Firstly I think we must all congratulate Mr. Anil Kapoor for making a movie on such subject. I m not sure how this movie will fare at the box office but I’m sure Anil Kapoor never had box office collections in mind when he thought of making this movie.
*Gandhi my father is a good effort by Director Feroz Khan to show the very personal side of Mahatma Gandhi the Father of the Nation. The film starts in Phoenix settlements in South Africa when the Mahatma Gandhi is still Gandhi and not Mahatma Gandhi. He is on verge of launching his political carreer. His son Harilal ( Akshay Khanna) is not so intelligent young man who gets married in India without his consent. much to his dismay.
Gandhiji invites harilal to join him in South Africa, which he does but is never able to live up to his father’s stature.
Harilal is 3 metric fail yet he has ambition of going to England and studying law. But his father overrules him and chooses another boy instead who he feels is a worthy candidate. At this part the audience feels sorry for the young man who is let down by his father. But it’s the same father who when sees harilals photo with his wife (Bhumika Chawla) immediately calls her to South Africa.
Gandhiji wants Harilal to join the Freedom Movement. Harilal agrees reluctantly but he is never cut out to be a Leader or Politician.
Harilal returns to India and is a complete failure in every venture. He is also accused of embezzlement as an accountant in Calcutta much to the embarrassment of Gandhiji who tells the manager to call the police and arrest Harilal even though he is his son.
*Harilal is a shattered man he looses his job his wife his son and becomes an Alcoholic .Gandhiji and Kasturba manage to rehabilitate Harilal once again by asking him to join their movement. Harilal does well for a while but again joins wrong group of people which use Gandhijis name to commit fraud. This acts as the final straw and Gandhiji publicly disowns his son.
Harilal now lives in Bombay and makes some Muslim friends and becomes a Muslim. This is the part of the movie, which I felt director Feroz Khan should have handled better. Harilal is shown to be among friends which are more of Muslim fundamentalist types and it seems as if there is some kind of Islamic conspiracy to convert him. Because the characters which convert Harilal appear to be fanatics and not ordinary Muslims
After his short stint as a Muslim Harilal returns to the Hindu fold but does not manage to mend his ways and is always a source of embarrassment to his Great Father. Harilal tries to use his fathers name for his good but as it turns out being Gandhi becomes more of a handicap than an advantage for him.
We end up feeling sorry for the Father and the Son. Harilal was a ordinary son of a extraordinary person.
* The film concludes after Gandhijis Assassination, which is not shown. I think they showed have shown his Assassination for better impact. The whole Nation cries for Gandhiji and Harilal is just one of the face in the crowd. Soon after he himself dies on the road as an unclaimed body.
Conclusion=well I feel this was a great subject I think director Feroz khan has also been the director of the play which has been there for years. This movie could have been a masterpiece but sadly it does not live up to its expectation. There are times when it appears more like a documentary than a movie. Many important events are avoided like Assassination of Gandhiji.
*There Is an excellent camera work and some superb lines I liked the parting speech of British officer to Gandhiji is south Africa and when Gandhiji says "I could not make 2 people change one my Kathiawadi friend Mohammad Ali Jinnah and second my son Harilal"
*Among the cast I do not have words for Darshan Jariwala who has played the role of gandhiji to perfection. 100/100 marks to this actor he is a gem.
Akshay Khanna as Harilal has made a decent effort and must be applauded for his hard work I just wish he stops doing so many things with his eyes.
Shefali chaya is ok I think she enjoys such roles. Bhumika Chawla is a surprise in a cameo as Harilals wife.
Director Feroz khan has done a fine job but for some minor flaws the movie could have been a Legend .
Overall I don’t think this movie will do much to help Anil kapoor’s bank balance as it will not be a box office hit. But for cinema lovers who die for quality you must watch this movie.*
I give it 4 stars out of five for the Film and five Stars out of five for Anil Kapoor.