Gandhi, My Father

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Gandhi, My Father
File:Gandhimyfather.jpg
Movie poster for Gandhi, My Father
Directed byFeroz Abbas Khan
Produced byAnil Kapoor
Written byFeroz Abbas Khan
Chandulal Dalal (book)
Neelamben Parikh (book)
StarringDarshan Jariwala
Akshaye Khanna
Bhumika Chawla
Shefali Shah
Music byPiyush Kanojia
CinematographyDavid McDonald
Edited byA. Sreekar Prasad
Release date
  • 3 August 2007 (2007-08-03)
Running time
136 min.
LanguageHindi, Gujarati, English
Budget80 million[1]
Box office74.9 million[1]

Gandhi, My Father is a 2007 Indian biographical drama film by Feroz Abbas Khan. It was produced by Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor, and released on 3 August 2007.[2]

The film stars Darshan Jariwala, Akshaye Khanna, and Bhumika Chawla. [3]

The film explores the troubled relationship between Mahatma Gandhi and his son Harilal Gandhi.[2]

Background[edit]

The movie is based upon the biography of Harilal Gandhi, titled Harilal Gandhi: A Life by Chandulal Bhagubhai Dalal.[4] Khan's play, Mahatma vs. Gandhi,[5] while different from this film, had a similar theme which was based on novel by Gujarati author Dinkar Joshi.[6] The movie was shot in South Africa and in several Indian cities including Mumbai and Ahmedabad.[2]

Plot[edit]

Gandhi My Father paints the picture of Gandhi's intricate, complex and strained relationship with his son Harilal Gandhi. From the onset, the two had dreams in opposite directions. Harilal's ambition was to study abroad and become a barrister like his father, while Gandhi hoped that his son would join him and fight for his ideals and causes in India.

When Gandhi does not give Harilal the opportunity to study abroad, it comes as a blow to Harilal. He decides to abandon his father’s vision and leaves South Africa for India where he joins his wife Gulab (Bhumika Chawla) and children. He goes back to further his education to earn his diploma but continuously fails and ends in financial ruins. Various plans and schemes to make money fail, leaving the family in poverty. Sick of his failure, Gulab returns to her parents’ house with the children, where she eventually dies from the flu epidemic. Distraught, Harilal turns to alcohol for solace and converts to Islam, only to re-convert to a different sect of Hinduism later on. With political tension heating up, the rift between Gandhi and his eldest son grows until it is beyond repair. Harilal finds it unbearable to live in the enormous shadow of his father. Gandhi is assassinated before the two can reconcile and Harilal attends his father's funeral virtually as a stranger, almost unrecognizable to those around him. A short while later, he passes away, alone and in poverty, having failed to find his own identity.[2]

Cast[edit]

Awards[edit]

2007 National Film Awards[8][edit]

2008 Zee Cine Awards[9][edit]

  • Critics Award (Best Film) - Anil Kapoor
  • Critics Award (Best Actress) - Shefali Shah

2007 Asia Pacific Screen Awards[10][edit]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Gandhi My Father - Movie - Box Office India".
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Gandhi, My Father, 27 July 2007, retrieved 23 August 2018
  3. Gandhi, My Father (2007), retrieved 7 August 2021
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 9 November 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. Rajeev [email protected] [email protected]. "A Distinguished Indian Theatre Director of highly acclaimed plays". Feroz Khan. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  6. "The Mahatma and his son". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 22 July 2007. Archived from the original on 9 November 2007.
  7. "Gandhi My Father Cast & Director - Yahoo! Movies". Movies.yahoo.com. 20 April 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  8. "55th National Film Awards announced". NDTV.com. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  9. "Zee Cine Awards 2008 winners announced". Zee News. 23 April 2008. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  10. "Asia Pacific Screen Awards Winners Announced - Asia Pacific Screen Awards". Asia Pacific Screen Awards. 13 November 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2018.

External links[edit]

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