Gandhi

Film Gandhi documents the biography of Mahatma Gandhi, (Mahatma means great soul) who started his career as a lawyer and then rose to become one of the greatest spiritual, and Political mass leaders that India has ever produced. He became famous for his philosophy of non-violence, which he effectively used as a weapon against the British Empire to attain independence for India.

We saw this film in public theatres when it was released in 1982. By seeing it now in DVD format, twenty five years after its making, the impression it creates in us is something very profound in nature. It is because we do not see it like we see other films just for appreciating and experiencing its cinematic excellence. Here in this film our interest is something more than that, and our involvement is totally different.

Making a cinema of three hours on a person’s life who became the Father of the Nation, controlling the pulse of a country with a population of over 350 millions, most of them poverty stricken, illiterate, culturally diversified, multi religious masses is a stupendous task. Each and every day of Gandhi’s active life was eventful, illuminating the lives of many who came in contact with him. Where to start, what to show and how to end is definitely a daunting task. Richard Attenborough is successful to a great extent in making this film a worthy documentation of the life of a ‘Great Soul’ Mahatma Gandhi. It is the very reason he starts the film with a caption: No man’s life can be encompassed in one telling……………. The film begins with the killing of Gandhi, then a funeral procession in which a sea of humanity participate, a foreign radio reporter giving a running commentary on this last journey tells the world:

The objective of this massive tribute,

Died as he had always lived:

A private man without wealth, without property, without official title or office, Mahatma Gandhi was not the commander of armies, not a ruler of vast lands, He could not boast any scientific achievement or artistic gift, yet men, governments, dignitaries, from all over the world have joined hands today to pay homage to this little brown man in the loin cloth who led his country to freedom. In the words of General C.Marshall, AmericanSecretary of State, Mahatma Gandhi has become the spokesman for the conscience of all mankind. He was a man who made humility and simple truth more powerful than Empires. And Albert Einstein added, Generations to come will scarce believe that such one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.

The film immediately flashes back to South Africa of 1893 to tell us the story of how Gandhi was successful in fighting against the Authorities to repeal the unjust law framed against colored people. This was his first fight against injustice, and the success he tasted was something unique because here is a man from an alien country who stood firmly against an empire, experimented with a new weapon called truth and non-violence and became successful in his mission. His writings and his philosophy received wide coverage in the western press. Many of the leaders of the congress party in India took note of this development and gave a cordial reception to him when he returned to India.

In India, his meeting with Gokhale, then his extensive tour of the country to discover India, his enlightening speech at the Congress session, his fight for restoring the rights of the farmers of Champaran which made him a mass leader, then his total involvement in the congress party to fight for the freedom and the events like the civil disobedience, the famous Salt Satyagraha that follow are beautifully visualized.

Richard Attenborough is very faithful in his approach, he gives a glimpse of the personal life of Gandhi, particularly his relationship with his wife. It actually begins from South Africa where there was a conflict between the two with regard to cleaning of toilets and they end up in a reconciliation that brings them closer. On their arrival from South Africa, KasturBa quickly retorts “My dignity comes from following my husband” when one from the crowd on the ship questions about the indignity she suffered because of her husband’s imprisonment. In one most unforgettable scene, Gandhi and Kasturba enact the sequence of Saptapadi (Seven steps) of their marriage, explaining its meaning, on the banks of a river, to the benefit of two foreign journalists. The bond between the two which was the motivating force for both of them ended only when death came to KasturBa in the Ashram in his presence. It is a moving scene.

There is a reference in the film to the infamous comment Half naked Fakir made by Winston Churchill, and as though it is an answer to this and to the west in general. There are many encounters Gandhi has with the British authorities in the film and in all of them Gandhi through humility and simple truth is able to come out a clear winner. It starts with General Smuts in South Africa who had to budge, then in the court in a trial where the judge and the entire court stood up in honor of the accused (Gandhi), then at meetings with the Viceroy and the English General, in all such meetings it is the half naked man, who calls the shots.
Richard Attenborough uses minimum dialogues, there are no long drawn speeches, no preaching of sermons but whatever spoken is so apt, they add immense value to the entirety of the film. There is only one speech that he makes, that is when he addresses a congress session, even this is very short but it is up to the point. Even though Gandhi was very humble and soft spoken, he was very stubborn and uncompromising in his stand on his principles. Whether it is in his writings, or in his speeches, or in courts or in his meetings with the authorities he was unequivocal in calling the British Raj an evil force and they should quit India. This was his great quality and this spirit has been portrayed in the film very effectively.

Before it ends, the film goes back to the scene where he is shot and killed and then to the cremation and the immersion of ashes in the river. His words, told earlier to Miraben at the time of his fasting reappear again: When I despair I remember all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they can seem invincible but in the end they always fall. It reminds us that he lived for his principles and he sacrificed his life in upholding it.

It took nearly two decades for Richard Attenborough to mobilize funds for making this epic film, which was his pet project. The British Rulers left India long back, but there are many good things they left for us which we still cherish. Our long association with them made us understand the importance of unity, discipline in life, a taste of good administration and many other things. This is the reason why Gandhi insisted that Britain and India should part like friends. Similarly there were also many English men who really loved and admired India and its values, ethos, and its people. Richard Attenborough is one such person who loved India and he has great respect for Gandhi. He could not have thought of a better tribute than this film which is really great. I call it great because this DVD of Gandhi will definitely find its place in many houses and institutions in India. The future generations will watch it and understand that a legendary person named Gandhi was born in India who got freedom for India in the twentieth century. We should thank him for this precious gift. The film won a large number of awards including 8 Oscars besides being a big success commercially having its run in public theatres in many countries around the world.