Gandhi, My Father
| Gandhi, My Father | |
|---|---|
 Official poster | |
| Directed by | Feroz Abbas Khan |
| Written by | Feroz Abbas Khan |
| Based on |
|
| Produced by | Anil Kapoor |
| Starring | Darshan Jariwala Akshaye Khanna Bhumika Chawla Shefali Shah |
| Cinematography | David McDonald |
| Edited by | A. Sreekar Prasad |
| Music by | Piyush Kanojia |
Release date |
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Running time | 136 minutes |
| Language | Hindi |
| Budget | ₹80 million[1] |
| Box office | ₹74.9 million[1] |
Gandhi, My Father is a 2007
The film stars Darshan Jariwala, Akshaye Khanna, and Bhumika Chawla. [2]
The film explores the troubled relationship between Mahatma Gandhi and his son Harilal Gandhi. The film is based upon the biography of Harilal Gandhi, titled Harilal Gandhi: A Life by Chandulal Bhagubhai Dalal.[3] Khan's play, Mahatma vs. Gandhi, while different from this film, had a similar theme which was based on novel by Gujarati author Dinkar Joshi.[4] The film was shot in South Africa and in several Indian cities including Mumbai and Ahmedabad.[5]
Plot
Gandhi My Father paints the picture of Gandhi's intricate, complex and strained relationship with his son Harilal Gandhi. From the onset, the two had dreams in opposite directions. Harilal's ambition was to study abroad and become a barrister like his father, while Gandhi hoped that his son would join him and fight for his ideals and causes in India.
When Gandhi does not give Harilal the opportunity to study abroad, it comes as a blow to Harilal. He decides to abandon his father’s vision and leaves South Africa for India where he joins his wife Gulab and children. He goes back to further his education to earn his diploma but continuously fails and ends in financial ruins. Various plans and schemes to make money fail, leaving the family in poverty. Sick of his failure, Gulab returns to her parents’ house with the children, where she eventually dies from the flu epidemic. Distraught, Harilal turns to alcohol for solace and converts to Islam, only to re-convert to a different sect of Hinduism later on. With political tension heating up, the rift between Gandhi and his eldest son grows until it is beyond repair. Harilal finds it unbearable to live in the enormous shadow of his father. Gandhi is assassinated before the two can reconcile and Harilal attends his father's funeral virtually as a stranger, almost unrecognizable to those around him. A short while later, he passes away, alone and in poverty, having failed to find his own identity.
Cast
- Darshan Jariwala as Mahatma Gandhi
- Akshaye Khanna as Harilal Gandhi
- Bhumika Chawla as Gulab Gandhi
- Shefali Shah as Kasturba Gandhi
- Vinay Jain as Kanti Gandhi [6]
- Mona Ambegaonkar as Prostitute
Reception
Conversely, Derek Elley of the Variety wrote, "There’s enough material here for a powerful story of onstage/offstage family conflict, but the movie fails to build a dramatic head of steam across its two-hour-plus span."[9]
Awards
55th National Film Awards
- Special Jury Award - Feroz Abbas Khan and Anil Kapoor[10]
- Best Screenplay - Feroz Abbas Khan
- Best Supporting Actor - Darshan Jariwala
2008 Zee Cine Awards
- Critics Award (Best Film) - Anil Kapoor[11]
- Critics Award (Best Actress) - Shefali Shah
2007 Asia Pacific Screen Awards
See also
- List of artistic depictions of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
References
- ^ a b "Gandhi My Father - Movie - Box Office India". boxofficeindia.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
- ^ Ganguly, Prithwish (27 June 2007). "Gandhi my father: a tale of Mahatma's son". New Delhi. Indo-Asian News Service. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023 – via Hindustan Times.
- ^ "Book bids to save Mahatma's son from ignominy". Archived from the original on 9 November 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2007.
- ^ "The Mahatma and his son". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 22 July 2007. Archived from the original on 9 November 2007.
- ^ "In the name of the father". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 21 July 2007.
- ^ "Gandhi My Father Cast & Director - Yahoo! Movies". Movies.yahoo.com. 20 April 2011. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
- ^ French, Philip (5 August 2007). "Gandhi My Father". Archived from the original on 15 August 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2023 – via The Guardian.
- ^ Adarsh, Taran (3 August 2007). "Gandhi My Father Review 4/5 | Gandhi My Father Movie Review | Gandhi My Father 2007 Public Review | Film Review". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
- ^ Elley, Derek (15 August 2007). "Gandhi My Father". Variety. Archived from the original on 19 March 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
- ^ "55th National Film Awards announced". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
- ^ "Zee Cine Awards 2008 winners announced". Zee News. 23 April 2008. Archived from the original on 20 January 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
- ^ "Asia Pacific Screen Awards Winners Announced - Asia Pacific Screen Awards". Asia Pacific Screen Awards. 13 November 2007. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
External links
- Gandhi, My Father at IMDb
- Gandhi, My Father at Rotten Tomatoes
