Movie: Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Mara

Actors: Anupam Kher, Urmila Matonkar
Director: Jahnu Barua, Producer: Anupam Kher

Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Mara: An Offbeat Venture

This unlike run of the mill, away from latka and jhataka of Bollywood is the one of its kind film.
Guess what will happen if a veteran actor like Anupam Kher joins hand with celebrated actor like Jahnu Barua? You will get an outstanding film which makes you think and reflect across social, political, ideological and even psychological dimensions, all weaved skilfully in one simple story.

The film is about a retired Hindi professor Uttam Chaudhari (Anupam Kher) who has written several books and has been an intelligent and much respected professor during his tenure. He lives with his daughter Trisha who is a social worker and younger son Andy while his other son stays in the US with his family.

Professor Uttam Chaudhari suffers from bouts of forgetfulness and blankness of memory and is under psychiatric treatment of suspected dementia (a progressive brain dysfunction, Dementia not only affects patients, but also those surrounding them, as most patients require care in the long-term basis).

However his repeated confession of Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Mara, or ‘I was hitting with toy gun when Gandhi came on my way while going for his evening prayer’ or ‘someone filled my gun with the real bullet but I did not kill Gandhi’ etc. goes beyond dementia. As his memories diminish a childhood trauma surfaces in the consciousness of Uttam Chaudhari believing that he mistakenly killed Gandhi. He now has become a victim of serious childhood guilt and pain.

The film ends with a courtroom episode of psycho-analysis towards an effort to let Uttam Chaudhari come out of his childhood deep rooted guilt of killing Gandhi.

In a subtle manner, the film raises the death of ideology and teachings of Gandhi in contemporary India. Gandhi now lives only on posters, statutes and newspaper but has been killed umpteen numbers of times in terms of his ideologies and values. Gandhi is being humiliated all the time by people and politicians.

Characteristically, Anupam Kher puts up a stellar performance. He has once again proved his celebrated acting skills. He is truly the centre of gravity of the film. Urmila’s acting shows her varied talent which has not been tapped as much as it should have been.

The 9 National award- winning director Jahnu Barua has once again lived up to our expectation in terms of direction. He takes the audience to unanticipated realm and deals with the issue delicately.

The film has once again demonstrated successfully that a good film does not necessarily need a huge budget, the splendor sets and costumes, glitz and glitter songs and dances. With a simple budget and an unusual theme, one can captivate you and create curiosity and suspense.

However considering the enormity and depth of psychological trauma, the courtroom episode seems hurried venture.

The film deals with grit, determination and courage of senor citizen and his family to come out of deep holes: “Himamat karne walo Ki Har Nahi Hoti”.
This is a must watch film.