Gandhi Jayanti 2023: Songs, Movies, and Actors That Remind Us of Mahatma Gandhi!

Mahatma Gandhi was a leading figure in the Indian independence movement and a pioneer of non-violent resistance. He is known for his simple lifestyle, his commitment to truth and non-violence, and his message of peace and love. Every year October 2 is celebrated as Gandhi Jayanti to pay tributes to our beloved 'Bapu'. Gandhi's legacy continues to inspire people around the world, and his story has been told and retold in countless books, movies, and songs. Here are a few examples of songs, movies, and actors that remind us of Mahatma Gandhi:

MOVIES THAT FEATURED MAHATMA GANDHI AS A CHARACTER

1. Lage Raho Munna Bhai-Owing to the intriguing depiction of Gandhiji’s principles and how they impacted Munna, the don, this movie assumed cult status. Starring Sanjay Dutt, this movie on 'Gandhigiri' was directed by Rajkumar Hirani. Dilip Prabhavalkar, the Marathi actor, essayed the role of Gandhi.

2. Gandhi, My Father-Produced by Anil Kapoor, this was a beautiful movie that depicted the father-son relationship of Gandhi-Harilal. Darshan Jariwala played Gandhi and Akshay Khanna essayed the role of his son, Harilal Gandhi in this Feroz Abbas Khan movie.

3. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar-In this autobiographical movie, directed by Jabbar Patel, Mohan Gokhle portrayed Gandhi's role. Mammootty played the titular character in this film that showcased Mahatma Gandhi's gray aspects too.

4. Sardar-Talking about Gandhiji’s character in movies and not mentioning this one by Ketan Mehta would be inappropriate. Based on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s life, Sardar had Annu Kapoor essay Gandhiji’s role, wonderfully.

5. Hey Ram-This Kamal Haasan’s movie had Naseeruddin Shah essay Gandhi’s character in it. It also starred Shahrukh Khan and Rani Mukherji.

6. Mahatma-This Telugu action drama movie directed by Vamsi was based on a rowdy man whose life gets inspired by Mahatma's ideologies. Srikanth and Bhavana played lead roles in this movie.

7. Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara-Anupam Kher and Urmila Matondkar played the central characters in the movie. It revolved around a retired man who suffers from dementia and thinks he assassinated Gandhiji. This was an interesting psychological drama that had Gandhiji's essence spread all over the film.

ACTORS WHO HAVE PLAYED MAHATMA GANDHI ON SCREEN

1. Ben Kingsley (Gandhi) The portrayal of Gandhi by this English actor in Richard Attenborough’s 1982 Oscar-winning film Gandhi is considered phenomenal until date. The role fetched Ben the Best Actor Academy Award. John Briley had written the film.

2. Naseeruddin Shah (Hey Ram) The phenomenal actor, Naseeruddin played Gandhiji’s role, beautifully in this film. This was a historical crime drama (depicting the assassination of Gandhi) directed by Kamal Haasan (2000). Naseeruddin’s perfect Gujarati accent earned immense appreciation.

3. Rajit Kapur (The Making Of The Mahatma) Directed by Shyam Benegal, in this movie Rajit did a fantastic job as Gandhiji. The actor infused life into the character of Mahatma so well that it left an indelible mark in the minds of the audience. Rajit got National Award for his portrayal of him. The film was a screen adaptation of the book The Apprenticeship of a Mahatma.

4. Annu Kapoor (Sardar) The veteran actor played the part of The Father of the Nation with aplomb. Directed by Ketan Mehta, this National Award-winning film (1993) was on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

5. Darshan Jariwala (Gandhi, My Father) Darshan won the Best Supporting Actor Award for his incredible portrayal of Gandhiji. Feroz Abbas Khan directed this National Award-winning film (2007).

6. Srikanth (Mahatma) Srikanth played Gandhiji in this Telugu movie (2009) directed by Krishna Vamsi. This film revolved around a person who gets transformed after learning about Gandhism. It won 4 Nandi Awards.

7. JS Casshyap (Nine Hours To Rama) In this 1963 British-American neo-noir film Casshyap played Gandhiji. Mark Robinson directed this film. The film traced the 9 hours of Godse's life before Gandhiji's assassination.

WATCH: SONGS THAT REMIND US OF MAHATMA GANDHI

VAISHNAV JAN TOH

Vaishnav jan to is a Hindu hymn in Gujarati which was composed by the 15th-century poet-saint Narsinh Mehta. It is said to be one of the favorite hymns of Mahatma Gandhi.

https://youtu.be/CZaz9gpm_34

GANDHIJI NE SABKO

The song is a pivotal testimony to Gandhi's extraordinary struggle for India's independence that made him the Father of our nation. His gentle and polite approach to life is worth being sung about.

https://youtu.be/5kJNTumTYzo

SABARMATI KE SANT TUNE KARE DIYA KAMAL

Mahatma Gandhi was indeed a phenomenon in our Indian history. The change he brought about in our nation was nothing short of a miracle. This song elaborately tells those tales. Asha Bhosle’s magical voice makes this melody unforgettable!

https://youtu.be/osY6cpEM6Cg

BANDE MEIN THA DUM

This is perhaps the only song from recent times which talks about the virtues, which Mahatma Gandhi stood for. The catchy tunes, the simple lyrics and the profound meaning resonate with the young generation. The song is from Rajkumar Hirani’s 2006 film “Lage Raho Munna Bhai."

GUN DHAM HUMARE GANDHI JI

The qualities Gandhi held dear are regarded as ideals for millions all over the world. This composition by the veteran SD Burman praises Gandhi and his ideology which changed the lives of many forever!