← Back to results
Gandhi
1982 192 min India, United Kingdom PG 12+
★8.6
Drama, History
Director: Richard Attenborough
Trailers
Description
In the early years of the 20th century, Mohandas K. Gandhi, a British-trained lawyer, forsakes all worldly possessions to take up the cause of Indian independence. Faced with armed resistance from the British government, Gandhi adopts a policy of 'passive resistance', endeavouring to win freedom for his people without resorting to bloodshed.
Budget:
$22M
US Gross:
$52.77M
Worldwide:
$77.74M
Starring
Ben Kingsley
Actor
John Gielgud
Actor
Rohini Hattangadi
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Screenplay
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Cinematography
BAFTA 1983
— Best Production Design
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Cinematography
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Film Editing
Golden Globe 1983
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Sound
Golden Globe 1983
— Best Screenplay
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Actor
Golden Globe 1983
— Best Actor (Drama)
Golden Globe 1983
— Breakthrough of the Year
BAFTA 1983
— Best Picture
BAFTA 1983
— Best Actor
BAFTA 1983
— Best Director
BAFTA 1983
— Best Supporting Actor
BAFTA 1983
— Best Supporting Actress
BAFTA 1983
— Best Screenplay
BAFTA 1983
— Best Costume Design
BAFTA 1983
— Best Sound
BAFTA 1983
— Best Film Editing
BAFTA 1983
— Best Original Score
BAFTA 1983
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Original Score
BAFTA 1983
— Most Promising Lead Debut
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Picture
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Production Design
Golden Globe 1983
— Best International Feature Film
Academy Awards 1983
— Best Costume Design
Key opinion
Gandhi is widely hailed as a masterful, epic biographical film that captures the spiritual and political struggle for Indian independence. While its three-hour length draws polarized reactions regarding its narrative momentum, the consensus celebrates Ben Kingsley's transformative lead performance and the film's enduring cultural impact.
| Acting | Ben Kingsley provides a definitive, Oscar-winning performance that perfectly embodies the physical and spiritual essence of Gandhi. | |
| Direction | Richard Attenborough expertly manages the massive scale of the historical events while maintaining a focus on intimate human values. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography is lauded for its use of expansive, crowd-filled panoramas that capture the scale of India's independence movement. | |
| Theme | The film succeeds in its educational and moral mission, remaining a relevant and moving portrayal of non-violent resistance decades after its release. | |
| Runtime | Audiences are divided on the three-hour runtime; some viewers find the slow, contemplative pacing essential to the story's gravity, while others experience it as exhausting or sluggish. |