Bringing Gandhi Back To Life?

Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara...the film title was strange enough to arouse my curiosity. One evening, when my friends and I were relatively free, we found ourselves at Sathyam Theatre here in Chennai commenting on the several teasers played before the movie began. Finally, the movie with the strange title started and I wasn’t left too disappointed.

If not for anything else, it’s a must watch for Anupam Kher’s rendition of the role of the retired Hindi professor. The old man’s mind begins sinking in dementia and his hurtful memories as a child start taking over. The professor, a dedicated follower of Gandhi’s philosophy, begins to believe that he killed The Mahatma.

What I liked about the movie was that there was no needless song and dance [Thank God for that!]. Also worth admiration is the sensitive treatment of the bond between Anupam Kher and his daughter, played by Urmila Matondkar.

Sadly, the film falls short of being considered as an excellent film. The filmmaker attempts a daring solution to his protagonist’s condition but, fails to carry it off. By the time we come to the main message of the film, the viewers are so distracted by the mockery on screen that Kher’s emotive effort just falls flat.

The film’s National Award-winning director, Jahnu Barua, has received several compliments for his work but, if only he had paid greater attention to the central message of the film than to the ambience created...

Barua made the film to revive the importance of Gandhi’s philosophy. It is true that the Father of the Nation has been reduced to picture frames on walls, statues and road names. In fact, I am quite sure almost all cities in India have a Mahatma Gandhi Road. The film questions the Indian’s conscience, “Do we still apply Gandhi’s ideology in our daily lives?” The question is ‘Is the Gandhian way of life still applicable?’ Barua thinks it is.

Man who brought Gandhi's ideologies back

I don’t think Gandhi’s way of life is practical in today’s times. But, I sincerely believe that even if we could put into practice half of his qualities, the world would be a slightly less complicated place to live in. I am no devout follower of Gandhi...have never been. There are a few things he did in his public and private lives that are totally unacceptable to me. However, every youngster...at least every young Indian must make a small effort to understand the soul that India gifted to world history.

I am very glad I read Gandhi’s ‘My Experiments with Truth’. Before reading his autobiography, I didn’t have a very high opinion of him as a national leader and human being even though he dominated a generous part of our history text books. Maybe it’s that rebellious blood running through young veins that make him a character in history to be forgotten once the exams are over and done with. Maybe his peaceful methods don’t appeal to the youth who want to make things happen fast and radically.

However, his life is a must read! With his timid mannerisms, the man could have been a totally insignificant character in history...a lawyer who had a boring practice...a routine life gone unnoticed. Instead, Gandhi went on to become an inspiration, not only to the lakhs of independence aspirants in India but also to the civil rights movement in South Africa. Moreover, the man’s life teaches as it progresses. Even though some of his decisions annoy the reader, Gandhi’s nature grows on him/her and the reader develops admiration for him.

People may like him or hate him, but no one can deny the Mahatma his greatness.