Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases

Search cinema listings

Browse cinemas A-Z

Search 20,000 reviews

 

Gandhi, My Father (2007)

Director: Feroz Abbas Khan

4

Time Out rating

Average user rating
9 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

India, 1948. When the Bombay police encounter a dying tramp, they need his father’s name to admit him to hospital. Who is he and why is he muttering ‘Mahatma Gandhi’? This admirable bio-pic of the troubled relationship between Gandhi (Darshan Jariwala) and his eldest son, Harilal (Akshaye Khanna), explores the ideological gap and emotional tensions between the two men. It maps the disintegration of their association from the early South African years to post-1915, when they moved back to India and Gandhi immersed himself in the ‘Quit India’ movement. Isolated and depressed, Harilal died an anonymous death as an alcoholic in a Bombay hospital.

Though the film is sometimes sententious, its understated performances and lucid direction are balanced and effective. It could be about any fraught father-son relationship, but this has a deep emotional resonance as it is steeped in truth and history. The film has already sparked controversy in India, where it is considered sacrilege to question Gandhi’s integrity. It addresses the question: was ‘Bapu’, the father of the Indian nation, a good father to his own son? Moving, credible and tragic.

Author: Anil Sinanan 2007-07-31 11:58:50

Time Out London Issue 1928: August 1-7 2007


  • Print this page
  • Send to a friend

User reviews of this film

  • Dhaval said...
    Posted on Jun 30 2008 12:37 Must watch.
    Report as inappropriate
  • SMJ said...
    Posted on Aug 16 2007 20:57 I think it is a good attempt considering the viewers unconsiously compare the performance of Darshan Jariwala with Ben Kingley who immortalised Gandhi. Yet the backdrop of the freedom movement, Gandhi's role in it without mention of other important figures and focus on Harilal as his troubled, not-so-competent son is something which makes this movie far different which is basically the whole idea. Overall a good watch!
    Report as inappropriate
  • KANDOLA said...
    Posted on Aug 13 2007 12:35 good film , excellent dance scenes and costume changes all around the world
    Report as inappropriate
  • kstar said...
    Posted on Aug 08 2007 15:36 i think apollo is a rasist and i think the film was amazing, you should watch it, shows you what India is all about
    Report as inappropriate
  • appolo said...
    Posted on Aug 05 2007 22:33 i have never seen such a bad film like that!later.
    Report as inappropriate
  • rocky said...
    Posted on Aug 05 2007 22:32 its a must watch film showing a side of gandhi we have not seen before.
    Report as inappropriate
  • mike said...
    Posted on Aug 02 2007 10:05 A compelling story showing a side to Mahatma Gandhi we have never seen before. Definite one to watch
    Report as inappropriate
  • mike said...
    Posted on Aug 02 2007 10:03 Compelling story about the personal life of Gandhi, a side of Gandhi we have never seen before. Definitely one to watch
    Report as inappropriate
  • Aalok said...
    Posted on Aug 01 2007 22:26 Great Movie Making...Must Watch...Keep Your Hanki With you to Wipe Your Tears...
    Report as inappropriate
9 comments

What do you think?
Post your review now

clear rating
Min 1 star. Zero stars will be treated as unrated.

*mandatory fields


Get 2 for 1 cinema tickets with Orange Click Here

Cast & crew

Director: Feroz Abbas Khan

Producer: Anil Kapoor

Cast: Darshan Jariwala, Akshaye Khanna, Bhumika Chawla, Shefali Shah full cast

Genre(s): Drama

Rated: PG

Duration: 135 mins

UK Release: Aug 3 2007




Top Stories

Time Out's 101 Films of the Decade

Time Out's 101 Films of the Decade

Ten years, thousands of movies and millions of dollars in international box office, and it all boils down to this

Martin Provost discusses 'Séraphine'

Martin Provost discusses 'Séraphine'

Trevor Johnston talks to the director of 'Séraphine' about bringing a little known French painter back to life

Our verdict on Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones

Our verdict on Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones

Peter Jackson ends a triumphant decade with a sentimental misfire with this lush Alice Sebold adaptation

On the set of Ken Loach's 'Route Irish'

On the set of Ken Loach's 'Route Irish'

Dave Calhoun meets Ken Loach on the set of his forthcoming Iraq war movie

Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'

Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'

Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him

Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?

Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?

How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains

Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'

Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'

We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon

A gateway to all things 'New Moon'

A gateway to all things 'New Moon'

In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.

The films that deserve a TV spin-off

The films that deserve a TV spin-off

With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations

Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam

Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam

In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations