A Masterwork Of Astounding Production, Both In Scope & Ambition!

Rating: Null/10 (15 August 2015)

Winner of 8 Academy Awards including best picture, Gandhi is a masterwork of astounding production, both in scope & ambition, that brings on screen the extraordinary life story of its titular character whose non-violent, non-cooperative protests sparked a revolution that eventually brought India its independence from British rule, and has continued to influence various leaders & political movements around the world ever since.
Bookended by his assassination & subsequent funeral in 1948, the story of Gandhi begins in South Africa in 1893 where, after being thrown off the train for being a person of colour, Mohandas K Gandhi initiates a non-violent protest campaign for the rights of all Indians in the country and eventually secures a victory. The plot then covers his journey in India where he launches an unprecedented movement that inspires millions of citizens to join the fight for India's independence from British Empire.
Produced & directed by Richard Attenborough, Gandhi is undoubtedly the finest work of his directional career for the story is extensively researched and is crafted with meticulous care & attention to detail plus its subject matter is treated with utmost respect. It's no doubt a very ambitious project but Attenborough manages to make it all work quite well, and while the picture isn't flawless by any means, it certainly does justice to its larger-than-life character who's brought to life through an equally transcending performance.
Production design team deserves kudos for the set pieces & locations evoke an authentic feel of rural India. John Briley's script attempts to dig deeper into Gandhi's philosophy of life, many of which are interesting, plus the decision on what segment to include & what to leave out from the picture are wisely chosen. Camera-work is steadily carried out, its 191 minutes of runtime may seem daunting at first but it never bothers once the movie begins, and Ravi Shankar's score is firmly rooted in Indian heritage but it also ends up distracting on few occasions.
Coming to the performances, Gandhi features a highly impressive cast filled with renowned character actors from both British & Indian film industry and if you pay close attention, you can also find Daniel Day-Lewis in here. However, the supporting performances are passable at best for those actors don't have much to contribute & make fine use of their limited screen time. But the best part about Gandhi is Ben Kingsley's outstanding performance in the title role and whether it's the looks, mannerisms, physical deterioration or humbleness, Kingsley absolutely nails it.
On an overall scale, Gandhi is an epic biopic that paints a riveting portrait of an ordinary lawyer who stood up against crime, injustice & discrimination all his life and later became the preeminent leader of India's independence movement against the British rule. An essential cinema chronicling the life of one of the most prominent & inspiring figures to have ever lived, brought to life by Richard Attenborough in a very disciplined manner, and further elevated to a whole new level by Ben Kingsley's exceptional performance, Gandhi comes highly recommended to every film lover & history aficionado out there.