Its a moving film about a busy father, a neglected son, and a mother who is torn in between. Harilal Gandhi, son of the great Mahatma, dies like a beggar in a Government hospital, 5 months after the death of his father. The movie takes the viewer through the trials and tribulations of a son who longs for his father's love and patronage.
Harilal is different from his father. He is sensitive and weak, but honest and passionate. He has an imbalanced personality - like millions of us in this world. Unfortunately, he is born to a father who is a perfectionist - and in a hurry to achieve his goals. While he understands his son's longing for his father's love, affection and ownership (partiality, to be precise), Mahatma Gandhi chooses to deliberately ignore it for his principles.
The possessive son, being weak and sensitive, is so hurt and outraged by his father's neglect, that he decides to get back to him in whatsoever way possible. In his own way, Harilal wants to teach his father a lesson - by being a disobedient son and a blot on his fathers, otherwise spotless personal and professional life.
The image above is one of the best moments in the film. A ragged Harilal comes to the railway station to see his mother. He gives a fresh orange to her and requests it to eat it herself, without sharing with her husband. As usual, Gandhi, very politely, requests Harilal to join him in his freedom movement. Harilal rudely refuses to do so and tells his dad that he is what he is because of his mother - Kasturba Gandhi.
As Harilal says this, the train starts moving and the assembled crowds start shouting Mahatma Gandhi Ki Jai. An annoyed Harilal roots for this mother and keeps shouting - Kasturba Gandhi ki Jai!! His voice, however, and as it has been, is lost in the crowd.
Akshaye Khanna and Shefali Chaya are outstanding. Akshaye's performance is one of the best I have seen in Hindi Cinema. Darshan Zariwala as Mahatma, is unable to withstand Akshaye's acting prowess.
Go watch it.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment