Long Live Mahatma

1st week of December, 2009: An avid Economic Times reader sees the last page of the news paper. Finds the statement of a man saying he doesn’t need publicity in India. His name: Ben Kingsley. This reader gets curious about such a proclamation by a person whom he has never heard about. Reading the first few lines of that article tells that in 1982, Ben played the character of Mahatma Gandhi in “Gandhi”, the film which won 8 Oscars. The reader, well equipped with modern technology, decides to download a free copy of this movie and find out what was so special about it that it received 8 Oscars. It takes a few days to download the movie, but finally it is there in the laptop of this reader.

12th December 2009: This reader, after finishing his daily chores and not in a mood to study, decides to kill the time by watching some movie. He searches his E drive and finds this moving lying there. With no other option, he plays the movie at 8:00 pm. Mind you, the reader is still connected to the internet, with another Indian epic, Sholay, being downloaded, and that too, a free copy. So, this reader now becomes the viewer.

8:00 pm – Titles roll.

8:01 pm - Nathuram Godse enters and the history is written.

8:05 pm – Movie Continues. The viewer doesn’t know what actually happened in South Africa that made Gandhiji so famous. He used to think it was some easy battle which he won and won the accolades of millions back home. Well, exactly at around 8:40, the myth gets busted. The viewer is amazed to see what actually happened there. The courage and determination of Gandhiji changed the lives of 100s of 1000s colored people in RSA.

8:40 pm – Gandhiji reaches India. He receives a warm welcome form his countrymen. Post that, Gandhiji goes on to discover the real India. Finishes this in some time and delivers his 1st speech in his homeland. “I could see the British shaking now” says one of the persons who interact with Gandhiji.

9:00 pm – The viewer takes a kit-kat break (he actually eates a kit-kat), which gets extended to dinner break and then, he thinks of checking his mails, catching up with a few friends online, viewing an amazing profile pic of one of the friends on facebook, talkin to his best friend, den his mom and then his sis… n yeah, also checking the status of Sholay. Finally, he decides to finish the movie that very night.

13th December 2009: 12:20 am – The best movie of his life, as the viewer describes it later, resumes. Gandhiji is invited to Champaran to solve the problems of the farmers. Again, Bapu shows conviction, defies the ruling of the court, and eventually, pulls the farmers out of troubled waters. During his Champaran visit, he gets the name – Bapu. Bapu’s back from Champaran in 10 mins. The viewer pauses the movie, opens Wikipedia and reads a bit about Champaran.

12:30 am – To protest against a new British law, Bapu proposes a day of fast and prayer, i.e. a strike (see how subtly he put that). Here’s when Nehru calls him Mahatma for the first time. The sequences take an ugly turn, which leads to the worst ever massacre in the history of India. After this, Gandhiji calls for Non cooperation movement all across the nation. Violence breaks out in various parts of the country. Gandhiji goes on his first of the two fasts-unto-death. And amazingly, it gives positive results. Violence ends and peace reinstates. After this, Gandhiji is sent to jail for half a dozen of years. In between this whole episode, there is an intermission. No, this viewer doesn’t get up, but an intermission which you usually get in theatres to buy pop corn for your girl, or probably have a smoke. 2 mins of soothing music and all the characters are back again. Yours truly listens to the full 2-min music clip.

1:10 am – After coming out of jail, Gandhiji now calls for Dandi March. Again it’s a big success. The primary importance of this 241-mile walk is very symbolic. (Please watch the movie to find it out. ;-)) Gandhiji is again arrested, Indians are beaten, but they don’t hit back. They observe non-violence. This act gives India a lot of publicity in western media and earns her a lot of respect.

1:35 am – Mahatma Gandhi is released and he’s called by British PM for Round Table Conference. He meets a lot of people there, including Mr. Charlie Chaplin. The British scoundrels (excuse me for these words) show their true colors here and sow the seeds of communalism. After coming back, Gandhiji goes to Aga Khan Palace, Pune – which is now a prison. His wife accompanies him. She passes away in the prison. Gandhiji moves on.

1:48 am – Last viceroy reaches India. India is all set to gain freedom. Jinnah becomes a victim of the British venom. He becomes adamant on a separate Muslim State. Gandhiji tries his level best to keep the nation united, but fails. The Nation gets divided. During the movement of public from India to Pakistan and vice versa, communal riots break out and many are killed. This is when Gandhiji calls for his second fast-unto-death. Again a big success. Both the nations are in harmony (not for long though, as we all know).

2:14 am – Nathuram Godse enters again and the history is written.

This is one of the greatest movies this viewer has ever seen. Exemplary performances by all the actors. This movie busts all the myths in this viewer’s mind. Gandhiji was truly a Mahatma, a person every Indian should know about, should read about and should follow.

LONG LIVE MAHATMA GANDHI…

2:20 am – The viewer starts writing his blog.

4:00 am – He finishes his write up and is all set to post it on his blog.
(N yeah, Sholay is still being downloaded.)