Gandhi

Year: 1982
Director: Richard Attenborough
Caste: Ben Kingsley, Alyque Padamsee, Roshan Seth, Martin Sheen, Amrish Puri
Rating: **** (Masterpiece)



It is indeed safe to say that independent India is seeing the second generation now that failed to understand both the Mahatma and his principles (and I include myself) completely. This movie is a compelling not only because it's painstakingly made, but also the man it represents, his life, his sacrifices, his selflessness. However naive this may sound nonetheless, it is true. Those of you, my friends, having the slightest of doubt whether Mr. M.K. Gandhi was merely a leader, revolutionary, politician or he was truly a mahatma, I beg you, watch this movie.
The more times I watch this marvelous cinema, the more unsettling experience it's becoming for me. This piece of writing is a result of that. To my misery, I don't seem to understand the reason. The political scenario in India, losing identity of once glorious rural India, slowly diminishing values like honesty, simplicity and morality from Indian society, I don't know. I really don't. Sometimes while watching the movie, I ask myself why do I need things, more things. All means of sense gratification. Nobody seems to care for others, except few honorable exceptions. This has to stop somewhere. This is not the India our fathers wanted, Gandhiji wanted, is it? ( This maybe Christopher McCandless(Alexander Supertramp) in me talking.)
I ask myself, what am I doing? What have I done for my country, or humanity for that matter. But these are all words and words only. One need to stand up and start working, for equality, justice and most importantly for truth. And then I find an ounce, however small it may be, of that great man called Mahatma Gandhi in me, if I can show the audacity to say so. My tiny heart does not seem to contain him...
Ben Kingsley is mind-numbingly brilliant. Here's an adjective I never thought I would use for an actor's work. Only problem is that he isn't Indian. So the accent, at times, seems to be the distraction. Everyone else is apt and adequate. A perfect piece of cinema. Thank you Attenborough.