Gandhigiri - Lage Raho Munnabhai

I watched Lage Raho Munnabhai on Saturday afternoon. The last hindi movie that I watched, in a theatre, spending money, and that which I vividly remember is Lagaan, which is pre 2002. Well, if I do strain my memory, I can recollect a couple of absolutely forgettable movie outings while at Pune in 2003-2004. During that period it was hard to come to terms to pay 150 bucks for a movie. Back home, here in Andhra, for an almost similar "movie watching" experience people pay < 50, even in Hyderabad. Well, in Pune they were multiplexes and it was supposed to be "movie-going" experience and not just "movie-watching".

Anyways, back to present. Why then "Lage Raho Munnabhai" after such a long gap? No I didn't watch Munnabhai MBBS. My exposure to it is those bits & pieces that I watched and a few things that I heard / read about it. I didn't watch the Telugu remake of it either. My interest in Munnabhai MBBS was as ordinary as in any other box office successful Hindi / Telugu movie. Then, why did I watch Lage Raho Munnabhai while it is just into its 2nd week in the theatres.

The answer is "Gandhi Connection". Hmmm, no, not "Gandhi" connection... The word Gandhi has been abused too much in the post independence political arena. I will rather name it "Mahatma Gandhi Connection" or better "Bapu Connection" as he is referred to in the movie or the "Gandhigiri Connection".

Yes, the film features Mahatma Gandhi as a character. I read in a review that the protaganist of the movie, Munnabhai, finds Mahatma Gandhi as his companion and takes up his principles (Gandhigiri) to transform his and his fellow peoples' lives. A Mahatma Gandhi admirer that I am, it is an enough reason for me to buy a ticket to the earliest available show and see this Gandhigiri in the movie myself.

It is a well made movie. That its pulling audience in large numbers to watch Gandhigiri is an acheivement in itself. I say this because of an article I read in Hindu. In Hyderabad Exhibition grounds where a consumer electronics exhibition was going on, a Gandhi Darshan Hall was setup that screened documentaries on Gandhi and displayed some very rare photographs of Bapu. Few of the photographs were flown all the way from Rajghat, Delhi. And amongst the thousands of visitors who thronged the Industrial Exhibition, the percentage of people who visited Gandhi Darshan was less tha 0.1% . Here's a photo reg that article.

Well, I do accept that its the reality. A child may not be willing to swallow a pill or something that is bland / tasteless, though it is very important for his health. A Doctor / Mother will find it far more easier to make the child have it by adding a morsel of tastier / spicier food to it than simply forcing him to swallow it as is. It actually works. (When we were kids, my mother used to make bitter gourd curry with jaggery and we never complained to eat it. చిన్నప్పుడు మా అమ్మ బెల్లంపెట్టి కాకరకాయ కూర చేసినట్టన్నమాట। మేము పేచి పెట్టకుండా తినేసేవాళ్లం। ) So, very few walked into a Gandhi Darshan exhibition hall to watch & feel about peace, non-violence, strength of truth, satyagaraha etc..... whereas munnabhai ka masala, thoda maamugiri, few tapori dialogues, music & dance, a beautiful female... all brought in audience in lakhs to see Gandhigiri. I give you due credit, Mr Raju Hirani. The movie has received good acclaim and great opening collections and is termed a very big Hit. Fair enough.

Now, coming to my personal opinion.... factually, it didn't increase my Gandhi knowledge by a bit. Hey, wait. It actually did. I never knew that October 2 is also called Dry Day (as in Liqour Dry) ("డ్రైడే అయిన గాంధీ జయంతి నాడు కూడా బ్రాంది కోసం బారులు వెతికే మొహమూ నువ్వునూ" అని ఏ తెలుగు సినిమాలోనో డైలాగు ఉంటే తెలిసేదేమో !!) Nor did it influence me about the efficacy of Gandhi's principles. So, Lage Raho Munnabhai, ya, Naa Lage Raho Munnabhai, I remain the same. An ardent admirer or Bapu. I am anyways the guy who enjoys the Gandhigiri pill as is. (And yes, my mother slowly got us used to eating the bitter gourd curry too as is, without any jaggery). To me a re-read of "My Experiments with Truth" is a better way of reminding myself about gandhigiri.

Well, I also have some qualms about the movie. The protaganist who played Munnabhai, the man who preaches and practises Gandhigiri, Sanjay Dutt, has been arrested earlier under TADA in connection with 1993 Mumbai blasts. The final verdict will be delivered on Sept 12. I know, his duty in the movie was just to act, which he did with great commitment. But, aren't they, the same guys who are supposed to leave an impact about gandhigiri on the audience? And aren't they the same who go gaga about the message that the movie conveys, during press meets etc etc. Well, acting seems to be one profession which doesn't need a background check at all. ( I would have added politics to it too, but recently, atleast theoretically , a non-criminal background was made mandatory.) I know I am putting a very old happening of Sanjay Dutt in focus. And if the person has actually had nothing to do with it and indeed opts gandhigiri in his life, then I will be among his admirers. My point is, while we appreciate the conviction in the movie and make movies huge commercial successes, we should not remain cold and un-responsive to the actors' misdeeds.

And I strongly feel, beyond the make believe silver screen, gandhigiri is the best hit formula on the realistic world screen in these days of continous turmoil.

Btw for those who can / want to appreciate just plain gandhigiri without any munnabhais, a treasure trove of videos is available in google video here.