Five movies to watch on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary

Mahatma Gandhi is inarguably one of the most revered names in Indian history. 'Bapu' used the principles of non-violence and truth to pave the way for the country's independence, thus emerging as the 'Father of the Nation'. Over the years, several filmmakers have highlighted different aspects of his life through their work. On Gandhi Jayanti, here is a look at five movies that celebrate the man and his ideals.

Gandhi(1982)

Ben Kingsley essayed the titular role in the Richard Attenborough-helmed classic, which won Academy Awards in multiple categories. Gandhi revolved around The Mahatma's personal struggles and highlighted how they played a role in helping him become an inseparable part of the freedom struggle. Everything about the classic--right from the performances to the production values-- was as right as rain, which helped it attain cult status. The cast included Rohini Hattangadi, Habib Tanvir, Saeed Jaffrey and Amrish Puri.

The Making of the Mahatma (1996)

The Shyam Benegal-directed movie revolved around the 21 years Gandhi spent in South Africa to hone his skills as a barrister. The film featured Rajit Kapur as the future 'Sabarmati Ka Sant' and proved to be a gamechanger for him. It won National Awards in two categories--'Best Actor' and 'Best Feature Film in English', which is no small feat.

Hey Ram (2000)

The Kamal Haasan-helmed classic revolved around the events leading up to Gandhi's assassination and highlighted the dilemma faced by Saket Ram, a man with a tragic past, who plans to kill the iconic leader. The film featured a hard-hitting climax and some stellar performances. It was shot simultaneously in Hindi and Tamil and had an impressive cast that included Rani Mukerji, Shah Rukh Khan, Nassar and Vasundhara Das. Naseeruddin Shah who played 'Bapu' in the biggie, impressed cinephiles with his natural performance.

Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Maara (2005)

The critically-acclaimed Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Maara was directed by Jahnu Barua, a noted filmmaker from Assam, and featured Anupam Kher in the lead role. The thought-provoking drama revolved around what happened when a retired professor started blaming himself for 'killing' Gandhi and subtly dealt with the consequences of ignoring the ideals Bapu stood for.

Gandhi, My Father (2007)

The Anil Kapoor-produced movie revolved around the troubled relationship between Gandhi and his son Harilal and hit clicked with critics due to the effective execution. It starred Darshan Jariwala as the Bapu' ' while the underrated Akshaye Khanna played his son.