“The greatest regret of my life…. Two people I could never convince – my Muslim friend Mohammed Ali Jinnah and my own son Harilal Gandhi.”:- M.K. Gandhi.
“He is the greatest father you have… but he is the one father I wish I did not have.”:- Harilal Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
These two statements are enough to show the relation of father and son. So what went wrong?
Was Mahatma Gandhi wrong or was Harilal wrong???
Gandhi my father is a brilliant
effort to show this relation. It is not an ordinary movie based on Gandhi. It showed some negative, some positive about him. It showed the sacrifice
but not from Mahatma’s point of view but from his son point of view.
When I was watching this movie, I remembered one poem of Harivansh rai Bachchan based on banyan tree and a small plant which was
complaining about his growth under the banyan tree.
Same I felt in the relation of Gandhi’s relation with his son Harilal. People used him
because of this name. Even he tried to loot people on this name as Gandhi was a big name at that time in India.
Movie started with a person in a hospital of Bombay, who was in a condition of beggar. And remaining script was in
flash back...
When M.K.gandhi was living in South Africa, Harilal was the only one who was living in Rajkot to complete his education. There he
married to gulab Gandhi which was hurtful moment for M.K.Gandhi. Later on Hari wish to join his family in south Africa because his dream was to study law like his father but alas Gandhi’s
principle was not allowing him to do that. Gandhi used his son in his revolutions against British government of South Africa. Even Gandhi send others on one scholarship of
education which was offered to him for his family only. Later on when Hari came back to India and tried to give metric exam, his result wasn’t supportive to him. He failed 3
times in metric exams. He wished to do business and asked for support in finance to his father, but once again Gandhi’s principle. He got a job in one
industry as cashier from where he theft cash and started his own business in Calcutta. In Calcutta he took loan from so any people just on the name of GANDHI. But alas his luck wasn’t
with him he didn’t get success in his business. His wife left him and went back to his maternal family. Gandhi called
him once again for his revolutions but hari once again rejected him. Few days later he got telegram about his son and wife. When he reached to his wife’s
home... She was no more. Once again Ba and Gandhi called him to his ashram but once again he rejected.
Few scenes later he joined movements and became active revolutionary. But people used his name and offered business to him once again he lost everything and was under debt of so many people.
He converted to Islam then back to Hinduism, turns into alcoholic, a tramp and also a regular visitor of brothel. While on the other hand Gandhi became father of nation (India) from an activist of South Africa.
Finally Hari died as a beggar in Bombay.
Movie was based on Harilal Gandhi: A Life a book. Movie was brilliant effort to show relation of father of nation to his son.
Performance wise Akshay Khanna almost makes you weep; his acting skill is shining day by day. He shined as Harilal in movie. Darshan Jariwal also shined as Gandhi; he played his part very well. Specially to mention a part when Gandhi came back to india and started his movements in india. Shefali Shah did justice with Kasturba’s role. Same was with Bhumika chawla as Gulab Gandhi. Actually in movie there was nothing to do for many characters because it was revolving around father mother and son.
Few scenes were too touchy , example one scene just before interval where Hari wished that he didn’t want to have Gandhi in his life.
On technical level movie was just ok. And there was no scope for songs , so it hadn’t a single song in it. Director did justice with script and Anil Kapoor as producer did justice with movie.
A must watch for every Art movie lover.
Rating: 8/10
