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Gandhi My Father
*** movieNeeraj Jain, 07 AugustWatch this movie when you have nothing else to watch!
Gandhi My Father is an attempt to prove that Mahatma Gandhi became successful as Father of the Nation but failed as a father. It tries to depict Gandhi from the point of view of Harilal Gandhi, his eldest son. In the beginning, it shows Gandhi practicing in South Africa. There he sees that blacks are being discriminated against. He starts a non-violent revolt there. Gandhi calls up his son to South Africa to join him. Harilal is jailed. Gandhi asks the judge to give him maximum punishment because if he comes out of jail early, he will again enter the British colony without the special card. Gandhi gets the offer of sending one student on scholarship to study law at London. Harilal is very keen to study law. However, Gandhi did not feel it appropriate to give a chance to Harilal and sends another student instead. Gandhi feels that Harilal should join him in revolt instead of studying. He also sends his wife Gulab back to India. This makes Harilal angry. He tells Gandhi that he wants to spend good time with Gulab. Gandhi allows him to return to India.
Harilal tries to study in India. Gulab also supports him, but Harilal is unable to study. Meanwhile, Gandhi returns to India and starts the freedom struggle in India. After some time, Harilal gets a job as a cashier. He is a happy man. However, for his lust for money, he takes a lot of money on credit and buys garments thinking that he will make huge money. However, he loses money. Harilal runs away. Gandhi tells the shopowner to file case against Harilal.
One day, Harilal returns home totally drunk. Gulab, who was supporting him, becomes upset with him and leaves him. One day, the police catches him and puts him in bars. After his release, he gets a telegram that his wife is no more. He becomes dejected. He converts to Islam in the hope of getting some money in return. However, he is unable to mend his drinking habits and has a brawl with people. Kastuba visits him and asks him to return back. He returns back and become a Hindu again. He starts taking part in Quit India movement. However, once again he falls in the trap of some greedy people who ask him to sell shares citing his closeness with the Gandhi family. Again, he dupes people. Gandhi becomes very sad and disowns him.
The freedom struggle gains momentum and Mahatama and Kasturba Gandhi are jailed in a palace. There, Harilal visits them drunk. Kasturba, who was showing motherly attitude towards him, becomes upset and asks him to leave them. In 1947, India becomes independent at the cost of partition. Harilal leads a lonely life and becomes ill. Six months after the assassination of Gandhi, Harilal also dies and the film comes to an end.
This films has failed to make its point on three counts:
1. It does not really show Gandhi having failed as a father. Rather it shows Harilal as a person who wanted money at any cost. Most of the time, he is shown as a drunkard.
2. The film talks only about one son of Gandhi. Never in the film have other sons of Gandhi been shown. Thus the portrayal seems to be incorrect and partisan.
3. The person who plays the role of Gandhi lacks the charisma and the strength of the voice which Gandhi had.
This movie has some good dialogues in the beginning but it loses its appeal in the second half.
The cinematography is excellent; the picture quality is damn good. Bhumika Chawla looks stunning and extremely beautiful in the movie. She has looked delicate and sensous throughout. She has played her part, though small, gracefully. Akshaye Khanna has definitely scored brownie points with this movie. His dialogues with Gandhi are something that deserves attention.
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