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5 Indian Movies Based On Gandhi

2nd October is an important date in Indian calendars. It is marked in red which signifies the fact it is a National Holiday. Why? Because it is the birthday of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also known as Mahatma Gandhi. It was Rabindranath Tagore who gave this name Mahatma to him. His plan of action to gain independence of the nation, understanding of all the burning challenges of the nation, empathetic attitude towards the poor and the needy – in fact, every layer of his personality is of special importance. Simple living and high thinking – this proverb is the best definition of his character. Actually, his achievements were beyond all words of appreciation and that’s why till today people appreciate Gandhiji-specific movies. Here are 5 Indian movies based on the life and teachings of Gandhiji – the great soul. Therefore, to know more about this hero, do watch these movies!

The Making of Mahatma (1996):

The making of Mahatma

Shyam Benegal was the director of this fabulous movie which was a joint venture of India and South Africa. This movie brings light to Gandhiji’s 21 years of life in South Africa. This is where Baapu adopted non-violence to fight a critical issue like racial discrimination. The inspiration for this movie is the book – The Apprenticeship of a Mahatma authored by Fatima Meer. Therefore, if you want to know Mahatma Gandhi on a hard-hitting note, then this is the movie for you.

Hey Ram (2000):

Hey Ram

The multitasker Kamal Hassan was the director of this movie that saw the light of the day in the year 2000. The genre is an alternate historical fiction-political thriller. The film is about a character’s journey from religious hatred to love with the burning challenge of the partition of Bengal in the background. The movie opens with the scene of Mr. Saket Ram on deathbed on 6th December 1999 – the 7th anniversary year of the destruction of Babri Masjid. To remind you all, this demolition led to a prolonged religious hatred among Indian citizens. And the best part of this movie is its relevance in the current scenario where we are still to cross religious extremism!

Maine Gandhi Ko Nehi Mara (2005):

Maine Gandhi Ko Nehi Mara

This movie is a psychological drama and not entirely on the life and actions of the great Mahatma Gandhi. Jahnu Barua directed this stellar performance oriented movie that released in the year 2005. Anupam Kher plays the role of a retired Hindi Professor who somehow starts believing that he and not Nathuram Godse killed Mahatma Gandhi. This thought is a repercussion of an incident that rocked his childhood. This movie garnered rave reviews from critics all over the world.

Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006):

Lage Raho Munnabhai

Rajkumar Hirani was the director of this movie which was a runaway hit in the year 2006. The principles and ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi was the prime highlight of this movie. There are some of us who think that the “non-violence” approach of Gandhiji is redundant in today’s time. But this movie ignited a new sense of responsibility with its simple, innocent, and obviously non-violent ways to deal with daily life. In one of the scenes from the movie, Gandhiji says that “don’t put my photographs on your walls, simply keep me in your heart”. For an entire generation, perhaps he is just a freedom fighter whose heroism is best portrayed in the history books. But his ideologies and teachings still holds relevance and can change lives. So, to touch the hearts of the current generation, Gandhism changed to Gandhigiri.

Gandhi My Father (2007):

Gandhi My Father

This movie was about the power of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and his struggle for India’s independence but it was more about his strained relationship with his son. Feroz Abbas Khan was the director of this movie. The movie is based on the biography of Harilal Gandhi, titled Harilal Gandhi: A Life by Chandulal Bhagubhai Dalal. So, in case you want to know how Gandhi was in his personal life and how his equation was with his son – then this is the movie for you.

Some of you may think that why Richard Attenborough’s movie Gandhi is exempted from this list? That’s because this list consists only Indian movies and that was a purely a Hollywood production. So, Gandhi (1982) was an epic translation of the life and times of Gandhiji on screen. Eventually, that movie won 8 Oscars too. There are some other movies as well like Sardar, Gandhi to Hitler, Mahatma: Life of Gandhi, Road to Sangam, etc. which you can watch on his birth anniversary and get an insight into his life.

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About the author

Shruti Sood

Shruti is crazy about F.R.I.E.N.D.S & that is the first thing she tells everyone she meets! In a parallel universe, she is a passionate writer! She loves to research about various things and make her write-ups informative. She is a marketing professional by day and wears many other hats during the rest of the day! She loves to travel, paint, write poems, play music, and watch memes!

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