As a young professional traveling to South Africa he abruptly encounters racism that blatantly forces him to legally object to subservient and ridiculous discriminating laws by the British colonial government. Using the "turn the other cheek" theory from the Christian Bible, he endures beatings and imprisonment to eventually provoke the change of unjust laws.
This epic movie continues with Gandhi's obsession to destroy the discriminating power of British colonialism through nonviolent noncooperation and disobedience. He travels through his native India contemplating the heart and pulse of his people and finds them suffering in abject poverty. Gandhi devises strategies to break the grip of the British Empire on the soul and economy of India. A series of civil movements eventually leads to India's independence, but not without civil uprisings and bloodshed against religious sects and the existing government. The events leading up to India's independence and peace are well worth viewing to discover the courage and perseverance of this monumental and courageous spiritual leader of the 21st century who left his sandaled footprint on the history of the world.
This special edition of Gandhi includes interviews with Director Richard Attenborough on the collaborative musical genius of George Fenton and Ravi Shankar, together with casting the film and a lengthy interview with Ben Kingsley. Other entertaining additions are a photo gallery, historical landmarks, trailer and weblink. Featurettes include set design, historical depiction, casting, and filming, plus vintage newsreel footage and words of wisdom from Gandhi.
Gandhi took eight Academy awards including Best Picture, Best Actor (Ben Kingsley), and Best Director (Richard Attenborough). This movie boasts of such notable stars as the knighted Sir John Mills and Sir John Gielgud, and favorites such as Trevor Howard, Candice Bergen, Martin Sheen, as well as Ben Kingsley bringing Gandhi to life supported by Charu Bala Chokshi and Geraldine James.
This is my third viewing of this legendary documentary, and I highly recommend it to everyone who wants a peek into the mind of a man who offered the world... a way out of madness.