This movie is about Mahatma Gandhi’s family – the father of our nation. It tells the story of Gandhi’s eldest son Harilal Gandhi, who rebelled against his father and carried the identity of his father like a curse around his neck. Its a story of a principled father and an unfortunate son. (Gandhi my father movie review)
Mahatma Gandhi’s wife Kasturba (played by Shefali Shah) raised her eldest son Harilal all by herself when Gandhi left to study in London in 1888. Later, she gave birth to three more sons.
The film shows Mahatma’s (Darshan Jariwala) troubled relationship with his son Harilal – beautifully played by Akshaye Khanna. The film, without being biased to any of the characters, explores why it happened and narrates their differences which creep in when Harilal thinks that the Mahatma does not allow him to become a lawyer like him.
Being rebelious natured, Harilal converted to Islam and adopted the name Abdullah Gandhi. He also sought to remarry after the death of his first wife Gulab (played by Bhumika Chawla). All this prompted Harilal think that his father would disown his own son. Even though Harilal later converted back to Hinduism, he lived the life of a derelict, roaming the streets of India like a beggar and finally drinking himself to death.
In Harilal’s words: ‘He (Mahatma Gandhi) is the greatest father you can have. But he is the one father I wish I did not have.’
‘Gandhi My Father’ is presented by Anil Kapoor Films Company in association with EROS International. Theatre director Feroz Abbas Khan has directed the film.
Credits of Gandhi My Father:
associate producer ANIL GUPTA
director of photography DAVID MACDONALD
production design NITIN CHANDRAKANT DESAI
film editor SREEKAR PRASAD
sound recording and design RESUL POOKUTTY
make up design PENNY SMITH
costume design SUJATA SHARMA
music composer PIYUSH KANOJIA
line producer IQBAL KIDWAI
publicity design RAHUL NANDA & HIMANSHU NANDA
visual promotions RAVI PADDA & BINNY PADDA