I Did Not Kill Gandhi (2005) User Reviews

first half is brilliant and the second is a big letdown

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 13 May 2006]

On the DVD, the movie is broken into two segments--and this actually makes a lot of sense because it's almost like two different films fused together.

The first 45 minutes were brilliant. They were probably the best depiction of Dementia ever put on film. The actor portraying the father with the disease and the writer together did a wonderful job showing the mental slippage and gradual deterioration that is seen with Alzheimer's. It was so brilliant that I think I will use it in the future when I teach my psychology classes to illustrate this as well as the toll on the family.

The second portion, slightly longer, is when the film loses its momentum. The story which had so far been a brilliant depiction of the disease degenerated into a silly story about how this man had created the delusion that he was responsible for the death of Gandhi. And, the doctor's solution to this dilemma just seemed completely far-fetched. And, the man's subsequent return to normality totally undid the entire first portion of the film. I honestly believe that you should watch the first half of the film and that's all.

First half=brilliant. Second half=a big letdown.

Jahnu Barua has made better films than this

[JuguAbraham · 7/10 · 30 December 2005]

I like the films of Jahnu Barua. I find him to be an honest filmmaker. He has made some very interesting movies--the best of which I consider to be "Papori," made in 1986. Any director would like to aspire to make a bigger budget film, with bigger names in Indian cinema. I guess this was the genesis of Barua's well-meaning effort called "Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara." Forget the melodrama of a senior member of the family suffering from a serious disease (why do so many Indian films need to have this ingredient in the plot?) the viewer will be able to see the honest Barua at work: the modern India forgetful of the values of individuals who gave birth to the world's largest surviving democracy, the dishonest lover who is scared of annoying his parents, the university students who treat a demented teacher with respect and courtesy, and the love and affection of grown-up adults for their parents. These are social values that exist in India today that Yash Chopra and other producers bank on to make a film successful. These are the "feel good" social credentials of Indian cinema.

In this film, the real Jahnu stands up as he succeeds in extracting a marvelous controlled performance from Urmila Matondkar, while Anupam Kher does his usual over-the-top melodrama playing to the gallery as he did in "Saaransh." Yet Jahnu, who usually is careful with his script mixes up Alzheimer's disease (first half of the movie) with delusion and psychological after-effects of a childhood incident (later half of the film) and the cure for it. I am not a medical expert but the two disorders seem to be strange bedfellows to manifest itself in the same individual.

The film, though well-intentioned, lacks the intensity of "Papori" comparatively a small budget film because it plays to the gallery. We love this film because it is more honest than the Bollywood kitsch and has some fine performances. This was evident at its screening at the recent Dubai Film Festival. For many in the audience it was the first film of Barua they had seen. And they liked it. If you loved this film (which is technically superior to his previous films, thanks to the bigger budget) do see Barua's "Papori" or even the less impressive "Aparoopa" where the real talent of Jahnu Barua emerges and impresses you even more.

Bollywood Ne Jahnu Barua Ko Kyon Mara: Disappointment & Apology

[MubukuGrappa · 8/10 · 19 July 2008]

When I say disappointment, I mean by Jahnu Barua's standard, and not by Bollywood 'standard', if there is any such thing as standard in Bollywood! Undoubtedly, by the yardsticks of Bollywood, Jahnua Barua's "Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara" is a masterpiece, but....

...by Jahnu Barua's standard, this movie is sub par. Jahnu Barua had won awards in Fribourg, Locarno and other places for his movies, he had been one of the pioneers of serious cinema in Assam (after Dr. Bhabendra Nath Saikia,and also, to some extent, Padum Barua, Deuti Duwara and a handful of others) probably the best known Assamese name to the moviegoers outside Assam (after Bhupen Hazarika and maybe, just maybe, Begum Parbeen Sultana); he showed that someone like Indra Bania, otherwise known only as a comedic actor, could deliver serious performance, he has used the talents of Bishnu Kharghoria, the best Assamese actor of all time (in my subjective opinion), in all his movies, he used theater personalities such as Dulal Roy, and has made many Assamese persons think (and to appreciate serious movies).

Of course, the pitfall of making serious movies in a society plagued by cheap Bombay formula movies is that Jahnua Barua had real problems arranging even Rs. 15 Lakhs (that is, Rs. 1.5 Million, or equivalent of USD 35,000), the minimum amount he needed to make a movie in Assamese. I read this in an interview, where he said that, he would give up making movies in Assamese, as it was too much waste of his time and effort to keep struggling to arrange the money. I also read a letter to the editor by someone in Guwahati, who said that when he arrived to watch a Jahnu Barua movie, the manager of the cinema hall declined to run it, not because he was an idiot, but because even after 30 minutes of the scheduled time, there were only 2 (yes, two!) patrons at the box office!

And as a result, someone as dedicated as Jahnu Barua has to make a movie in Hindi in Bollywood style, where a retired college professor gets to live in a huge mansion (in Bombay, of all places!), and the movie has to end with an absurd courtroom drama!

I do not mean that this is a bad movie; this is not. This movie is yards above the usual Bollywood stuff, 99% of which is stolen from Hollywood (and now also European Cinema: a case in point being Bheja Fry). This movie contains the same sincerity of Barua, that made his movies in Assamese excellent. But this movie does not belong to Jahnu Barua; it was obviously handicapped by the terms of the producers, who made it have some of the tell-tale elements of Bollywood escapism.

So, in a nut-shell, between mutation of the Assamese brain and Bollywood, Jahnu Barua is the casualty.

this movie is a masterpiece

[tiwari-vikash · 9/10 · 1 October 2005]

This is Uttam Chaudhry's (played by Anupam Kher) home. An acclaimed scholar of Hindi and now a retired professor, Chaudhry is a man of principles and values. Professor Chaudhry suffers from frequent bouts of forgetfulness. What looked like a case of absent-mindedness before appears to be turning into a serious illness.He forgets that he has retired, and reaches college only to discover it's a chemistry lecture. He has a hard time coming to terms with the fact that it has been one and a half years since he lost his dear wife. He loses it altogether when Trisha's potential father-in-law places an ashtray and used teacup on a newspaper issue, which has Mahatma Gandhi's photograph. The professor's condition completely deteriorates and he starts blaming himself for being the man accidentally responsible for Gandhi's assassination. So what is his condition? Alzheimer's? Dementia? Schizophrenia? Scientific definitions offered are plenty, but the root cause of this sickness is much more deep-rooted than it appears. That's what makes Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara such a superbly multilayered presentation

Excellent film to see ...after so many nonsense Bollywood films

[mark_personal2000 · 10/10 · 1 October 2005]

Once an English film director was reported expressing surprise why so many Bollywood films come out every year and almost none of them carries a story except filmy romance and skin-show. Here is the answer- Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara, a film by renowned director Jahnu Barua. With Anupam Kher and Urmila's superb acting and Barua's excellent direction the film deserves to be a must see. Bollywood industry should produce much more films of this kind instead of its tradition of producing rubbish films. Direction: 10/10; Acting- Anupam Kher: 10/10, Urmila: 9/10; Story: 9/10; Photography: 10/10; Dialogue: 9/10; Music(Background): 10/10.

yet another film without songs and dance and without villains

[venkat1926 · 27 December 2005]

Yet another remarkable film by Jhanu Barua the acclaimed Assamese director in film circles.. Anupam Kher can be proud of his excellent characterization of a retired professor of Hindi literature getting into Alzheimer's disease. Kher can have his soul satisfaction of his best two films in his life-SARAMSH and this film in spite of intervening roles which he has to do for his bread and butter.

Every action of Kher including the way he walks, he smiles, his jokes, his bout of forgetfulness brings tears to the even most rational viewer. Urmila as his daughter is the best support to Kher. The restrained acting by these two and others makes us proud even India can produce such a film. The mock court (more or on the lines of Tendulkar's famous Marathi drama) may be little dramatic but it serves the purpose and clears the cobweb in the minds of the professor. The professor's last reply to the court blames all of us for the death of Gandhi.

This is an excellent serious film. Those whose first language is not Hindi may better see it with subtitles.

Good film on hitherto unexplored subject

[Aam_Aadmi · 7/10 · 28 January 2006]

In "Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara", Jahnu Barua has presented a different subject -- Alzheimer's and possibly the associated dementia -- which is itself a deviation from the trashy theme-of-the-decade stuff turned out by Bollywood.

Barua has shown how at least some doctors (usually the young guys fresh out of med school) will try experimental, unproven and risky therapies, while going against the mainstream. Also, the universal tendency among medical personnel, especially the mental health community, to 'keep the status quo' until SOME result is obtained, be it positive or negative, good or bad for the patient, has been very well-documented.

While it may be true that the late-onset dementia was triggered by long-suppressed childhood memories based on some incident related to Gandhi, the 'Speechifying' at the end was totally unnecessary. The court drama could've been edited for greater effect.

Both Anupam and Urmila come across as somewhat high-strung and a tad one dimensional. The professor is retired but has absolutely no neighbors, friends or colleagues that drop in or visit once in awhile. That is highly unlikely even in modern urban India.

Anupam Kher produced this movie (that is also a trend nowadays), as the fine folks at NFDC either turned down Barua's request for financing or were too busy cavorting at Cannes.

Somewhat slow-paced at times, it is nonetheless a well-made drama about human relationships. 7 out of 10.

A well made small movie which is much bigger in dimension

[pure_shores00 · 10/10 · 3 February 2006]

I've never seen Mr. Bahru movie before, neither Mr kher's saanrch. but one thing that really struck me is that if u combine the finest people from Bellwood you definitely something spellbinding. this movie is surely one of the best in performances/story/screenplay and even background music. kher is disturbingly fantastic and we cud compare him with amitabh's performance in black. he played his character with utmost perfection leaving us shocked and shattered in the end. Urmila, on the other hand, is the most underrated actress of Bellwood. i don't want to describe how amazingly she performed because we all know that her performance is always 10 by 10 right from Pinjar, bhoot or Ek hasina thi. this year i sincerely hope she gets her long delayed national award as she acted on the level of shabana azmi & smita Patel. MGKNM succeeds in capturing father/daughter relationship which an over hyped movie called YAADEIN miserably failed to do so. even the kavita is like satisfying your soul.

A wonderfully understated film

[chutneylix · 9/10 · 3 June 2006]

Subtlety is rarely seen in Hindi movies. Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara has plenty of it. The humor, the score, the acting and the story, all come together to make this wonderfully understated film. Yet this movie shows so much depth and understanding of human nature that its able to elicit from the viewer, genuine regard for its characters.

A lot of other reviewers have already talked about how excellent this is. So I will only urge you to watch it. The highlight is certainly Anupam Kher's performance which is layered and brilliant. The day that the Indian audience and critics are able to recognize performances and films like these is the day India can once again be proud of its cinematic history.

Indian cinema takes and chance and it pays off.

[mpyatt · 10/10 · 17 October 2005]

Anupam Kher takes a chance on Assamese film director Jahnu Barua's first major Hindi outing, and it pays off. Jahnu Barua's direction is tight and his story is touching. Anupam Kher has shown that he can make audiences laugh with some of his previous role and in this he shows that he can make us cry as well. Urmila Matondkar shows us her character's frustration as she gets upset with her father whom she loves so dearly. The cinematography is breath-taking and the musical score is haunting. This movie will hold it's own against any other film at any film festival it may play at. When people think of Indian cinema, one tends to think of a catchy song with a man and woman dancing around a tree in a park. Although those pictures can be fun, it is nice to know that India can produce serious cinema as well.

Fine Human Drama

[sandhirflora · 5/10 · 30 September 2005]

What happened to our mainstream Hindi cinema at last? One after other it is coming out with excellent and diverse themes never dealt before. Wow ! When FTII-alumni, internationally renowned Assamese film maker Jahnu Barua and Anupam P. Kher as producer-lead actor comes together, you expect a result to be of very high value. Yes, it is, as what starts off as a touching tale about a Retd. College lecturer (Anupam Kher) who falls prey to Alzheimer disease and how the lives of everybody around him get affected ends on a very topical note of ignorance of values in today's world, very subtly. This is the second feature film in Hindi of Jahnu Barua who directed another one called Apekshaa (1984) though almost all his films are in Assamese and also based in soil there. There are some amazing performances viz. Anupam Kher and also Urmila Matondkar who is quite restrained here. More than anything this film succeeds in making any layman realize and empathize to deal with somebody close whom this disease affects. This film qualifies for select audience, as it is devoid of any of those rubbish commercial elements of forced romance and songs, hero-heroine track or inconsequential sub-plots but come across as very honest film with more substance than style. Bappi Lahiri surprised with his background score. The film has no political overtones as the title suggests but a human story. The problem? Well the story is too simplistically told so much so that to pack it in duration of 1.45 hr, the pace slows down, as the events are not too many. Also, it would be better if it covered more of the disease part and treatment part but of course that was not the focus of the film. The drama in the staged part of the courtroom also lacks that required punch. Nonetheless it put across the message very clearly and aptly and thus succeeds without taking a road to melodramatic Indian ethos or art house cinema. Also, distributor Yashraj Films deserves a pat on their shoulders for bringing a quality product, which is so contemporary, and a must especially for youth audience. A sooner Tax-free status is demanded.

Reliving The Guilt Of A Crime That Never Happened

[Chrysanthepop · 4 January 2009]

Talented director Jahnu Barua's astonishing film, on the surface, tells the story of a reputed retired professor suffering from dementia and the severe toll it takes on his family, especially his daughter. Barua's intentions are noble and sincere and he brilliantly presents some relevant themes and issues, such as how abuse during childhood can affect one during adult age, that medical and psychological experiments are necessary and are carried out with good intentions (unlike in most films where they are often portrayed in a negative light), that there are doctors who really do care about the patient's wellbeing. Barua does avoid clichés and tries to balance any stereotype (for example Dr. Bharocha is pretty much the typical doctor who keeps prescribing the same meds).

'Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara' was also intended as a tribute to Gandhi but this is where the main fault lies. The courtroom sequence seems a bit far-fetched and the sequence is overdone (especially Boman Irani's overacting and Anupam Kher's monologue about Gandhi) and it is a little difficult to believe that a psychiatrist would take such a huge risk (which could have easily exacerbated Professor Chowdhury's current situation). Perhaps Barua and producer Anupam Kher could not think of a better resolution. Also there are a few goof-ups like Dr. Kothari stating that dementia is a type of Alzheimer (when it is actually the other way round).

'Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara' looks authentic. The setting, the relationships, the interaction between characters... all of it feels authentic. The main characters are well-etched. Uttam Chowdhury's mental anguish, fear, delusion, hallucinations and sense of isolation, that resulted from the disease and childhood trauma, is frightening but it is his beloved and devoted daughter who is twice suffering the consequences twice as she loses everything in the process of taking care of her father: her father, her job and her fiancée (though she is better off without the guy who is just a no good ignorant moron). One could argue, like has been done in the film, that she should put him in a mental institute but it is not that easy to put admit someone you love in a mental institute. Moreover, the mental facilities in India are nowhere near the quality of those in Europe where people are being taken good care of and given sufficient independence.

Both Urmila Matondkar and Anupam Kher deliver powerful performances. Anupam Kher looks authentic as a strong minded 60-something father to the fragile and confused 'prisoner. It is one of the best performances of a character suffering a mental illness (another fabulous one being Konkona Sen Sharma in '15 Park Avenue'). Urmila's portrayal is one of the most natural and genuine performances I have witnessed on screen. She is a truly gifted actress who really deserves to be rewarded. Parvin Dabas, Rajit Kapur and Prem Chopra provide fine support. Waheeda Rehman is wasted. Would have loved to see more of her. Boman Irani is loud.

Bappi Lahiri provides some good music after a long time. The cinematography is great. I liked the dialogues and poem. 'Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara' is a relevant film that deserves to be seen by all. It has its flaws but I still love it and have already seen it three times.

Engaging Drama, Which Somehow Almost Prevents Itself From Being Monotonous. ♦ 78%

[nairtejas · 8/10 · 6 August 2013]

Anupam Kher & Urmila Matondkar totally pull their respective characters together. It is because of them, accompanied by a good plot, that I rate it a 7.8/10.

Directly getting to the point in less than 10 minutes keeps the viewer hooked on to what might be the cause of happenings in the screen. A sense of suspense grows and even though the screenplay feeds us constantly, another revelation towards the end does make sense. The courtroom drama at the end is worth a watch.

What the makers fail here is to keep away from boring sequences wherein the characters are speaking/enacting something, while the actual plot is narrated. It does turn off the experience. Dialogs are just fine, while the character building is very good. Not going astray, Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Maara is a engaging watch.

BOTTOM LINE: Cinema aficionados & critic will love it alike. Once again, great performances, I have to mention.

Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

Profanity/Nudity/Sex: No | Violence: Mediocre | Gore: No | Smoking: Very Mild | Alcohol/Drugs: No

Great Movie

[ramdesi · 10/10 · 1 July 2006]

Once in a while you get to see a great movie that re-awakens your long lost cherished ideals. This is one such movie. Never heard of this director before but has done a splendid job in subtly bringing out the message of Gandhi in the last few moments of the film. Start watching the movie on your recliner, you are sure to sit up and take notice of it, by the end of the movie. Not a movie for casual watching!

Excellent performances by Anupam P (?) Kher and Urmila and even her younger brother (Addy??) who portrays pragmatic youth of this generation.

Other recommendations in this genre: Satyakam (Dharmendra, Ashok Kumar), Swades (SRK)

Good try!

[virindra · 3/10 · 19 July 2006]

Maine Gandhi ko nahin mara is not a movie that is about the ideology of a father of the nation, Mohandas K. Gandhi, but about an old retired man of the middle class who has a symbolic connection with Gandhi. It's about a man who is trapped in his own mind and who suffers dimension. He has a daughter who loves him very much and tries everything to help him.

Her father goes to school because he is a teacher, but he forgets he is retired. Everyone thinks he's gone mad. Than as sudden he says he has killed Gandi when he was a young boy. Everyone scares because that's not something small. In a film like this with high potential you think something big is coming up, but you will be disappointed. The ending is not very exciting. But it is a good try of Anupam kher.

Trash

[lyrxsf · 2/10 · 11 January 2006]

I gave this movie a 2 because of its creative title. Other than that, its trash. The movie does not live up to the sensational title. Instead of a political drama, the director has created a two hour movie on dementia caused by old age. Urmila has been selected aptly, since she excels at hysterics. Anupam Kher has done decent acting. Everyone else seem to be the types who get the roles through contacts and not talent. The director probably thinks even the audience is demented otherwise he wouldn't have wasted more than half the reel on depicting random acts of forgetfulness. The opening scene is uplifting and raises expectations of fine Hindi poetry from the movie. But its incongruous to see a fairly grand residence in Mumbai belonging to mere Hindi professor of a city college. It just doesn't hold together!