A Film To Remember

“Every great film should seem new every time you see it.” - Roger Ebert

Countless films are made each year across the world, reflecting human instinct to express oneself and portray the evolving world on a magnitude larger than life. Some films live on for their impact on society, for the way they articulately capture an aspect of the world and effectively communicate with us. No matter where we are, these themes are relevant to our lives and give us a sense of never being alone and sometimes answering our much-contemplated questions. A number of films cross cultural boundaries and become popular worldwide sources of entertainment for the powerful and enlightening message it sends to its viewers. The award-winning film Gandhi is one of those films and will be passed on as a treasured heirloom for generations to come.

"Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this walked the earth in flesh and blood."- Albert Einstein, about Mahatma Gandhi

GANDHI
1982

A soul-stirring autobiographical film about the life of Mahatma Gandhi--a freedom fighter who, during India’s freedom struggle, spiritually awakened, inspired and empowered the masses with the weapons of non-violence, satyagraha and ahimsa, becoming a national hero and the father of the nation. This film highlights the foundation of his political ideology of active participation in the Indian National Movement against the British by imbibing India with the values to build a unified nation where tradition and modernity merge, where man has the independence to express himself and embrace his culture with open arms.

Director: Richard Attenborough
Starring: Ben Kingsley
Music: Ravi Shankar, George Fenton
Notable quote: “Whenever I despair, I remember that the way of truth and love has always won. There may be tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they may seem invincible, but in the end, they always fail. Think of it: always.”- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

The film shows a transition of events in the life and work of Gandhi--from his days as a lawyer in South Africa, to formulating political ideologies and establishing the Gandhian Era of freedom struggle in India, becoming the ultimate pillar of strength. From his life-altering experience of being discriminated as an Indian in South Africa in 1893, to his decision to launch a non-violent fight for the equality Indians in South Africa; from his journey to India where his methods stirred the masses to play an active role in attaining independence from the British Raj and armed them with peaceful resistance, to a movement that promised freedom without the bloodshed caused by militant nationalism and extremism. While he was initially unfamiliar with India due to living abroad for 20 years, Gandhi flagged the non-cooperation movement, struggling against all odds.

The film is replete with imagery and is appealing to one’s senses, ending with a melodious rendition of the hymn Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram. Director, Richard Attenborough’s sharp eye for detail is admirable and he has undoubtedly done justice to every aspect, making the film complete with facts supported by flawless screenplay and cinematography. Actor, Ben Kingsley accomplished the arduous task of portraying Gandhi to perfection and his astounding and gripping performance took the film to great heights. The historical scenes involved roping in thousands of people to recreate past events and take viewers back in time. Gandhi won eight Academy Awards, including awards for Best Director, Best Actor and Best Picture.

Relating the historical and autobiographical film to today’s world, the message to audiences worldwide continues to educate us to this day to speak up for one’s rights and respect fellow human beings irrespective of caste, race, religion and nationality, to accept diverse cultures in order to co-exist peacefully while continuing to develop the world around us, negating intolerance and shaping human thought for a brighter and more harmonious future.

Written on 30th November, 2010