Bapu on celluloid

Bapu on celluloid: As we celebrate another Gandhi Jayanti, here's a look at the icon on screen.

The definitive Gandhi: Today, when someone says Gandhi, we think Ben Kingsley. Sir Ben immortalised the Mahatma in Sir Richard Attenborough's multiple award winning film Gandhi (1982). In this photo, Sir Ben with Candice Bergan who played Margaret Bourke-White the photographer.

Bapu ka happy budday: Anyone who thought Gandhi's ideology was too difficult to follow, too unrealistic, the Sanjay Dutt starrer Lage Raho Munnabhai (2007) was an eye opener, apart from being a hilarious entertainer. Dilip Prabhavalkar played Gandhi in this film as well as in a subsequent film called Shankar Dada Zindabad.

The father figure: Mahatma Gandhi was referred to as Bapu - the father of the nation, but how was he as an actual father. One of the most celebrated men in Indian history faultered as a parent according to the film Gandhi, My Father. Darshan Jariwala played Gandhi, while Akshaye Khanna played his son Harilal.

Gandhi on my mind: Anupam Kher played professor Uttam Choudhary who starts imaginging he killed Gandhi in Jahnu Barua's Maine Gandhi Ko Nahi Maara (2005).

The last words: Kamal Hassan played a Hindu fanatic who believes Gandhi (played by Naseeruddin Shah) is responsible for the woes of the Hindus in the months preceding the Partition, and plans to kill the man. The film was called Hey Ram (2000), based on what are widely believed to be Gandhi's last words.

An icon is made: Rajit Kapur starred in Shyam Benegal's film The Making of the Mahatma (1996) which was about Gandhi's 21 years in South Africa, before he came to India and changed the face of the freedom struggle.

What the British say: In 1963, British director, Mark Robson made a film about the hours that preceded the assassination of Gandhi by Nathuram Godse.

The Iron Man: While the film Sardar (1993), as the name suggests was about Sardar Patel, Annu Kapoor's portrayal of Gandhi won him much acclaim.