Mahatma Gandhi, one of the most inspiring characters from the adorned pages of history, is the pioneer of India’s acclaimed Independence. Even today, he continues to motivate us towards a life of virtue and moral codes.
An important political and spiritual figure, Gandhi preached the ideas of non-violence and peace. The leader of Satyagraha and ahimsa (Non-violence), who struggled the paths to democracy, has a list of biographies and movies devoted to his established work and life ethics.
Following is a list of movies that immortalized the character of this great man, a pillar on which the existence of a democratic India stands today.
1. GANDHI(1982)
Gandhi, directed by Richard Attenborough, is a biographical feature film starring Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi collected the award as the best actor for the film. The movie won eight Academy awards from a nomination bench for eleven awards. The movie begins with the encroachment of Gandhi being thrown off a train by a British man in South Africa during his days as a learning and practicing lawyer in the country to his assassination. The film is a fine description of his struggle as a non-violent fighter for basic humanitarian rights, freedom, and equality.
2. NINE HOURS TO RAMA
The film, directed by Mark Robinson based on the book by Stanley Wolpert of the same name, takes a completely different direction in accordance with other movies depicting Gandhi’s life. The film cryptically brings to light the assassination of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi by Nathuram Godse. The story insinuates the reasons for the assassination and Godse’s dilemma that embroiled the crucial nine hours of his life about taking the aching action of killing Gandhi.
3. MAHATMA: LIFE OF GANDHI ( 1968)
The film beautifully captures the journey to seek truth by Gandhi, including excerpts of his own verses in a monochromatic setting. In addition, the black and white direction technique of the movie is delightful in its own nature.
4. MAHATMA: LIFE OF GANDHI ( 1953)
An American documentary film written by Quentin Reynolds was brought to reel by Stanley Neal and released by United Artists in 1953.
5. SARDAR
Directed by Ketan Mehta based on the work of Vijay Tendulkar, Sardar is a real-life struggle story of Mahatma Gandhi and noted freedom fighter Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. The story shows the discrepancies of both the characters and their differences of views until Patel attends a lecture by Gandhi that changes his viewpoints. They then further join hands and fight the struggle for Independence and lead the march in Gujarat.
6. THE MAKING OF THE MAHATMA
This Shyam Benegal Film is based on the early life of Mahatma Gandhi and his struggle for liberation over the 21 years he spent in South Africa. The film is based upon the book, The Apprenticeship of a Mahatma by Fatima Meer. The film won the best feature film in English award in the year 1996
7. GANDHI, MY FATHER
It is a sensitive take on the strenuous relationship between MK Gandhi and his son Hiralal Gandhi. Based on the biography of Hiralal Gandhi, the film revolves around the discerning and contrasting ideologies of the father and son duo, who believe in different and antagonistic thoughts. Hiralal fighting against his father’s realms, lived in the enormous shadow of his father, striving to discover his identity, died unknown and poor.
This crime drama film was made in both Tamil and Hindi. Written, directed, and produced by Kamal Haasan, the film portrays a dramatic visual of India’s Partition and the murder of Mahatma Gandhi by Nathuram Godse. The film was selected for submission to the Oscars in 2000 but failed to gather a nomination for further rounds.
9. MAINE GANDHI KO NAHIN MARA (2005)
The film failed to accolade at the box office but was immensely praised for the plot and the aftermath of Gandhi’s impact on real-life characters even after decades of discerning. The film stars Anupam Kher as a character suffering from dementia who believes that he accidentally killed Gandhi. A superb psychological piece of work, the film is worth a watch.
10. LAGE RAHO MUNNA BHAI
It is a light-hearted comedy that runs the story of how the morals of Gandhi enlighten an underworld con goon. The film shows that adapting the path of humility and non-violence can sort many problems of daily life.
Surely our beloved Bapu Ji still lives in our hearts.
Last Updated on by kalidaspandian