Gandhi Godse – Ek Yudh

{{Infobox film

| name = Gandhi Godse – Ek Yudh

| image = Gandhi Godse - Ek Yudh poster.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| native_name =

| director = Rajkumar Santoshi

| writer = Rajkumar Santoshi
Asghar Wajahat (Dialogues)

| screenplay = Rajkumar Santoshi

| story =

| based_on =

| producer = Manila Santoshi{{cite web | url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/jhoolan-prasad-gupta-engineering-film-producer-gandhi-godse-ek-yudh/ | title=Jhoolan Prasad Gupta from engineering to film producer with Gandhi Godse Ek Yudh : Bollywood News - Bollywood Hungama | website=Bollywood Hungama | date=30 January 2023 }}

| starring = Deepak Antani
Chinmay Mandlekar
Tanisha Santoshi
Ghanshyam Srivastav
Anuj Saini

| narrator =

| cinematography = Rishi Punjabi

| editing = A. Sreekar Prasad

| music = A. R. Rahman

| studio = Santoshi Productions LLP

| distributor = PVR Pictures

| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2023|01|26|India|ref1=}}

| runtime = 110 minutes{{cite web|url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/gandhi-godse-ek-yudh-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmda4njk4|title=Gandhi Godse – Ek Yudh|website=British Board of Film Classification|access-date=25 January 2023}}

| country = India

| language = Hindi

}}

{{Lang|hi-latn|Gandhi Godse – Ek Yudh}} ({{translation|Gandhi Godse – A War}}) is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language historical fiction film written and directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, and produced by Manila Santoshi. The film stars Deepak Antani and Chinmay Mandlekar in the lead roles.{{Cite web |title=Director Rajkumar Santoshi says 'we are scared to hear Godse's... |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/gandhi-godse-ek-yudh-director-rajkumar-santoshi-says-we-are-scared-to-hear-godses-2323802-2023-01-19 |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=India Today |date=19 January 2023 |language=en}} The film deals with a fictional situation in which Mahatma Gandhi survives his assassination and thereafter decides to not only pardon Nathuram Godse, but also socialize with him.

Plot

Godse holds Gandhi responsible for the partition and misery of Hindus. He shoots Gandhi on 30 January 1948 but Gandhi is miraculously saved and pardons Godse. After breaking his ties with the Congress, Gandhi begins his Gram Swaraj Movement to inspire villages towards self-reliance. Meanwhile, the system highlights Godse's writing and manipulates public sentiment against Gandhi whose interference has created a ruckus within the government. This leads to Gandhi's arrest which he insists on serving with Godse. They have multiple debates and arguments, even confrontations in prison. Soon Gandhi and Godse start to understand each other. Gradually Gandhi brings a change over Godse. During a marriage officiated by Gandhi, another attacker tries to shoot and kill him; Godse saves his life and soon together they are released from jail.

Cast

Deepak Antani as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Chinmay Mandlekar as Nathuram Vinayak Godse
Tanisha Santoshi as Sushma
Anuj Saini as Naren
Pawan Chopra as Jawaharlal Nehru
Mukund Pathak as B. R. Ambedkar{{cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/gandhi-godse-ek-yudh/credits/ | title=Gandhi Godse Ek Yudh credits | website=Metacritic }}
Ghanshyam Srivastav as Vallabhbhai Patel
Sandeep Bhojak as Jailer Amod Rai{{cite web | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/sandeep-bhojak-actor-should-never-restrict-oneself-101674307644012.html | title=Sandeep Bhojak: Actor should never restrict oneself | date=21 January 2023 }}
Vipul Deshpande as DSP Rana

Production

Santoshi confessed in pre-release promotions that it was hard to receive investment for such a large scale film with a potentially controversial subject. He added that it was only after composer A. R. Rahman accepted to do the film, investors started showing interest, and the film may not have been made if Rahman said 'no'.{{Citation |title="Gandhi Godse Wouldn't Have Been Possible Without AR Rahman" - Rajkumar Santoshi | date=24 January 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGbp9SA8Tbc |language=en |access-date=2023-02-01}}

Filming commenced on 20 September 2020 and was wrapped on 6 May 2022. Bhopal and Mumbai served as the principal locations.

Music

{{Infobox album

| name = Gandhi Godse Ek Yudh

| type = soundtrack

| artist = A.R. Rahman

| cover =

| alt =

| released = {{Start date|df=yes|2023|01|26}} (Film)

| recorded = 2021–2022

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Feature film soundtrack

| length =

| language = Hindi

| label = Sangeet Music

| producer =

| prev_title = Ponniyin Selvan: I

| prev_year = 2022

| next_title = Ponniyin Selvan : II

| next_year = 2023

| misc =

}}

The music is composed by A. R. Rahman in his third collaboration with Rajkumar Santoshi after Pukar and The Legend of Bhagat Singh. The director-composer duo had not collaborated for over two decades, though Rahman was approached for Khakee and he did not sign it due to scheduling conflicts.{{Cite web |title=The man who doesn't matter in Khakee |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2003/nov/04ram.htm |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=www.rediff.com}}

{{tracklist

| headline = Track-List

| extra_column = Singer(s)

| total_length = 8:58

| all_writing =

| title1 = Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram

| extra1 = Various Artists

| length1 = 3:04

| lyrics1 = Late Lakshmanacharya

| title2 = Vaishnav Jan To

| extra2 = Shreya Ghoshal

| length2 = 5:54

| lyrics2 = Narsinh Mehta

}}

Release

The film was released in India on 26 January 2023, coinciding with the Indian Republic Day.{{Cite news |last=Kumar |first=Anuj |date=2023-01-26 |title='Gandhi Godse: Ek Yudh' movie review: A timely dialogue on the idea of India |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/gandhi-godse-ek-yudh-movie-review-a-timely-dialogue-on-the-idea-of-india/article66436566.ece |access-date=2023-01-28 |issn=0971-751X}}

Reception

{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|0|3.3|6|consensus=|ref=yes|access-date=December 16, 2023}}{{cite web|title=Gandhi Godse-Ek Yudh|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gandhi_godse_ek_yudh|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=16 December 2023}}

The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its performances, visual style, music, and cinematography, but criticized its screenplay and story.{{Cite web |title=Gandhi Godse: Ek Yudh Review - Means Well Overall But Doesn't Fare Particularly Well |url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/gandhi-godse-ek-yudh-review-means-well-overall-but-doesnt-fare-particularly-well-3727866 |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=NDTV.com}}{{Cite web |last=MISHRA |first=UTKARSH |title=Gandhi Godse - Ek Yudh Review: Idea Gone Astray |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/gandhi-godse---ek-yudh-review/20230127.htm |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=Rediff |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-01-27 |title=Gandhi Godse Ek Yudh movie review: This revisionist take on Mahatma Gandhi, Nathuram Godse is both naïve and insidious |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/gandhi-godse-ek-yudh-movie-review-revisionist-take-on-mahatama-gandhi-nathuram-godse-naive-insidious-8407316/ |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}

Due to the dispute over the context of the film, Santoshi sought police protection after allegedly receiving threats.{{Cite web |title=Gandhi Godse director Rajkumar Santoshi seeks police protection after getting threats, says 'I feel unsafe' |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/gandhi-godse-director-rajkumar-santoshi-seeks-police-protection-after-getting-threats-says-i-feel-unsafe-2325532-2023-01-24 |access-date=2023-02-01 |website=India Today |date=24 January 2023 |language=en}}