New Delhi: Mahatma Gandhi is recognised worldwide as the symbol of peace, non-violence and justice. Also known as the Father of our Nation, his character has been portrayed on-screen by several critically acclaimed actors, through the decades.
From biographical films to fictional narratives, the depiction of Gandhi’s journey and philosophy on the silver screen has always been a special occasion. Every actor who has taken upon the challenge of portraying Gandhi on screen offers their unique interpretation of Gandhi’s magnanimous persona.
Actors who played Gandhi on screen
Let’s take a look at some notable actors who the challenge of playing Gandhi on the big screen:
1. Ben Kingsley
In the 1982 film Gandhi, Ben Kingsley plays the role of Mahatma Gandhi, a lawyer who returns to British India from South Africa, stirring up the revolution of liberating India from the British. This epic biographical film is based on the life of revolutionary Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Directed by Richard Attenborough, this English-language film was a co-production between India and the UK. Ben Kingsley won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role of Mahatma Gandhi in this film.
2. Naseeruddin Shah
Hey Ram (2000), a Tamil-language historical drama film featuring Naseeruddin Shah as Mahatma Gandhi. This film was shot simultaneously in both Tamil and Hindi languages, set against the backdrop of India’s partition, it follows Saketh Ram played by Kamal Haasan. His wife gets raped and murdered by a Muslim mob during a riot, he then joins a gang that aims to assassinate Mahatma Gandhi because he advocates peace with Muslims. Written, directed and produced by Kamal Haasan, this film stars him alongside Shah Rukh Khan in his Tamil debut.
3. Rajit Kapoor
The film The Making of the Mahatma (1996) is an English-language biographical film directed by the great Shyam Benegal, featuring Rajit Kapoor as Gandhi. This film follows the early life of Mohandas Gandhi during his 21 years in South Africa as a Barrister where he first tackled racism and fought for the rights of Asian labourers. Also starring Pallavi Joshi, Keith Stevenson and Paul Slabolepszy, this film was a joint venture between India and South Africa. This film is based on Fatima Meer’s book The Apprenticeship of a Mahatma.
4. Dilip Prabhavalkar
In the 2006 blockbuster film Keep it up Munna Bhai, Dilip Prabhavakar plays Mahatma Gandhi, who plays a pivotal role in the journey of Munna Bhai played by Sanjay Dutt. This film is the sequel to Munna Bhai MBBS (2003), the protagonist Murliprasad Sharma, a gangster, starts seeing visions of Mahatma Gandhi and begins practising what he calls “Gandhigiri” to help people around him.
5.Deepak Antony
Deepak Antani is an Indian actor, who is recognised by the India Book of Records for playing the maximum number of performances as Mahatma Gandhi. He plays Gandhi in his latest film Gandhi Godse – One War (2023), a fictional take on Gandhi’s assassination. In this movie, Nathuram Godse tries to assassinate Gandhi but fails, Gandhi not only pardons him but is also seen augmenting and debating with him.
Portraying Mahatma Gandhi on the big screen is a task that requires more than just acting expertise, it requires a nuanced understanding of his ideologies and the historical contexts that shaped his journey as one of the forefathers of our nation. From Ben Kingsley’s Academy Award-winning performance to Deepak Antani’s relentless commitment to representing Gandhi, these performances have kept his message relevant for new generations.
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