#rambheem thoughts

[hum-suffer]

It's addicting, the way you look at me

Like I'm something to be saved.

Like coffee from my tongue will be sweeter,

Like blood from your lips will be ambrosia

You look at me like you know me better than I know myself

(it's the truth)

You look at me like you would upend the world for me

(you already have)

It's written in my bones,

It's written in your tendons

It's written in the space between us.

If I'm to be saved,

It is only by your hand.

If I'm to be damned,

It is only by your wrath.

[lobsterfork]

so like... do we see ram smile ONCE, outside the context of bheem? like in the whole film, clocking in at 187 minutes, is there one single instance of him smiling where bheem isn't directly responsible?

[ririsasy]

funny to me when I read this kind of article about color code especially in indian wedding because Charan and Tarak wore black to their respective wedding ceremony 😂

(Also this picture during RRR first day of shooting in 2018 look like they both wear almost the same outfit when they attended the wedding 😂 I don’t know if there’s any coincidence but still..kinda interesting to me.)

(Joke aside they both look so happy for one another’s wedding, the pure smile on their faces as they see each other become groom 😭💕) their friendship is so precious .

[greysunshinexx]

do ppl watch that scene where ram hands bheem a gun and they look deeply into each other's eyes and think "ah yes, straight behaviour." ??? like shit doesn't add up

[abgnsp]

so i came up with this cool story.

Ram and bheem time travel to the modern world, but not this world it is the avengers world!! and the only person they trust is nick fury and sam wilson cuz they dont look British.

They are found near a shield base in a forest or they just fell from a wormhole or something

Im looking forward to someone expanding on this.

Thoughts?

[ladydarkey]

Thinking of

My partner: 🎭

My Cats: ☺️

My Family: ☺️

My bff: 🥰

Everthing which contains Charak: 🥰😈❤️🔥🥵😩🤯🥹🤣👀☠️🚨🏨⚰️

[winterbeautyees]

Been silent for too long after my re-watch yesterday because I wanna ask those people denying RamBheem if they are also open to the idea that Jenny was just a tool Bheem plan to use to get to Malli?

My favourite thing about Jenny and Bheem's "relationship" is that, on first glance, it does appear like they have something going on, but if you look a little closely past the surface, there is very little textual evidence that Bheem reciprocates her romantic feelings

Yes, she is kind and he respects her but at the end of the day, Jenny is nothing but a means to an end for him. 80% of Bheem's lines to Jenny are "Can I get into your house?" and the other 20% is "I have no idea what you are saying."

And when he tells Ram that he does think she is beautiful?

Could very well be interpreted as him trying to maintain his Akhtar cover. Because what else is he supposed to say? "No, bhaiyya. I keep staring at her because I am actually the Gond Protector here to rescue my sister from the Buxton palace and she might be my only chance to infiltrate the palace"

Be so for real

[hum-suffer]

You asked for permission before entering the threshold of my heart

And I gave you a yes with a smile

October warmed under my gaze

And turned cold under your caress

Give me a kiss of blood,

Even if you will never forget and I will never forgive

Let our words die between our breaths.

[mahi-wayy]

Headcanons for Vallavarayan Vandiyadevan

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒 | 𝑽𝑨𝑳𝑳𝑨𝑽𝑨𝑹𝒀𝑨𝑵 𝑽𝑨𝑵𝑫𝑰𝒀𝑨𝑫𝑬𝑽𝑨𝑵

• General • Romantic [both sfw and nsfw]

A/n : my PS content is purely based on the movies. I am yet to find the emotional strength in me to read the books.

I - GENERAL

my babygirl 🥹🫶🏼

human sunshine.

he has some degree of adhd.

the innocent streak makes him a slow on few things.

fiercely loyal to people he admires even if they don't know about his existence.

grew up in a women dominated house. like the majority people and the deciding power were females.

understands a lot from just observing a person.

wanted to join aditha from day one but was held back for some reasons.

his sunshine nature faded alittle after the events of the movie.

especially after he saw his admired warrior, a dear friend and the daring prince of cholas dead.

had his doubts about aditha's depression but never spoke up.

instead developed a habit of following the prince wherever he can to make sure nothing happens.

also had a weird feeling about nandhini when they talked but brushed it away.

the first time he saw kundhavai as a teenager he was so lost in it he fell down the steps of the temple and injured his shoulder.

the scar on his left bicep, the small one? that's from one of his sparring with arulmozhi.

it took him hours to convince the prince he was okay and it was fine.

was very aware of vanathi pinning after his friend.

he falls asleep relatively easily then other soldier.

OF COURSE has trauma from wars he has fought in.

very sensitive. baby cries easily.

a better emotional capacity and understanding then average males.

adores the royal family like his own.

great swordsman we all know but he is also a very good archer. he prefers stabbing people though.

enjoys dancing and singing.

the first one to start partying when a battle is won and also the first one to start diverting attention or tending to people when it's lost.

he and arulmozhi are actually trained to compliment each other in battlefield.

he heals faster then average soldier.

he is a great cook though leaves the kitchen messy.

likes his food spicy.

has a habit of speaking in one breathe when he is panicking or excited.

kundhavai is the only one who gets him others usually chuckle and tell him to breathe and repeat himself.

has constant nightmares post movie events.

can be often found sitting by a river or lake and lost in his thoughts.

II - ROMANTIC

SFW

puppy energy follows his lover around.

can't bring himself to make the first move because he feels like he will end up embarrassing himself.

hand made stuff as gifts.

teaches them archery and sword fighting.

writes to them when he is participating in a war.

cooks for them.

NSFW

he is a sub we all know.

whimpers and groans with a occasional loud ass moan.

has a degradation kink.

cries during sex.

loves the pain of overstimulation.

sensitive around his collarbone and thighs.

-------

tags : @mayakimayahai @warnermeadowsgirl @vijayasena @voidsteffy @jkdaddy01 @rambheem-is-real @allari-ammayi @mellaga-karagani @ulaganayagi @ahamasmiyodhah @ranisingsnew @myvarya @toomanyfanficsbruh @harinishivaa

[tulodiscord]

the funniest sequence purely bc of lacchu

[greysunshinexx]

does anyone know how many months it's been when scott says "it's been months, edward" after ram's capture? i must know how long rambheem were apart. yknow, to cry myself to sleep about it

[sometimesbrave]

read chapter 1: here, chapter 2: here

April and May 1986

***

"Did you go and make promises you can't keep?

Well, when ya break them, they break you right back

Amateur mistake

You can take it from me"

- Bug like an Angel by Mitski

***

Sadly, Varadha could not take Baba home when he was released from prison. He and the drivers were so terribly thin and ill. Varadha did not allow Baachi to visit Baba. He was afraid that Baachi will not recognise Baba or worse that he will get scared of him.

Varadha decided that he will take whatever bit of grace he can get from his father. He negotiated medical needs and hospital accomodations for Baba and the drivers with his father's assistant, Krishnakanth. He made sure that he and Baachi would get more allowance per month because now, he would have to support the drivers and their families also.

He just needed to keep everything afloat until Baba recovers. After that, he can be a kid again.

By the end of May, Baba recovered. The drivers were all back with their families but none of them were able to find work.

"They can only work for us now", Baba said wisely. He and Varadha were in his office. Varadha was thinking about the bottles of whiskey stacked in the desk's bottom drawer. He drank four bottles in the last few months. Now, he was coming up with a plan to steal more bottles when Baba fell asleep.

Baba snapped his fingers and repeated, "Varadha, the drivers can only work for us now. We have to give them work."

"What work can we offer them? We don't have anything to transport in and out of Khansaar. If there are any such jobs, there are many vultures in this city who will snatch them from our hands.", Varadha answered.

"But have you met with any Kaapus or Dhoras? There are all sort of items we can trade. There is always business in Khansaar. You just have to look in the right places.", Baba argued.

"And remember, we can charge less for the first few years. After we build a good reputation, we can raise the charges."

"I am trying to think of whom we can meet. No one wants to partner with me, Baba. No one will even touch us with a ten foot pole.", Varadha drawled.

"Powerful people will never fully reveal what their actual thoughts are. Greedy people will change their stances as soon as you offer them a chance to make more money. Lucky for you, in Khansaar, every powerful person is greedy. So, you have to knock on every Kaapu and Dhora's door.", Baba urged.

Varadha sighed. "Okay."

As Varadha got up to leave, Baba spoke again.

"Don't steal anymore whiskey bottles, Varadha"

Varadha stopped in his tracks and his face turned pale.

Baba continued, "If you really want to drink, let me know. We will drink together. Don't drink alone or when you are sad."

Varadha nodded and left Baba's office.

****

tags: @deadloverscity @ghostdriftexistence @sambaridli @rambheem-is-real @sinistergooseberries @vardhamannartitties @moonnpaww @literariyumi @sana2410 @varadevaficrecs

[ronaldofandom]

Bheem's love

A RamBheemJenny triangle fic. FINALLY.

Summary: Ram & Jenny express their feelings for Bheem. While celebrating Bheem's birthday. Bheem is the usual sunshine here.

My first romantic Rambheem. Hope it's worth it :)

Moodboard by the amazing @astrafangs

Bheem didn’t believe in the concept of celebrating special days. He believed every day was equally special if you could be at peace with yourself. And if the world around you lets you live in peace.

He never understood the fuss around birthdays either. Especially his. If it were up to him, he would spend the day soaking in the sunshine or splashing in the river. The song of birds lulling him to sleep in the pleasant forest breeze.

But for some reason, the villagers always celebrated his birthday with much aplomb. More so since he had taken the mantle of the protector. For one day in the year, he was just one of the tribe. A son, a brother, an uncle. Secretly, Bheem didn’t mind the fuss. The adulation sufficed him for the rest of the year.

Jenny sat in the corner, watching Bheem playing with the kids. They had just finished an elaborate lunch, a feast by their standards, cooked under the supervision of Loki. Jenny had understood that Loki played multiple roles in Bheem’s life - a sister, a mother, a confidante, and sometimes an agony aunt. The woman loved him to bits, like her own progeny.

He was the downright favorite of the kids too. Because, at heart, he was still one of them. Whenever circumstances allowed.

It really shouldn’t have come as a surprise to Jenny. She knew how loveable and endearing he was, even in the short span that she had known him. But still, the depth of the emotion and warmth tugged at her heart every time she witnessed this overflowing love. 

Lost in thought, she didn’t realize when an equally amused Ram sat down next to her. They were sitting under a large tree, some feet away from the rest.

Following her line of sight, Ram also half-smiled at the group of kids chasing after his bundle of sunshine. The ever-elusive happiness that Ram could only experience from a distance but would never dare to be a part of.

‘He is quite something, isn’t he?’

Ram didn’t even realize he had said that out loud.

‘Yes.’ Jenny responded instantly. ‘That, and more.’

They both went back to admiring Bheem from afar. He had a toddler on his shoulder now, and the other kids were screaming for their turn.

After a few moments, Ram turned towards Jenny to say what he had been meaning to say since they had gotten here.

‘I- I wanted to thank you. Without your help, I wouldn’t be sitting here today.’

Jenny looked down and played with her fingers nervously. She never understood why anyone would thank her for the little things she had done, given who her family was.

‘Without my uncle & aunt, Bheem and you and so many others wouldn’t have gone through all the trauma that you did. So please, don’t make me feel pathetic and small by thanking me.’

The guilt and melancholy in her tone resonated with Ram. He was no stranger to those emotions. 

‘I understand. But - helping me wouldn’t have been easy after you saw me arrest him. And….the..the…’

‘The flogging afterward?’

Ram didn’t miss the sudden sting in her words. Frankly, he deserved it.

‘Yes. That, and more.’

She kept quiet for a few moments. Ram felt his shoulders slump in the weight of her judgment.

‘I did it for him. He did it for you. So that’s that.’

Ram nodded slowly. The naked honesty took him aback. 

Just then, Bheem walked towards them with two plates of halwa, gleaming with joy.

They both smiled back at him, almost reflexively.

When Bheem placed the halwa plates in the middle of the two, a thought struck Jenny.

‘Bheem - have you had this yet?’

She pointed to the halwa and then to him. He understood and shook his head in a no. She had guessed so.

‘In my country, the birthday boy feeds the cake to his loved ones, and they feed it back to him. It’s considered auspicious. Sort of a ritual in a birthday celebration.’

His brows crinkled in confusion. He looked towards Ram for help, who translated it for him.

‘Could…could I, if you don’t mind?’

She picked up a morsel in her fingers and looked towards Bheem hopefully.

He looked at her face, then her fingers, then smiled and moved closer to her, accepting her gesture readily.

Happy Birthday, my dear. She said in her heart, along with saying a few thousand prayers for him.

The halwa tasted even more delicious to Bheem, sweetened with her affection.

He stood awkwardly, running his hand through his unruly hair, wondering if he should reciprocate. She did say it worked both ways. Bheem picked up a morsel slowly, hesitantly, and looked in her direction.

She smiled her sweetest smile, covering his hand with hers as he fed her.

Then, Bheem turned towards Ram. No hesitation this time, only familiarity and rightfulness, as he repeated the gesture with his Anna. Ram smiled back, picked up a big bite, and filled Bheem’s mouth with the sweet treasure. Bheem giggled happily, elevating the atmosphere around him.

Just then, two kids crashed into Bheem from behind, sticking to his legs and pulling him back to the clearing to play with them. He could never refuse those faces, so he waved to his two admirers and resumed his little games with the kids.

The two sat in silence as they had their halwa. Jenny was the first to speak after a few pensive minutes.

‘The bond that you two share in unlike anything I have ever seen. It’s too pure, too sacred, beyond comprehension of others. You are very lucky Ram. I hope you know that.’

Ram hung his head, almost as if in shame. 

She was right; he knew how lucky he was to command Bheem’s unconditional devotion, even after everything he had put him through.

Ram had consciously chosen to hurt his dearest so deeply. To inflict such heinous physical and mental trauma on him. But that sweet soul forgave his sins in a heartbeat, forbidding him to even offer an apology. 

He didn’t know what he had done in his godforsaken life to ever deserve an angel like Bheem, this bundle of sunshine who had lit up his world. Maybe, just maybe, there was a god. Other than divine intervention, there was no other conceivable explanation for Bheem to adore him like that.

‘Yes, I am very lucky to have him in my life.’

He paused, then looked in her direction.

‘As are you.’

She laughed ruefully. If only that were the case. 

‘Me? I am just a passerby. Just one in a long list of people touched by his abundant sweetness. There would be many like me in his life, but I doubt there would be any like you.’

It was Ram’s turn to scoff now.

‘Classic case of the grass is greener, Jenny. You grossly underestimate your place in his life.’

She had no place in his life. She knew that.

‘How so?’

‘Do you see how he looks at you?’

‘With gratitude? With wonder?’

‘With hope. You gave him hope when he was at his wit’s end in trying to find Malli. You gave him hope that there is still good in the outside world, and you have never betrayed that belief he has in you, unlike me. You gave him hope when he reached out to you for the palace maps. He knew in his heart that you would help him, even though it meant going against your own family. And now - you give him hope for a …..future.’

Somewhere in his passionate rant, Jenny’s eyes had turned moist. She knew he meant well, but his words sounded cruel. Hope was a cruel thing, especially when she knew the reality was very different.

‘Oh, who are you kidding? We both know now that the first time he approached me was for Malli. And the next time was for you. Neither of those were for me. That’s all I have been - a means to get to the people he loves with all his heart. People who he would risk his life for.’

She quickly wiped a lone tear that had escaped despite her best efforts. Jenny didn’t resent Bheem for this at all. She knew her heartache was too trivial compared to what Bheem was faced with and that he never meant to hurt her in any way. She had made her peace with the circumstances. The fact that he was alive and well and in his home was enough for her. Mostly. Sometimes, it still hurt. Time would heal this, she hoped. Once she leaves. For good. Never to see him again.

Ram gave her the moment that she needed to recover. Her state only confirmed her feelings, not that he needed any confirmation. 

‘If that were true, why did he tell you to leave the palace and come to our meeting point? Why did he ask you to come to his village? Why has he been fussing over you EVERY LIVING MOMENT since you got here?’

It was Jenny’s turn to notice the sudden sting in Ram’s voice, especially in the last sentence, despite Ram recovering quickly.

‘Because he feels grateful. And maybe a tad bit guilty.’

She whispered, almost to herself. 

Ram chuckled.

‘Now, who are we kidding, huh? Trust me. He won’t do this for everyone. And he definitively won’t do this for gratitude or guilt. I know. I- I have observed.’

There it was, the segue that Jenny needed. She looked at him knowingly, penetrating through his facade. Right to his soul. 

Ram flinched under her gaze and averted his eyes.

‘And why exactly were you observing this, Ram?’

Damn, thought Ram. He wasn’t prepared for this. He didn’t think anyone had seen through his dilemma.

When Ram didn’t say anything for a few moments, Jenny nudged him.

‘I have observed too, you know. The way you look at him is the way I look at him. The only difference is, I am not in denial.’

Ram’s fingers dug into his knees. He couldn’t meet her eyes, couldn’t move, couldn’t blink, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t form a coherent word in his head. He didn’t know he had been that obvious. How could she surmise this when his own heart wasn’t sure yet? What sorcery was this?

He wished for her to drop it. But when had he ever gotten what he had wished for?

‘Actually, there is not one but two differences. No matter what I do, I will always be an outsider in his world. A representation of all that is unjust. A reminder of the trauma they all have been through. A liability, maybe, someone he has to handhold or babysit all the time. I will never be one of the people here. Unlike me, you actually have a shot with him. A chance for a future.’

Ram whipped his head towards her. It felt like someone had poured hot, burning oil into his ears. Down his throat. Inside his heart. Ripping it straight out of his chest and then stomping all over it. 

‘Oh, you think I have a shot? Me? Yeah right. For a moment, let’s forget that I subjected him to the worst betrayal of his life, beating him within an inch to death and leaving him to rot in a cell while awaiting his ceremonial hanging. Let’s forget that I was the reason his sister could have died in captivity because this heartless bastard decided it was ok to sacrifice her for his mission. Let’s also forget that there is a woman who has waited for me all her life, who hasn’t known any reality other than being there for me. My one constant, my one anchor, my biggest support system. Let’s forget how this would break her to the core. Maybe she is better off without a scum like me, who is dead inside. Let’s forget about all that for a moment.’

Ram waved his hands frantically at her. Jenny had never seen him this animated. She knew she had touched a nerve and waited patiently for him to continue.

‘Do you know what he calls me? Anna. It means brother, Jenny. Brother. That’s what he thinks of me. That’s how he sees me. Do you have any fricken idea how pathetically deprave he would consider me if he ever got to know about my confused feelings? He will hate me, detest me, despise me for it. He will think me a creep, a pervert for betraying the sanctity of this pure bond. And while we are at it, let’s also address the elephant in the room, shall we? I happen to be a man, in case you haven’t noticed. And I am pretty sure he doesn’t swing that way. Add that to the list of reasons why this was doomed before it even began. In the pursuit of the impossible, I will lose the biggest blessing in my life. His love. In whatever shape or form I have it now.’

Ram was panting by the end of it. Shocked and drained by his outburst. 

It was the first time he had articulated the tribulations of his confused heart out loud. To the one person he didn’t have anything in common with, other than the object of their affection.

There was no going back now. This was out in the universe. 

Ram held his head in his hands - equal parts relieved and miserable by letting it all out.

‘And this isn’t even the worst part, you know. I don’t even fully understand what my rotten heart wants. What I feel for him is so so damn confusing. I don’t know whether it’s brotherly affection or possessiveness for a best friend or an over zealous infatuation. Or…..something more. For the love of god, I don’t know what to make of it all.’

Jenny heard with rapt attention. It didn’t come as a surprise. She had seen enough to gauge that her instinct was right about this. But for a closely guarded person like Ram, sharing all this was no mean deal. 

Part of her wished for it to be not true. Part of her wanted to walk away midway, not wanting to hear him pour his feelings out for the man she had feelings for. But living in denial wasn’t going to cut it.

‘It’s high time you sort out your feelings, then. You will destroy three lives, or two at the very least, if you don’t face things head on. Keeping a lid on it isn’t helping anyone. Not you, clearly, and not the other two.’

Ram snorted in annoyance. If only it were that easy. 

‘Clearly, you don’t know me too well. I have a PHD and years of practice in repressing my feelings.’

She could see he was lashing out, so she let him be for a bit.

Ram dangled his feet on the makeshift bench, focusing all his energy on the tiny cobbles in front and making shapes with them. 

Bheem was observing their antics from a distance, still surrounded by the kids. It was the first time he had seen those two together, talking, alone, for such a long time. His curiosity was heightened, as was his anxiety.

He knew there wasn’t any love lost between those two. Jenny had begged him not to enter the barracks, repeating over and over what would happen to him if he were captured.

Ram hadn’t been too pleased either to see Jenny at their meeting point. He had also been wary of Bheem inviting her to the village. Bheem had to come to her defense then and explain to Ram that he trusted her fully. That he wouldn’t be standing here if it wasn’t for her. Ram had shut up then, albeit with disgruntlement.

What could those two be talking about so animatedly? Bheem just hoped it wasn’t a confrontation of any sort. He would hate to be put in a spot of picking a side. Especially between those two. And if either of them hurt the other, it would hurt him too. Immensely.

He couldn’t take it anymore. He just needed to know what was happening there. An idea struck him then.

Thirty seconds later, Jenny saw Malli walking in their direction. With two more plates of halwa.

Ram was still busy playing with the stones. Jenny was starting to get annoyed at his childish antics to avoid an adult conversation. But she refrained from speaking her mind when she saw Malli.

‘Jenny akka, some more halwa?’

She offered the plate. Jenny shook her head politely.

‘Thank you for asking, sweetheart. I am quite full, though. Ram, what about you?’

Ram just mumbled a no, his head still between his hands. 

Malli eyed him curiously, then looked back at Jenny, who gave her a reassuring smile.

‘It’s alright. He just has a headache, so he’s resting in the shade. Go play, we are fine here.’

‘Will you come and play with us, akka?’

‘Sure, I will join you in a few minutes.’

Malli nodded at her, looked again at Ram, then walked back to her Anna.

‘So, what’s happening there?’

‘I don’t know. It looked fine to me. Jenny akka was cheerful, as always. Ram Anna was acting a bit weird, but that’s not new for him. It didn’t look like they were fighting, Anna. She said she will come play with me soon.’

‘Hmmm.’

Bheem wasn’t too convinced. He decided to give them ten minutes tops before he barges into their mini conclave.

Once Malli left, Jenny was about to give Ram a piece of her mind. But he spoke first.

‘Ummmm, sorry. It’s not easy for me to talk about my feelings. I am a bit…damaged in that department.’

It mellowed her down, and she forgot what she was going to say to him.

‘Why are you doing this for me? I am sure it’s not easy to hear me talk about him. Why help me figure out my thoughts then, especially if they propel me towards him?’

Ram was genuinely curious about this.

‘It’s simple. He deserves to be happy. I want him to be happy. And if the source of that happiness is you, so be it. I can live with that, knowing he is with someone who loves him. Like I do.’

The last three words were a whisper meant only for her heart. But Ram’s trained ears caught the words, and he was moved by the emotion in them.

Now that he was on this train, he couldn’t get himself to stop.

‘H-how would I know for sure what I feel about him?’

This time, Jenny smiled at him. Her first genuine smile in a long time. Men could be so stupid at times.

‘What do you feel when you see him with me? When you see him fussing over me? Or looking at me the way you claim he does?’

‘Well, I can see he is happy in those times. And that..well….how can I be displeased when he is happy?’

This time, Jenny added an eye-roll to her smile.

‘Oh cut the crap. Do you wish to be in my place there? Do you imagine it to be you?’

Ram went back to playing with the stones. He wanted to bolt. To jump from a cliff. Rather than answering her piercing, incisive questions.

‘For what it’s worth, I do want to be in your place when you two go into your own little world. When you have eyes only for each other. When you communicate telepathically. I am honest enough to admit it, Ram. What about you?’

‘Sometimes. Yes.’

He mumbled incoherently. But they both knew what had been said.

And what it meant. The weight of his feelings hit him then, and the consequences of it. He had to come clean to Sita, she deserved to be with someone who was as devoted to her as she was to him. It would hurt like hell, but being with him would hurt her more in the long term.

He would die alone. Something he was always afraid of. But hey, he had years and years of practice. He would be fine. Eventually.

‘You should tell him, Ram. You should tell him how you feel.’

‘What about you? Will you tell him how you feel?’

‘If I could change the colour of my skin and where I come from, I would tell him for sure. But I can’t, so there is no point in saying anything.’

‘Shouldn’t he get to decide whether the colour of your skin matters to him at all? It certainly doesn’t matter to Loki and Malli - they have been planning your wedding since the day you came here.’

Jenny stared at him open-mouthed.

‘It’s true, I am not making this up. The funny thing is - they keep sharing their plans with me.’

Ram made a face. And Jenny burst into a giggle. They had a reached a degree of honesty and banter that neither could have imagined with the other.

Bheem nearly pulled his hair off, looking at the two of them laughing suddenly. He was convinced they were high on something. What else could explain such mood swings. 

Two minutes. Tops. Then he was going in. Else he would get a nervous breakdown.

‘I need some liquid courage to have this conversation.’

It was Ram’s turn to stare open-mouthed at Jenny now.

‘What? You think of me as a perfect, good girl no? I shall have you know that I have sampled enough drinks in my life, and I don’t just mean champagne. The hard core stuff too.’

Ram looked impressed. And Jenny gave herself a pat on her back.

‘There is a drink that we make here. It’s called bhang. I am sure I can arrange for it with some effort. God knows, I am gonna need to be batshit drunk to breathe a word of what I feel.’

Jenny nodded approvingly.

‘Let’s do it then. Let’s get drunk and tell him tonight. That could be our birthday present to him - a token of our honesty. Even if he doesn’t share our feelings, it couldn’t possibly be a bad thing to know someone admires you so deeply, right? I don’t see a downside.’

Ram, who was high on the spirit of that moment, forgot all his previously articulated fears and seemed to agree.

‘Do you know what you will say to him?’

Jenny’s eyes searched for the man in question then, and she caught him looking in their direction, as he had been doing for a while. She was aware of the stunt he tried to pull by sending in Malli. But curse her heart, she had found even that endearing.

The said man tripped and fell almost on his face, once he realised he had been caught spying on them.

She burst into a giggle. Looking at that face, she knew exactly what she wanted to say.

‘I never believed in fairy tales till I met you. You are my Prince Charming. My knight in shining armour. My Mr. Darcy. My soulmate. My everything. The answer to my every prayer. You make my heart smile. And my eyes shine. You make everything beautiful, just by existing. All I want from life is for you to be happy. And for you to look at me once, the same way I look at you.’

She choked midway, but carried on. Ram was too enthralled to interrupt her. And a fair bit jealous.

‘H-how do you have it so clear?’

‘Because this plays in my head every-time I see him.’

She admitted honestly.

‘What about you?’

‘Well, my thoughts aren’t so elaborate.’

‘They don’t have to be elaborate. They just have to be from the heart, that will resonate with him. Tell me the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of him - that’s what you should say.’

Ram took a moment to brace his heart, readying it for emotions hitherto alien.

‘You are my home. My family. Every loved one I lost in life, I see their love in you. You fill that gap. You make the pain disappear. You are all I want. All I need. Let me fall at your feet and worship you for the rest of our lives, however long or short they may be.’

Ram sighed deeply, holding his chest for support. 

‘Um…that’s….very beautiful, Ram.’

They both nodded at each other. United by their love for this infuriatingly adorable man, they both drew comfort from the depth of each others feelings. From the fact that Bheem would be loved deeply, whoever he chooses to be with. Whoever he deems worthy of his love.

The heartbreak would be severe, but they would still take that over not falling head over heels for him. Over not feeling their rapidly beating hearts. Surely, even one-sided love with Bheem would be more special than the most ardent love stories in the world. No one could convince Ram or Jenny otherwise.

............................................................................................

I have been meaning to write this trio since I first saw Naatu Naatu. Would really love to know what you thought of this :)

@irisesforyoureyes @rambheem-is-real @thewinchestergirl1208 @eremin0109 @eenadu-varthalu @rorapostsbl @yehsahihai @budugu @maraudersbitchesassemble @justmeand-myinsight @rambheemisgoated @rosayounan @jrntrtitties @obsessedtoafault @rambheemlove @jjwolfesworld @alikokinav @iam-siriuslysher-lokid @dumdaradumdaradum @lovingperfectionwonderland @chaanv @ssabriel @milla984 @kaagazkefool @boochhaan @mesimpleone @filesbeorganized @ladydarkey @teddybat24 @stanleykubricks @burningsheepcrown @veteran-fanperson @ronika-writes-stuff @beingmes-blog @yonderghostshistories @nisreenart @chaidrivenwhore @bheemaxrama @carminavulcana @umbrulla @mizutaama @rosefulmadness @gifseafins @fangirlshrewt97 @voidsteffy @stars-in-the-distance-blog @maooyinysparkle @amalthea9 @vijayasena

[jezebelgoldstone]

@normal-thoughts-official's tags deserve to be seen:

"So what was more demanding, and what Rajamouli wanted to capture, is when two friends are into each other and they have confidence in themselves. They don’t really need to look at each other. To replicate that you are one single person? You’re two bodies, but your body, your mind, it operates like one single person as one unit."

NTR on what the hardest part of filming Naatu Naatu was

Hey, guys? Is anyone else seeing this?

[enigma-the-mysterious]

WIP Wednesday: 23/10/24

Rules

Original Post

After fighting for my life in between 12 hour shifts, I have somehow managed to clear most of my backlog. I only have one more week pending :D Phew.

All recent WIPs from RRR because that's what has consumed my brain.

1. Ram patches Bheem up after the flogging: This is my favourite (and longest!) of all my WIPs and I would love to publish it soon. What it says on the tin. Missing scene. Canon compliant. Hurt, angst and slight (????) comfort.

2. Rambheem first kiss: Hey, remember when I said that this was tooth rotting fluff? With only slight angst? Well, turns out, this has a lot of angst now. No, I don't know how it happened either. Chapter 1 is Pre Naatu Naatu. Chapter 2 is post movie. Pining. Canon compliant. Ram is an oblivious idiot

3. Bheem's thoughts after the betrayal: What it says on the tin. Angst, angst, angst and more angst. There isn't enough Bheem trauma fics in the fandom and I am here to fix that

4. Aftermath of Bheem's arrest: Fucktons of angst and Ram being emo and self destructive as usual

5. Ram's guilt about the flogging: What it says on the tin. Post movie. Angst with comfort

Snippet from WIP 2

Respected Sir/Madam,

On the joyful occasion of Valentine's Day, you are cordially invited to the party at the Gymkhana Club on 14th February, 1921. You may bring with yourself a companion to partake in the revelries. We hope to see you at the aforementioned place and time.

Thanking You,

The Secretary General,

Young Men's Christian Association

"Feb 14," Ram read aloud. "Hey, it's today. Right now."

[normal-thoughts-official]

On Bheem acting as a "mediator" between Ram and Seetha

[Disclaimer: this is not about shipping wars, it's just an analysis because I find the dynamic interesting. Whether you ship rambheem or ramseetha or both or neither is irrelevant for this, and beside the point.]

Click here to read this post on Ao3

It always drew my attention that most of Ram and Seetha's interactions seem to be mediated by Bheem. That is, have him as a middle man; there is the obvious part where Bheem brings Ram back to Seetha, but it's more than that. Ram also only writes to Seetha because of Bheem. When they first reunite, it is Bheem who joins their hands together. Even during Etthara Jenda, there is no moment with just Ram and Seetha; Bheem is always there. In fact, there is a brief moment with only Bheem and Seetha, but none with only Ram and Seetha. It seems that Ram and Seetha only ever meet through Bheem, as if he's the thread connecting them.

I thought that was interesting and I think I'd like to expand a bit on that. At first I thought it was just because the movie is obviously focused on Bheem and Ram and their relationship and the other characters are... Just not that explored outside of their relationship to the core characters and/or the plot. But I think there is also some symbolism there that is worth exploring.

When Ram leaves Seetha, he tells her that a part of him will always be with her. I'm working with the English translation here, because unfortunately I don't speak Telugu, but I did check the Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian translations and they all pretty much translate the same, so I'm going to assume that the translation here is accurate and communicates everything it's supposed to communicate. That means that leaving Seetha is also leaving that part of him behind. I mean, the symbolism is pretty obvious here. He takes his pendant, which was a single circle, and breaks it in two. One part he takes with him, another he leaves with her. From that moment on, Ram is incomplete.

And I think that the part that he left with her isn't just, generically speaking, half of him; I think the part that he left with her was his own humanity.

Here's why.

When Ram leaves his village, he takes two things with him: his grief and his sense of duty. That is all he has in Delhi. Well, other than his uncle, but his uncle was already in Delhi before Ram went on his mission, so I don't think he counts as something Ram "takes with him". I really doubt Ram would have asked Venkateswarulu to come if he hadn't already been in the police force before Ram was.

When we first meet Ram, the only emotion he allows himself is anger, and even then, only in private where no one can hear him. Even Venkateswarulu seems unable to really reach him. Ram is fueled exclusively by his rage, his need to do something to alleviate his grief, and his promise. He has no meaningful connections with anyone, he doesn't allow himself his feelings, and he needs to keep everything that makes him himself locked away so he doesn't blow his cover. Ram is living in nearly complete isolation and completely detached from his own feelings; he doesn't even allow himself his grief, because it would get in the way of his mission. It serves as fuel and a reminder of what he has to do, but it's not something he is actually allowing himself to feel in full.

So what is missing? He is missing his sense of community. His history, because Seetha has been a part of his life since forever, and she is also the embodiment of his connection to his village as a whole. His love and his joy, because everything that was meaningful and dear to him he left behind with her. And as time goes by... More and more, he leaves his ideals, too. By the time we meet Ram, he isn't really fueled by his need to free the land; he is fueled by his grief. When he falters, he doesn't think of the free world him and his father envisioned; he thinks of the despair he felt as he watched him die. He is doing this because he is, in a way, trying to provide meaning to his family's death, trying to save them symbolically, trying to alleviate his survivor's guilt and fulfill his promise. He gets so fixated on the weapons he forgets they're a mean and not an end. Therefore, his beliefs ended up staying with Seetha as well.

So... Community, history, love, and beliefs. Combined, I'd say that's pretty much everything that makes us human. Of course, pain is part of the human experience as well, but without those... There isn't much else left for a person.

And look, I'm not saying that Seetha makes him good or that she exists to take care of him and bring him back to himself, I want to make that clear. This isn't about anything in particular Seetha does or should do to or for him; this is about the fact that Seetha was the last good thing Ram allowed himself, and therefore his distance from her is also his distance from his own needs. The further he is from Seetha, the further he is from himself and his humanity.

I think there are at least two scenes that add credibility to that thesis: the first and most obvious one is when he is torturing Lacchu and his wristband snaps. When Ram first gets to the point of no return, when he is doing the most inhuman thing you could conceive, and he's doing it with gusto, too, because he's angry, he completely loses his connection to her. And then it immediately cuts to Seetha not only waiting for Ram, but actively asking a kid to scout and check if he is there. She is unable to find him, unable to connect again; and then it is made pretty clear that Ram has strayed too far from her. It is immediately after that moment that we learn he hasn't written to her in all these years, and one of the villagers even asks her if Ram remembers her at all. I also think it's interesting that it's the rest of the village that voices the concern for Ram and the sense of betrayal, and not Seetha; not to mention that they went to her to ask what is happening with Ram. This further cements Seetha as a representation of his connection to his own past and people: it is through her that they seek him out, and therefore, she is the link between them.

(Again, I'm not saying that she is literally the one doing the work of keeping them together; I'm saying that the movie has her, symbolically, embody the entire village. So when we are reminded of his distance from her, we are also reminded of his distance from them, and therefore, from himself)

The second scene is when he, finally, after all these years, writes to her. This is the first time in the movie where Ram actually voices his thoughts, instead of just screaming and drowning in his own memories. We know what Ram is feeling and thinking, but he never allows himself to acknowledge it. When he does, he does it through talking to Seetha; because she is the one who keeps the part of him that allows himself to feel, the part that is idealistic and that is doing this for love for the motherland rather than hatred for the British. The part that remembers what he is really fighting for.

And not only does he seek himself in Seetha, he is also only able to connect to Seetha when he stops denying himself. I actually think that's the most important part. He has spent four years isolated from her, without any sort of communication; he lost his way to her because he locked out his own humanity to be able to survive being a double agent. It is only when he unlocks it, really allows himself to feel and think and question, that he is able to find his way back to her.

And what allows him to unlock his humanity and search for her in the first place?

Bheem.

That's where his mediation comes in.

Because Bheem was the first one to crack Ram's walls at the very least since he went to Delhi, but I'd risk saying that really it's the first time since he lost his family. He kept everyone at arm's length; he threw himself into his mission as a way to avoid actually processing his grief. Of course he still had his village and Seetha, but you don't just become this repressed and guilt driven out of nowhere. Even as he's saying goodbye to Seetha and the village, Ram doesn't once smile. We see his face tight and nearly blank, the same way it was when he was first introduced, fighting that mob. There is determination, but otherwise, he is completely closed off. And he is leaving alone.

And then he meets Akhtar, and this motherfucker becomes unrecognizable.

I've joked before that he must have pulled his cheek muscles after he met Akhtar, but it is seriously a jarring difference. He spends the entire Dosti montage grinning from ear to ear, save for the "don't eat with your left hand" moment and the parts where they aren't actually together. We have never seen him give even a tight lipped smile before, and suddenly the man can't stop laughing. We have never seen him express a clear emotion, and suddenly we have him not only emoting but also showing vulnerability. Even after the montage, Ram is frequently grinning at Bheem, and he is shown with his body language relaxed when we've only really ever seen him tense. In fact, not only tense, but so tense he is frequently shaking.

It's not even just the expression of positive emotions. Meeting Akhtar also gives us our first glimpse of who Ram truly is and what he actually believes. The best example of that is the events in Naatu Naatu. For the first time ever, Ram rises up against the British. Even if it's in a small way, it's an act of open defiance that we hadn't seen before. He taunts Jake, he mocks him, he openly laughs at him (which is also curious, considering that Bheem was the one that Jake hurt; but Bheem is largely ignoring Jake, while Ram is going out of his way to antagonize him). The part of Ram that is purely rational and mission driven would have thought it better not to draw attention; so when Ram chooses to take that risk and be defiant, he is also remembering what really matters to him: protecting his people and fighting for justice. And that takes the form of protecting Bheem.

Therefore, those parts of him that had been kept away suddenly come crashing back when he meets Bheem. Bheem helps him find his way back to himself without even trying, and if he is finding the way to himself, he is finding the way to Seetha. Not to mention that it is because of the fact that he couldn't live with betraying Bheem that he wrote to Seetha in the first place. Bheem helped him find the part of him that loves and rejoices and is driven by more than just rage again. So, when he turns his back on Bheem, he is also going back to denying himself his own humanity. But he can't actually do it this time; and so, when he finds himself unable to keep repressing himelf, he writes to Seetha.

Even before that, however, Ram's connection to Seetha is only shown to the audience through Bheem, and the link between his relationship with Bheem and his relationship with Seetha is shown from the very first time we learn about her.

We are first shown the pendant during the Dosti montage. Ram was wearing it before, of course, but the movie kind of went out of its way to hide it. In his introduction, he is straight up not wearing it. The first time he is shown with it is when he is destroying that poor punching bag, and he nearly immediately wraps his hands and wrist in tape that covers it:

[ID: Screencap of Ram punching the bag, where you can see his knuckles and wrist are wrapped in tape. End ID]

Then, in the "RRR" title page, they didn't include Ram's pendant in the drawing of their hands together, even though they kept Akhtar's wristband:

[ID: Screencaps of Ram and Bheem's joined hands when they meet; you can see that Ram is wearing his wristband. Then, when it transitions into the drawing, his wristband is no longer shown, but Bheem's is. End ID]

They're not always hiding it, and you can frequently see it on Ram's wrist if you know to look, but they don't draw attention to it and actively avoid accidentally drawing attention to it.

(But also, interestingly enough, it is first visible in the scene where Ram is talking to Venkateswarulu; and the scenes where it is most visible before Dosti are the ones where Ram is talking about killing governor Scott, and when he's helping Bheem save the child. I think this is a subtle way of hinting that this is who Ram truly is; even though he is pretending when he says that he's going to kill governor Scott, he is still closer to himself and his ideals than he was when he attacked that mob. And even more so when he helped Bheem do what they both are sworn to do: protect their people.)

Then, during the Dosti montage, they film it directly for the first time. We see Ram playing with it and acknowledging it, and we learn that it is significant to him. And then they won't stop filming it after that.

This isn't a coincidence; the pendant is the embodiment of his connection with Seetha, and, therefore, with his humanity, as previously stated. The fact that it is shown during Dosti, which is also when we first see Ram acting fully like himself, goes to show how much Bheem's friendship is helping bring Ram back. I mean, for starters, just sitting there fiddling with it and smiling is something I can't imagine pre-Bheem Ram doing. Nevermind the fact that he lets Bheem see it and doesn't even try to hide that moment of vulnerability from him.

After that, the pendant is used to highlight Ram's struggle with figuring out what he wants to do (which really means figuring out who he is) after he betrays Bheem. For example, when Ram grabs Bheem, we get a shot of him crying blood, and the blood falls right beside the pendant, in a shot that shows almost nothing but these two things:

[ID: A drop of blood falling on Ram's hand, right next to the pendant. You can seee only Ram's wrist and a bit of the holy thread wrapped around his palm. End ID]

(Also, this time, the illustration of their hands does include the pendant)

[ID: The illustration of Ram's hand that immediately follows the previous shot. The pendant can be seen wrapped around his wrist and over his palm. End ID]

Further cementing the idea that the wristband represents the last of his connection to his humanity is the fact that, in the flogging scene, Ram is wearing it on his left hand.

In every other scene, it is on his right hand. That seems to be something they were very careful about. But throughout the flogging you can see that it is on the left. In fact, they even open the scene with a shot of it:

[ID: Ram driving to the square. He is holding a whip in his left hand, and the bracelet can be seen on his wrist. End ID]

Throughout the scene, it is hard to see the bracelet because of the uniform's long sleeves, but there are a few shots that confirm that it's on his left wrist:

[ID: Ram with the whip on his right hand, pulling it back. His left hand is in front of his body and the bracelet is visible. End ID]

And at the end of the scene, we can see it clearly:

[ID: Ram cradling Bheem's bloody face. His left hand, on which you can see the pendant, is holding Bheem's chin. End ID]

It's too consistent to be an accident, especially considering how it never ends up misplaced in the left wrist in the other scenes. On top of that, the movie brings up the fact that the left hand is considered dirty (in the scenes where Bheem's fake mom and Ram's real mom tell their respective children not to eat with their left hand).

Disclaimer for this part: I'm neither Hindu nor Indian, so I looked up as much as I could on the right/left significance, because I believe people should make an effort to understand the implications that don't speak directly to their experiences, especially when it comes to culture and race. If anything I say is inaccurate or offensive, please let me know, and I'll edit it. If there's anything else I'm missing, feel free to add it as well. I also assume that the cultural associations with the right and left go beyond religious significance, since Akhtar's family is Muslim and not Hindu and they also enforce the "no eating with your left hand" rule. But Ram is Hindu, so I'm also using sources that talk about its significance in Hinduism. I don't mean to imply that the two are interchangeable by that.

I found many different significances associated with the right and left sides in Hinduism (right is male, left is female; right is submissive, left is contrary; right is yourself, left is your spouse), but the most important one seems to be that right is sacred and pure, and left is profane and dirty (because that one was mentioned in every paper I found, and it was usually the first to be brought up). Hence why it's important that you eat and give offerings with your right hand, and do "unhygienic" tasks with the left. This rule also applies to Islam, which explains why Akhtar's fake mother made the same comment. The fact that this aspect of the right/left duality is brought up in the text also implies that this is the most important one in this context.

So, if the left hand is dirty and profane, and the pendant is Ram's humanity, and the pendant is on Ram's left hand in this scene... I think what the movie is telling us is that in this moment, Ram is forsaking himself. He is going against everything that he truly is and believes, and his own feelings; he is even condemning himself, in a way, because this is the kind of thing that there should be no turning back from. In that moment he is the furthest he could be from everything that is holy, and good.

(Also, from a Watsonian perspective, we know that Ram has been taught that the left hand is dirty by his mom; if he chose to change the placement of the pendament in that moment, I think that speaks volumes on how he's feeling about himself. I also think it's possible that he did it because he couldn't stand to whip Bheem with the same hand that held his reminder of Seetha).

I also find the "right hand is yourself and left hand is your spouse" significance relevant here, although secondarily. I know Ram and Seetha are not married yet, so I'm not sure if Ram's left hand already "counts" as representing Seetha, but even if it doesn't, I think the fact that Ram is putting the embodiment of himself away from the hand that represents himself and on the wrist that is supposed to (at least eventually) represent Seetha goes to show that he truly left everything that matters about himself with her. His soul is no longer resting within himself because he turned his back on it. So, it is all with Seetha. If he had left half of his true self with her before, once he whips Bheem, he fully abandons himself. All that's left of the true him is in Seetha's memories.

This is, I think, further enforced by the fact that, although we get enough shots of Ram's left wrist to confirm that it's there, what the movie focuses on the most during that scene is not its presence on the left wrist, but its absence on the right one. Ram's right sleeve is always slightly pulled up in that scene, so we can see that the wristband is not there, like the movie is constantly calling to our attention that something is wrong with Ram. On the same vein, during Komaram Bheemudo, the framing very carefully hides his pendant in most shots. They go out of their way to leave it out of frame, even in the closeup shot of Ram wiping his tear (which he does with his left hand, where the wristband is at the time).

Here are some examples of both the framing and the sleeve being ridden up:

[ID: Ram picking up the spiked whip. The shot cuts right where his left wrist would begin, but shows most of his right arm. The sleeve is ridden up til nearly mid-arm, so you can clearly see that he's not wearing the wristband. End ID]

[ID: Ram first hitting Bheem with the spiked whip. His sleeve is still rolled up, and his wrist is in the foreground, without the wristband. His left hand is behind his body, out of frame. End ID]

The entire Komaram Bheemudo scene focuses on the lack of the wristband, aka the lack of Ram's own self in that moment. He is doing everything he is supposed to be fighting against, and betraying himself in the process. So the absence of him is felt even more acutely than the displacement itself.

Then, when Ram decides that he is going to save Bheem, the opposite happens: they go out of their way to keep the wristband within the frame. Even when Ram first shows up in that scene, it is framed in such a way that the part of him closest to the viewer is his right wrist.

[ID: Ram walking into the scene where Bheem was flogged. It is shot from under him and to his right, so his right wrist is the thing closest to the camera. You can see the wristband on it. End ID]

Even when he is being filmed from the left, the wristband is still visible:

[ID: Ram being filmed from the left side as he talks to his uncle. He is shown from a 3/4 position, so we can see the wristband on his right wrist even as it is turned away from the camera. End ID]

And even when there are other objects obstructing part of him, the framing is such that you can always see it:

[ID: Ram looking at the blood on his hand. He is shown from within a circle of barbed wire. There is an X right beside him, but it is still framed in such a way that Ram's pendant is visible as he raises his hand to look at it. End ID]

In fact, during that scene, we get a closeup of the pendant for the first time since Ram betrayed Bheem:

[ID: Ram touching the ground, which is wet with Bheem's blood. The pendant, back on his right hand, is visible on his wrist, resting over his palm. End ID]

And the trend continues: you don't see his wristband at any point while he is talking to Governor Scott, but you do see it many times when he is rigging the weapons to save Bheem (complete with several closeups, but they are very quick). Very interestingly, when he puts Malli in the car and drives towards the hanging point, the framing is such that you can see the wristband, but only partially. Ram is being careful, but still giving himself away; he is too kind to Malli, he is too tense as he's driving, he's showing too much of himself. He's still trying to hide it, but it's enough for Scott to see.

[ID: Ram putting his hand on Malli's shoulder comfortingly as he puts her on the car. The shot is framed so that the seat covers half of the wristband, but the other half is visible. End ID]

Then Ram tries to enact his plan to free Bheem, and again the pendant is not only in frame, but also always turned towards the camera even when it means being in different positions in relation to Ram's hand:

[ID: Ram when he's impaled on the tree. He throws his right hand up, and the framing ends right where his wrist does so we can see the bracelet. It is turned towards his inner arm. In the second image, he has fallen to the ground. Again, the pendant is on frame, with the pendant turned towards his outer arm and falling over his hand. End ID]

And listen, I know that I sound insane, but this is consistent. Obviously Rajamouli didn't frame every single shot with the wristband in mind, but there is a very clear pattern where the wristband is invisible when Ram is pretending to be a British officer, and visible when he's not. That's not even only after Bheem is whipped; in retrospect, they were also doing that in the first few scenes. Ram was not wearing the wristband when he was fighting that mob; he was when he was punching the punching bag, but it was hidden. Then it was shown when he was with his uncle, and even more when he was talking about killing governor Scott. When he was lying to Lacchu, it didn't appear much. Then it made a comeback when he helped Bheem save the child, and then in the Dosti montage we had a lot of attention drawn to it (not only in the obvious moment where he talks about the pendant, but also in others; for example, in the shot where they are talking and laughing, Ram's pendant is visible, despite the fact that he has his hand in his pocket).

[ID: Ram and Bheem walking side by side. They are both laughing, and Ram is looking slightly down. His hands are in his pockets, but the wristband is still fully visible. End ID]

So, I think the framing matters here. If the flogging scene was drawing attention to the absence of the pendant on Ram's right wrist, these other shots are drawing attention to its presence. The more of the real Ram we see, the more of the pendant we see, again directly making the link that the wristband = Ram's humanity and true self.

Interestingly enough, it is only after he has officially saved Bheem that we get a clear closeup meant to show only the pendant again:

[ID: Ram lying on the grass after saving Bheem. He is out of focus, and his hand is extended towards the viewer. The pendant is falling over his palm, plainly visible and in focus. End ID]

If denying Bheem was denying his humanity, saving Bheem was saving it; it is back into focus, plainly visible and no longer locked away. I also find it interesting that this is when we finally get the flashback of when he gave the pendant to Seetha in the first place. At this point there's been 2h15m worth of movie and despite the fact that the pendant is very clearly referenced several times, we only get to see that moment right then. I think this implies that this is the moment when he finally connects with the part of him that's missing; it also drives extra attention to the relationship between saving Bheem and recovering that part of himself.

Not only that, but this is the first time we get a flashback that shows Ram driven by purpose, and not grief.

Ram has several flashbacks throughout the movie, but they are always of his father's death. His grief is the only thing pushing him forward. It is his grief that leads to him betraying Bheem (and I find it interesting that the pendant is also not visible in that scene, despite the fact that we get closeups of Ram's bloody right hand. I had kind of been assuming that they would show the pendant then, since it seemed to be connected to his purpose, but they don't. Now, I think that's exactly the point. The pendant is Ram's purpose, and he doesn't really have it in sight right then. He remembers the pain and the blood; he doesn't remember the ideals and hope that he had when he chose that path. He doesn't remember that this is about freedom, he only remembers that this is about a promise). It is his grief that he is thinking of when he's practicing shooting; whenever we see Ram's past, it is always focused on that one day.

The scene where he gives the pendant to Seetha is the first time we see a flashback with adult Ram. And in it we get to see Ram being tender (although he's still very serious); we get to see him talking about courage; we hear the "Vande Mataram" chant, a scream of love for the motherland rather than trauma and resentment; we get to see Ram being larger than life, motivated, focused. I mean, hell, Seetha puts a tilaka on his forehead. That is supposed to help one's focus, health, and mental stability, yes; but it's also related to the search for self awareness. Ram leaves with Seetha his humanity, and Seetha says goodbye by trying to connect Ram deeper with himself. Obviously, that doesn't last. But once again, the link that his connection with Seetha and the pendant = his connection to himself is strengthened.

And so, reliving that memory means finding that connection to himself again. It means finding his drive, his courage, his motive. It seems that, finally, Ram has remembered himself. And he achieved it through his love for Bheem, who, just like Seetha, now embodies his ability to connect to others, fight for what's right, and be himself.

I believe that this is also why, after that scene, the pendant stops being a wristband and becomes a necklace.

[ID: Ram in prison, groaning and throwing his head back. Due to the movement, you can see the pendant is now on a necklace. End ID]

A wristband is easier to see; it is something that you can always bring back to your line of sight. Wearing the pendant on a wristband, Ram is keeping it as a reminder; he is trying to make sure he doesn't forget who he is and what he's fighting for. We even see it serve that exact purpose during the torture scene with Lacchu. But a necklace doesn't need to be seen. Putting the pendant on a necklace means keeping it closer to his heart. At this point, Ram has internalized the pendant, and doesn't need to look at it to remember who he is; it's already a part of him. Because once he remembered who and what he's fighting for, and found again his humanity and drive, he didn't need it as a reminder anymore.

It's also worth noting that Seetha wears her own pendant as a necklace as well; when Ram puts it on the same place, it implies that their connection is stronger. As if they are no longer displaced and there is no longer the chasm between the Ram Seetha remembers and the Ram Ram sees.

Additionally, the pendant was originally a necklace before Ram broke it and gave it to Seetha:

[ID: Ram talking to Seetha before he leaves the village. He is wearing the pendant, which at this point is a full circle, as a necklace. End ID]

Then, immediately after he tears it, it becomes a wristband:

[ID: Ram spreading his arms as he gets on the boat that will leave his village. This is after he has broken the pendant, and he is no longer wearing it as a necklace; instead, we can see that he is wearing a wristband. End ID]

So, it being a necklace again also implies that he is going back to his roots, reconnecting to who he was and what he wanted when he first went on this mission.

Which is why it's extremely interesting that Bheem is the one to give Ram back the other half of the pendant. You'd expect it to be Seetha when they are reunited, but instead, Bheem takes it to him before he brings Ram back to Seetha. Which in turn reminds me of what he tells Seetha before going to rescue Ram:

"I will bring you back your Ram even if I have to lay down my life."

Again, I am going with the English translation, and I don't know what they say in the original, but I did once again check the Netflix translation and the translations in other languages that I speak/understand and they all kept the "your", except for Italian, so I am going to assume that this translation is accurate and close to the original Telugu.

This wording striked me as odd when I first watched, because why is Bheem emphasizing that Ram is Seetha's in that moment? Obviously they are engaged, so, you know, makes sense, but why is he emphasizing it? Rewatching it now, I think I get what he means: it's not just that he will bring back Ram; it's that he will bring back the Ram that Seetha knows. The real Ram. It's not enough to bring back Alluri Sitarama Raju; he is telling her that he will bring her the Ram she knows and loves, the one who's a rebel and who's whole. Which is why it makes sense that he takes Seetha's half of the pendant with him.

That is another part that first striked me as odd, because it seemed to directly contradict another thing he told her:

"Seetha shouldn't go looking for Ram. Ram should come to wherever Seetha is."

So why bring the pendant with him before reuniting Seetha and Ram? If this was simply about bringing Seetha and Ram back together, it would make no sense for Bheem to do this. Which is why I think that it's more than that; when he brings Ram back the pendant, when he puts the two halves back together with his own hands, he is making Ram whole again. Not just because he is saving him from death, but also because he is offering Ram his forgiveness and friendship again; and Ram needed that in order to move on from what he did, and find the person that he tried to bury and nearly forgot about these last 4 years.

In other words, the union of the two parts of the pendant is less about reuniting Ram and Seetha as people, and more about reuniting Ram with what Seetha represents; which, in turn, allows him to come back to Seetha as the Ram that she knew and missed.

(Of course, Ram will never go back to being exactly the same, and the pendant will always have the marks of the break; but it's rebuilding itself, and that's what matters)

And that is a natural conclusion to their relationship, because Bheem had been helping Ram find himself since the moment they met, as shown in the Dosti montage and the jarring differences between how Ram was and acted away from Bheem versus near Bheem. Not to mention Naatu Naatu, the first and only moment where Ram didn't just stand by and watch as his people were done injustice before he decided to save Bheem. The Ram that Seetha knew would never have come back to her if Bheem hadn't been there to help him find his humanity again. Which is why Bheem is the one to put the pendant together, and also why he is the one to put Ram's hand in Seetha's when they reunite; because without Bheem, Ram wouldn't have found his way back to her, because he wouldn't have found himself again.

I also think this is one of the reasons Bheem also puts a tilaka on Ram's forehead; of course, there is the fact that he is giving Ram the getup that he is known for, but remembering how Seetha had once put a tilaka on Ram's forehead, I think the fact that Bheem does it the second time also reinforces the connection between his relationship with Bheem and his relationship with Seetha, as well as the idea that he is reconnecting Ram with himself, just like Seetha tried to do when they were first parted.

Bringing Ram and Seetha together meant reconnecting Ram with his true self, and because Bheem was the one who reminded him who he was and what he was fighting for, he needed to be the one to do it.