| Synopsis :
'Gandhi My Father' is a story that was waiting to be told.
We all know about Mahatma Gandhi and his greatness. But only a few know of the
troubled relationship he shared with his eldest son Harilal.
Feroz Abbas Khan handles the subject with sensitivity and understanding.
He draws parallel life sketches of Mahatma Gandhi and Harilal from Rajkot in
Gujarat to Phoenix Settlement in South Africa.
The movie begins in 1948 with an ill and infirm man - unkempt, disheveled and
dressed in ragged clothes - being brought to Bombay Hospital on a stretcher
in an unconscious state. The dying man is none other than Harilal Gandhi.
The movie goes back into flashback to 1905. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Darshan
Jariwala), along with his wife Kasturba (Shefali Shah), runs a printing press
in his settlement in South Africa. His grown-up son Harilal (Akshaye Khanna)
marries Gulab (Bhumika Chawla) in Rajkot. Glimpses of strain between the father
and the son are apparent from the first as Harilal informs his father, rather
than ask his permission, about the marriage.
Soon, Harilal and Gulab join Gandhi in South Africa. Supporting the movement
begun by his father, Harilal goes to jail a couple of times. His dream is to
be a barrister like his father. But Gandhi doesn't favour Harilal and rather
sends someone else for study in England. Little things like these begin taking
root in Harilal's mind. He wishes to break away from his idealistic father and
start a life of his own.
Harilal goes back to India. But he meets failure in whatever endeavor he undertakes.
He fails in his studies and he fails in business. He incurs debts. He embezzles
money at his workplace and is fired from his job. Soon he takes to drinking.
Tired of constant harassing by debtors and her husband's ways, Gulab leaves
Harilal and takes her children along with her. Not much later, she dies.
A lonely Harilal gives in to the life of a derelict. He is disowned by his father.
He converts to Islam, reconverts to Hinduism, turns into an alcoholic, a tramp,
and finally dies the death of a beggar.
All said, 'Gandhi My Father' is a hard-hitting film that tells a sad and tragic
story. Expected Date Of Release 20th Oct,07.
- Cast : Akshaye Khanna,Darshan Jariwala,Bhumika Chawla
|
|
