Book Look - #15

THE STORY OF MY EXPERIMENTS WITH TRUTH
An Autobiography by 'Mahatma' M.K.Gandhi

Plot: The autobiography of one of the greatest men to have ever lived. We get to experience the transformation that made him what he was straight from the horse's mouth.

Highlights:

• The extensive coverage he gives on the events in his childhood in India; his struggle to overcome distractions and difficulties to become a barrister; the life and times in South Africa are fresh news on which I have not even had an idea before.
• His obstinacy,grit,stubbornness - call it whatever - on matters of principles that he laid after some of his experiments with truth are startling! Especially the examples he offers that show his determination to stick on to his ideals in Dietetics, non-possession, Brahmacharya, ahimsa, truth, medicine, religion etc. are unbelievably terrific and inspiring.
• The portions of his times in India focus more on the lesser known issues such as the Bihar, Gujarat labour union issues and this gives clues to the question on how he was able to inspire and get the respect of an entire nation.
• In all, this life-story would make one's respect for the nation's supreme hero grow manifolds.

Two Line Reviews - #200

I couldn't have chosen a more appropriate film for a milestone number - 200. A film that I have seen only in parts, a film that I have longed to see for a long time, now gets happily into the 'Seen' list.

Movie: Gandhi (1982)

Plot: The film traces the silent revolution that the unbelievably stubborn Gandhi led to inspire and unify an entire nation against the British Raj. It focuses on his redemption work in South Africa and how he took cues from that experience in the herculean task of inspiring the uncomparably huge India by reaching ther hearts of masses with his amazing grit and simplicity.

Highlights:

• Richard Attenborough's tribute to probably the greatest leader to have ever existed (just for the no. of loyals he seems to have inspired) is clean as a slate and records the popular events in Indian freedom struggle during Gandhian period. The fact that he was able to make crores of people follow and worship him is mystifying & baffling.
• Ben Kingsley, as the Mahatma, essays his role with utmost conviction and he epitomises Gandhi to the fullest extent possible.
• The artwork,camerawork,dialogues and costumes clearly explain the amount of hard research that must have happened for making this epic film.
• The final post-independence riots and misfortunes as shown are pitiable and ironic to the future Gandhi had envisaged for the nation.

A must-watch epic; If the Simplicity & Determination of Gandhi, as depicted, cannot be inspiring, nothing else can be!