Popcorns

Director: Feroz Abbas Khan
Producer: Anil Kapoor
Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Darshan Zariwala, Shefali Shah, Bhoomika Chawla, Vinay Jain.

From Gandhi (1982) by Richard Attenborough to the recent Lage Raho Munnabhai, Gandhi has been a deja vu every time, discovered, rediscovered over and over again. Gandhi is a courageous subject in commercial cinema to begin with, and besides, if there happens to be a debutant producer (Anil Kapoor) and director (Feroz Abbas Khan), as in Gandhi, My Father, they definitely deserve appreciation for daring odd theme pick.

Gandhi, My father introduces you to the persona behind Father of The nation, his troubled relationship with his son Harilal, his failings as a father, his flaws as husband and most essentially his desolate family life amidst his national obligations. The movie is based on good 6 years of research and tries to demystify Mahatma Gandhi.

The movie begins in 1948 with Harilal (Akshaye Khanna) being ill and infirm, an unsung, unknown dying son of Gandhi. Then, the movie runs in flashback to 1905. The then Mahatma Gandhi (Darshan Jariwala) is Mohandas Karam Chand who lives with his wife Kasturba(Shefali Shah) in South Africa and runs a printing press. Harilal informs his father about his marriage to Gulab (Bhumika Chawla), he doesn’t bother about his consent.

When both Harilal and Gulab join Gandhi in South Africa, he helps his father in the movement there but is shattered when his father doesn’t support him in his dream to be a barrister and sends someone else to England. He goes back to India, but fails in whatever he does, business or studies. He misappropriates money, is fired from the job and is indebted heavily. The rebellious son converts to Islam but reconverts to Hinduism on his Mother’s insistence.

The movie makes you feel miserable for the unfortunate son and the inevitable identity he has, to be his famous dad’s son.

The movie has powerful performances by lead Actors. Akshaye Khanna’s performance echoes Anil Kapoor’s statement. Yes, I agree, he was born to play Harilal. His mannerisms, dialogues, immortalize Harilal on celluloid while Akshaye is nowhere to be found.

Darshan Jarivala as Gandhi in second half is better, than young Gandhi which he portrayed in first half. Both Shefali and Bhumika have done well as silent victims of the ironical tussle.

Director Feroz Abbas Khan has done justice to the play Mahatma v/s Gandhi and the research, on which the movie largely stands. The cinematography by David Macdonald is superb and the background music is soul of movie, is splendid. The early 20th century has been intricately displayed onscreen with vintage cars, the sets, props etc. Four times National Award winner Nitin Chandrakant Desai is the Art Director of the movie and has recreated the creative charm, he is known for.

But still some faults are glaring. The movie is slow paced and the director has inserted the events of India’s freedom which break the movie’s prime subject trail. Moreover, the movie fails to pin-point the origin of the bitter strife between father and son.

The movie was given world premier in South Africa and has already received eminent reviews by Nelson Mandela.

Watching this biopic one gets the idea that the research is well-rooted but the being an intense film, ostensibly the entertainment factor is elusive. But still the movie is a must watch for meaningful cinema seekers and Akshaye Khanna, Anil Kapoor Fans. Nevertheless, the subject of the movie is its real Hero.

Trailer of the Movie:

Image Credit: (1), (2), (3), (4)