Gandhi is a 1982 epic biographical film based on the life of Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence movement against the British Empire.
It is a co-production between India and the United Kingdom, directed and produced by Richard Attenborough. The film stars Ben Kingsley in the title role and covers Gandhi's life from 1893 to his assassination in 1948. The movie received critical acclaim and won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and five Golden Globe Awards.
Plot
Gandhi (1982) is a biographical film about Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence movement against the British Empire. The plot of the movie can be summarized in the following key events:
1893: Mahatma Gandhi, a young Indian attorney, is expelled from a train for traveling first class due to his race. He decides to protest against the treatment of Indian immigrants in South Africa and starts a non-violent protest campaign.
1915: Gandhi arrives in India, where he is greeted by members of the Congress Party and introduced to Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the leader of the Muslim League. He journeys through India, observing poverty and witnessing insurgents killed by British forces.
1919: Gandhi criticizes the Congress Party leaders for their privileged means and advocates a simpler lifestyle. He lives in his ashram, where he lives as an Indian but realizes that the British run the justice system and decide what he may sell.
1920: Gandhi attacks the poverty caused by the British but counsels’ non-violent resistance. When he is arrested, riots break out.
1930: Gandhi is granted bail, and some months later, the Lieutenant Governor grants the protesters' demands.
1942: Gandhi is invited to Britain to negotiate the release of Indian prisoners. He meets with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill but fails to reach a satisfactory agreement.
1947: Gandhi launches a non-violent non-cooperation campaign, coordinating millions of Indians nationwide. There are some setbacks, such as violence against the British.
1948: Mahatma Gandhi is assassinated by Nathuram Godse.
Trailer
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Cast
Main Cast:
- Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi
- Rohini Hattangadi as Kasturba Gandhi
- Roshan Seth as Jawaharlal Nehru
- Saeed Jaffrey as Vallabhbhai Patel
- Candice Bergen as Margaret Bourke-White
Supporting Cast:
- Edward Fox as General Dyer
- John Gielgud as Lord Irwin
- Trevor Howard as Justice Broomfield
- John Mills as Lord Chelmsford
- Martin Sheen as Vince Walker
- Ian Charleson as Charlie Andrews
- Günther Maria Halmer as Hermann Kallenbach
- Athol Fugard as General Smuts
- Geraldine James as Mirabehn
- Alyque Padamsee as Mohamed Ali Jinnah
- Amrish Puri as Khan
- Ian Bannen as Senior Police Officer
- Michael Bryant as Principal Secretary
- John Clements as Advocate General
- Richard Griffiths as Collins
- Nigel Hawthorne as Kinnoch
- Bernard Hepton as G.O.C.
- Michael Hordern as Sir George Hodge
- Shreeram Lagoo as Professor Gokhale
- Om Puri as Nahari
- Virendra Razdan as Maulana Azad
- Saeed Jaffrey as Vallabhbhai Patel
- Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Subhash Chandra Bose
- Zohra Sehgal as Kasturba's friend
- Pran as A.K. Fazlul Huq
- Akash Deep as Young Gandhi
- Rajiv Gandhi as himself (uncredited)
- Sonia Gandhi as herself (uncredited)
- Sanjay Gandhi as himself (uncredited)
Director: Richard Attenborough
Writer: John Briley
Box Office Gross: $127 million
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Genre: Biographical drama
Release Dates:
December 8, 1982 (United States)
December 3, 1982 (United Kingdom)
Themes & Reception
The film Gandhi (1982) explores various themes, including nonviolent resistance, civil disobedience, and the struggle for Indian independence. It portrays Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence and his role in leading the Indian independence movement against British rule. The movie received critical acclaim for its portrayal of these themes and won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and five Golden Globe Awards. It was praised for its historical accuracy and the performance of Ben Kingsley in the title role.
Challenges Faced During Production
The production of Gandhi (1982) faced several challenges. One major challenge was finding funding for the film, as it was a large-scale production that required extensive location shooting and a large cast. Another challenge was casting the right actors, particularly for the role of Mahatma Gandhi. The filmmakers also faced difficulties filming in India during a time of political unrest, which required careful planning and coordination with local authorities. Despite these challenges, the film was ultimately successful and received widespread acclaim.
Settings, Visual Styles & Techniques
The film Gandhi (1982) was shot on location in India, with scenes filmed in various cities, including Delhi, Agra, and Mumbai. The movie features a mix of visual styles and techniques to convey the epic scope of Gandhi's life and the Indian independence movement. This includes long takes to capture the grandeur of the landscape, close-ups to convey the emotional intensity of the characters, and wide shots to depict the scale of historical events. The film also uses authentic costumes and set designs to recreate the time period and setting.
Trivia & Fun Fact
One interesting trivia about the film Gandhi (1982) is that Ben Kingsley, who played the role of Mahatma Gandhi, was not of Indian descent. Kingsley was born to a British father and an Indian mother. The film's director, Richard Attenborough, initially had trouble finding an Indian actor to play the role and was impressed by Kingsley's audition. Despite not being of Indian heritage, Kingsley's performance was widely praised, and he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Gandhi.
