Anil Sinanan, Times Bollywood critic
The man, the films, those blondes. Free DVD collection starting this Sunday
Director Feroze Abbas Khan, PG, 134 mins, Subtitles
Stars Darshan Jariwala, Akshaye Khanna, Shefali Shah, Bhoomika Chawla.

1948, India. When the Bombay cops pick up a gravely ill destitute off the streets, they need his fathers’ name in order to admit him to hospital. Why does the dying beggar answer ‘Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’?
Much is known about Gandhi’s non-violent ideals and the ‘Quit India’ movement he founded which was directly responsible for the British grant of independence to India and the creation of Pakistan. Little is known about his family life.
This bio-pic attempts to redress the balance. It traces the disintegrating relationship between the Mahatma or ‘Bapu’ (father) (Darshan Jariwala) as he was fondly known, with the eldest of his four sons, Hirilal (Akshaye Khanna).
Told in flashback, the film establishes the uneasy tensions in the family’s South African sojourn where Gandhi practised as a barrister up to 1915. The patriarch’s steely insistence that Hirilal abandon his education and wife Gulab (Bhoomika Chawla) in order to assist him in his fight against the inequitable apartheid system, leads to resentment by the young Hiralal.
Post 1915, the entire family relocates to India where resistance to British imperialism is gaining momentum. Hirilal tries to assert his own independence but he is thwarted by opportunists who use the Gandhi name to establish fraudulent companies and discredit the freedom movement. The Mahatma publicly disowns his wayward son; Hirilal sinks into alcoholic depression.
Adapted from his stage play of the same name, Feroze Abbas Khan’s debut is an exploration of a taboo topic in modern India: the possible demerits of Gandhian idealism. Indeed, the film has already created controversy in India.
The fuss is unwarranted. Made with the co-operation of the surviving Gandhi family, Khan’s film frustratingly refuses to take sides and portrays both protagonists as flawed individuals caught up in circumstances beyond their control.
It is a film of performances: Jariwala gets the Mahatma’s mannerisms eerily right, Khanna attempts to emote but it is Shefali Shah as the suffering wife Kasturba who holds it all together. Her understated portrayal of the woman who attempts to bridge the emotional gap between father and son eschews melodramatic hysteria.
The rambling narrative of the first hour with a few short songs (frustratingly, not subtitled) could be edited. Khan’s direction betrays his theatrical background: many scenes simply act as a convenient plot device in order to propel the narrative.
But this is a largely successful attempt at intelligent Indian cinema. Moving without being manipulative, Gandhi my father is largely devoid of the bolly-clichés so typical of the ‘formula’.
A worthy companion piece to Attenborough’s Oscar classic.

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I must say that this is one of the best indian moives in the history. Thank god after a long time we got an opportunity to see good movie. All the actors are fantastic. Darshan z, shefali, bhumika all are the best. Akshaye Khanna is undoubtly one of the most accomplished actors of indian cinema. Must be one of the fewest finest actors of decade. His versatility , his intensity is amazing. Whatever he does he put his soul into the charater and that thing we hardly see in other indian actors. I was surprised to see his acting in "dil chahata hai" and after that I had to search for his other movies and trust me he never dissapoint me . Whether his films are good or not so good, his acting is always superb and he is always so natural. He is the born actor. Thank god I have found one indian actor whose film I can watch anytime.
Must watch movie. You will be emotional for a long time. Very very touchy movie, indeed a masterpiece.
Diksha Shah, Mascot, Sydney, Austraila
Simply fantastic! I saw it today and the cinema was full and all I can say is that it is one of the best films I have ever seen and will move anyone who watches it. WhilstGandhi fought for independence aginst the British the real battle appears to be with his eldest son. Watch it before it leaves the cinema
Bob Graham, london,
It brought tears to my eyes !! Its a wonderful movie.
Its a very real story of a father of a child vs father of a nation ; and son of a barrister, vs son of Mahatma Gandhi. Lost opportunities, mis-communications, misunderstandings, "what-ifs" of life. The importance of dealing with "what is" rather than dwelling on "what ifs" is so very clearly brought out in the film. Sadly, we fight with the ghosts of the past and never live in the sun-shine of here-and-now. Its an honour and a burden to live with such a great man as the Mahatma Gandhi, especially if you are unable to grasp the vastness his dream. Most of us can't dream of such fantastic possibilities as Mahatma Gandhi could. He can't understand why you are thinking so small, and you can't understand why he is thinking so huge ! Its a balanced view of how life is like in many a families, of hopes and dreams clashing and crashing against realities of life. Hope you enjoy the film as much as I did.
Bhagwat Shah, London, UK
I am yet to se ethe movie
But have seen/met a couple of gandhi family members.
It is very unfortunate taht teh dictum" take care of your house before you take care of the society" is actually possible.The task of working at grass root levels to reach a certain position and add experience to ones stature,it crosses path with nurturing family .Its sad that such parents either want the family to join their bandwagon or simply ignore them The present folks at least must carve out a path which the children aspire for and help them as an individual in the society if not of his /her won family Do not think peopel will talk about personal interests being safe guarded If they do tell them its important to take care of own family, neighbours, the strret, the council, the village, etc etc in that order and theres nothing to be ashamed of in that.NOT all can do the same kind of work,THANKS to the makersof this film Hope it delivers proper mesaage to all parents.
jayanthy, muscat, oman
Attenborough's film goes on for too long, patronises it's audience and is dull in large patches (much as the great man himself) so I'm hoping this film will be more than a 'worthy companion' to it. I shall go and watch it in the expectation that it will touch me on an emotional and spiritual level, whilst providing a true spectacle for the audience, something Hollywood only occasionally achieves. It's also a shame the 'Times' critic seems to have so little empathy or understanding for an industry which provides him with an income. Stop continually comparing two film making giants whose audiences and purpose are so different. Bollywood is not Hollywood's poor relation, it's a refreshing alternative that can spellbind and entrance an audience who are willing to let it.
Jim Falkus, Birmingham, UK
This movie sounds fascinating.
A serious movie about Gandhi, one of India's greatest, emerging out of Bollywood is welcomed and more than due . If Bollywood has managed to capture some new perspective on Gandhi's life, especially in a 'never before seen' but still realistic light, then kudos to it. No man is infallible and if there may have been negative aspects of Gandhi's personal family life , that simply makes him more human and does not detract from his great contribution to this world. According to this review, the family's input was sought so that really ought to lay to rest the controversy to a large extent.
'Intelligent Indian cinema' is always refreshing and I appreciate this author's critical reviews so I can hardly wait to see the movie.
Keshma, Georgetown, Guyana, W. I.
This movie sounds fascinating. A serious movie about Gandhi, one of India's greatest, emerging out of Bollywood is more than due in view of the large numbers of movies produced annually. If Bollywood has managed to capture some of India's perspective on Gandhi's life, especially in a 'never before seen' but still realistic light, then kudos to it.
Intelligent Indian cinema is always refreshing and I appreciate this author's critical reviews, so I can hardly wait to see this movie.
Keshma, Georgetown, Guyana, W. I.