best effort to portray the greatest man of 20th century

Rating: 8/10 (16 January 2010)

Being a student of history, I couldn't simply watch it as a movie alone, I could not stop remembering the pages of Gandhi in the history books. The movie tried cover as much as possible in the limited hours. I presume there were problems from delineating history and picturing a man's life, but both of their lives are complexly intertwined, i don't know whether Gandhi would have been as he is if he had been in different country. I don't know Gandhi bequeathed non-violence from India or he taught to India. I don't know whether being black, short statured, feebly Gandhi was to take the course of non-violence or Gandhi used his own physical appearance to gain political advantage not to forget for the larger public. My problem is whether India made for her own sake or Gandhi made India as it is now. Leaving the questions aside, it is important to review which I have started seriously.
Movie is really a treat to history lovers as well as to the movie lovers. The camera was efficiently used to transform a series of events into a single frame like when the tricolors were unfurled in the Redfort, Gandhi was shown spinning alone.
The relation between the director and the lead actor should have been the best to translate the feelings into expressions, I think the movie is very close to the best. Background music brought the Indian sense, being a native I was able grasp it and thanks to good sound mixing. Screenplay should have been worked with much difficulty. Editor too should have fumbled a lot before pasting the cut rolls. Characterization and character selection was another area where Himalayan task would have been definitely felt, especially the looks of Patel!!! The dialogues were imperceptible whether they are real or were the works of the writer,particularly when C F Andrews and Gandhi met, hats off to the research team. I think there could be a possible bunch of history books in the making of movie itself!
23 years of work on it clearly reveals how people are really serious about the art of movie making.
There were few historical errors like misplacement of Patel and Jinnah in certain occasions. There were some more with close of the movie like change of character of Gandhi during Quit India movement or the events which were missing.But these are difficult to avoid when you are on a monumental work.Thanks to the team and thanks to the leader. I believe similar efforts would be encouraged in India too.