig Veda, the first of the Vedas, dedicates more time to Agni (God of fire) than any other deity. And fire itself represents a lot of different things, but I'll be focusing on the following:
- Transformation/rebirth
- Purification
- Creation & destruction
- Sacrificial offerings
- The connection between the human and the divine
Transformation and rebirth
The most important thing to note here is that this is Ram's first appearance to Bheem after recovering from the snake bite; it's also his first appearance to him as Ram The Officer. This is very important, because, so far, unlike everyone else, Bheem has only known Akhtar's Ram, who is always smiling, mischievous, helpful, and has a mentally healthy glow about him. And then before him appears the Ram that has existed for the last four years; closed off, unreachable, unbreakably bound by duty, sworn to their oppressors, meeting the DSM-5 criteria for dissociation, etc.
[ID: Bheem looking tearfully at Ram as he says, "I'm not able to bear seeing you like this, brother". End ID]
To Bheem, this is a completely new Ram, one he cannot recognize. And the previous Ram has such a hold over his heart that he still attempts to ressurrect him, even though it's obvious he's dead.
Ram's rebirth is so complete they even do they trope where they take as long as possible to show Ram's face, which is usually reserved for a new character. Of course, here it also serves the purpose of building Bheem's tension as he realizes just who it is that has arrived to stop him, but I think that, combined with the fire, the fact that for all intents and purposes Ram should have died after being bit by the snake, the makeover, the return to the complete lack of emotion... All of that goes to show that, for all intents and purposes, the Ram Bheen had known is dead and this is taking his place. This is Ram's rebirth, and while this "new" Ram is actually very old, he also definitely required the death of the previous Ram to resurge.
What's interesting to me is that, to Bheem, this is Ram's first appearance after being bit by the snake, but we, the viewers, actually had one other glimpse of Ram before this ressurrection - Ram punching the walls in agony as he tries to decide whether or not to betray Bheem, ultimately deciding to do so because he sees his bloody knuckles and remembers his father. What kills him is not actually the snake; what kills him is his memories. He snuffs out the happy Ram, Akhtar's Ram, and locks it away with everything else about him in order to remain a living corpse; his death wasn't caused by the snake, but by the explosion on the village, which should have killed everyone, and killed Ram, too.
Thus, he is not only being reborn, but is re-dying. Akhtar's Ram was never real, even if in many ways, he was more real than Officer Ram. He was always going to exist briefly, on borrowed time. So, this is less of a new death and more the continuation of an old death, coming back to reclaim what little life it left behind. It also marks a shift in who Ram is to the audience; that brief glimpse was enough to reassure us that Ram has a motive behind all this, one we don't understand yet, but one that obviously goes beyond bootlicking. Even if briefly, our faith in him is reborn, before being killed as well when he mercilessly beats Bheem until Bheem has no choice but to fight back.
So there's a lot of deaths and rebirths happening here, for Bheem, Ram, and the audience alike, and this is a very important aspect of this ressurrection (and I'm saying ressurrection as opposed to reincarnation because this is a version of Ram we had seen before). Ram will die and be reborn more times after that, but thankfully, those are better reincarnations.
Purification
I think the fire here - especially considering it's on the chariot itself, the part where his soul is supposed to be in Krishna's metaphor - represents Ram's desire to cleanse his soul of... Akhtar. Something so difficult to do that, it's worth noting, he calls Bheem Akhtar for the entire duration of the scene. He only starts calling him Bheem during the flogging. He's still hanging on to Akhtar, the person he knew who had nothing to do with his mission, who got his head away from the mission (so much so that he didn't even remember to show him the portrait of Lacchu and ask if he knew him!), who made him feel like himself again. He's already decided that he's going to forsake him for the mission, as he's forsaken so many parts of himself, but that is an impossible task. And in Ram's state of mind in that moment, he sees that as a stain on him, almost a temptation to try to keep him away from what he believes to be his Dharma. So it stands to reason that he wanted to purify his soul from Akhtar, from his attachment to him and desire to help him and be by his side, in order to be ressurrected as the detached officer who only sees his mission again.
Creation and destruction
Creation in Ram's head, destruction to anyone with a brain, really. This ties in with the "purification" part. By "purifying" himself of his love for Akhtar (lol. lmao) Ram is trying to recreate himself and, in doing that, create a path to the fulfillment of his mission. In his mind, he's attempting to create the better, liberated world his father envisioned. What he's actually doing, obviously, is oppressing his own people and getting in the way of a liberated future. He's also by no means recreating himself, but rather re-destroying himself back into the barely-human Officer Ram with no emotions, no thought, and no discernment of good and bad. He is losing his way, as he himself said in his letter to Seetha, but he doesn't realize that. Rather than burning away the impurities, his fire has become a hungry kind of fire, eating away everything Ram actually needs to be himself. What he's doing is completely destroying himself, Bheem, and their relationship.
(But that's okay, because destruction is necessary for recreation, and they will build it back together, in time)
Sacrificial offerings
Also ties in with the last two. The obvious sacrificial offering here is Bheem, whom he still hasn't realized he's not willing to sacrifice for his goal. But there's more he's sacrificing here, which is, again as represented by the exact part of the chariot that's burning, his own soul. He has sacrificed so many parts of himself already I think he barely even realizes that's what he's doing, but it definitely is, especially considering the death & rebirth aspect of this analysis. Ram is killing and destroying himself to try and achieve his goal, which leads us to the last part:
Connection between the human and the divine
If we interpret liberating his people as Ram's dharma, and assume that he confuses that with just getting the weapons (mistaking the means for the end), we will also see that all the meanings of fire contained in this analysis (rebirth, purification, creation/destruction, sacrifice) refer to the ways in which fire can be used to achieve liberation or bring us closer to the gods. And indeed, Agni works as a messenger of the gods, which is why fire is used to make sacrifices for them. Ram is doing all of this in order to achieve his dharma, including sacrificing his own soul. Which is why none of that works and takes him nowhere, because there is no Dharma without soul. He has confused his own goals so badly that there is nothing to be expected but total collapse.
Which is why his chariot doesn't burn away in silent offering, but rather crashes and burns in the most literal sense, going completely astray, leading him nowhere. This is Ram's point of no return, and it symbolizes the complete destruction of everything he's worked for. This rebirth is also a death of his true goals, and that is why it will lead to Ram losing himself. The next time we see him, his pendant will be on his left wrist, symbolizing how out of touch with himself he is. This is Ram reaching his lowest, losing his way, and it will only be found again through yet another death and rebirth, this time even more extreme, so he can try again and find the way to his destiny - and the only way he can do that is through repairing his relationship with Bheem, the erroneous sacrifice that led him there in the first place.