Gandhi My Father Page #4

What'd we have done without Hari?

I am grateful to you, son. - Don't say that, Bapu

Of late I've been going through serious financial problems

But I have been sending you... - I know, but it's not enough

Then why persist with matriculation examinations?

You've failed three times

What will you achieve with degrees and certificates?

Bapu, I want to start a business,

...if you can lend me some initial capital

I have no money of my own

Whatever I had in South Africa, I donated to the trust

And never in my life will I borrow

Maybe we can raise some money against the family home in Rajkot?

That account has been settled with my elder brothers.

All expenses for...

my education and yours,

...your marriage and other sundry expenses, all added up,

I felt I had no rights to any claims.

So, I signed away my rights to inheritance

In the very least, you could've asked us?

For what?

You are old enough now, take up responsibility for your family

Stand on your own feet

Take up a job

O'Arjuna, the decisive moment has come.

Now, you may kill without guilt

O'Lord Krishna, the battlefield will decide...

the mightier warrior between us

His vanity will dissolve before the sound of my bow-string

Old Theater Company presents the great epic war, Mahabharata

Hasmukhbhai is marrying again! - Again, in his dotage?

He says he needs at least two wives to prop him up in his old age

He even asked me to find a bride

Watch your favourite actors on stage

Amba-behen.

Prices are rising, there's no stopping them

You tell me Sharda-ben...

...how am I to manage the months with thirty Rupees that Bapu sends us?

House rent, food,

school fees for children, my husband's school fees

I don't know what to do

Why beat around the bush, Gulab?

Tell her straight and clear

Tell her, I am uneducated

Tell her, I am unemployed. Tell her everything...

because today I will put an end to this

Tell her, will you?

Please be quiet. Please

The neighbours can hear you

Tonight, the whole world will hear

Kanu-bhai

Kanu-bhai

Girish-bhai... Usha-ben!

Listen to me

I am Gandhi-ji's good-for-nothing son

Yes? I'm Gandhi's good-for-nothing son

I have this house... I have it because of my father

My father's money pays for my failures in examinations

And I know, every time I walk this street, you wonder and you say,

look at Mahatma Gandhi and look at this lowly son

This Gandhi name is stamped on my forehead

And you will never let me forget it

He's the greatest father you can have

But he is one father I wish I never had

The performance will be held at Manek Chowk, tomorrow

Please come with your whole family,

...if you fail to attend, you will regret

Without a job and without any formal education, where is my dignity?

Everyday, I wake up with pain and I sleep with anger.

I know Bapu, I am not the ideal son you wanted me to be.

But for whatever I have become, I hold you responsible.

Believe me, I was never like this.

Forgive me Bapu, if I have hurt you, but it hurts me as much.

I wish I had an option.

Yours and only yours, Harilal

He's brave, my son

His public anger may be misguided

But he is standing up for his beliefs,

even if it is against me

From now on, we will have to learn...

...to live with Harilal's angst.

Ba.

It is my certain conviction...

that with every thread we draw,

we are spinning the destiny of India

If you wish to save India, then do the little I plead for

I want you to take up the spinning wheel now

Or perish forever

The spinning wheel is a symbol of our self-reliance...

and a simple means of employment for millions of poor Indians

Every Indian must take a vow to boycott...

...foreign cloth and wear only Indian

Foreign cloth is stained with the blood of countless Indian weavers

It is your duty to burn foreign cloth in public, to make bonfires

Gulab! - Yes?

I've invited friends from the factory...

...for dinner to celebrate Durga Puja

How many? - Three

No, with wives, six

All right

Do you speak Bengali? - A little

Manu

Look, new clothes for everybody

Shanti, for you, for Rasik, Kanti

Rami... this for you. Give this to Manu

Gulab, I have good news

What?

Offer me some tea at least?

Rami, get everybody dressed for the Puja rituals. Quickly now

Good news! Seth Narottamdas-ji is so happy...

...with my work at the factory,

he has given me charge of keeping the office cash in safe custody

I have become the Cashier

Bapu will be happy to hear this. Narottamdas-ji will surely tell him

We must begin to think of Rami's future

We should start saving each month for Rami's wedding

These girls grow up very fast

How true. You must also start saving for Kanti's education

I want him to study in England, whatever he wants to study

Keep it here.

Here.

Thank you

What is all this?

Expensive foreign fabric, made in England

Foreign goods? You know, your father...

Where did you get so much money?

On loan. Investment from people

Why did you do it?

There is a legitimate business, Gulab

Investors want their capital back with interest.

I'm giving good returns

I'm not forcing anybody

What if something goes wrong?

How can I go wrong! Look at the cloth, look at the quality

The World War isn't ending that soon...

...there is scarcity in the market

Once the right people know that this cloth is available...

there will be a stampede for it

I tell you, empty your drawers, for cash you will need the space

You are not doing the right thing

Please trust me, Gulab

This is my one opportunity, I can stand upon my own feet

I will not cheat anyone. After all, I am Gandhi's son!

Gulab, I have worked hard for this, I need your support

Get dressed for the Puja

I am sorry, I am late

Three minutes is not late. - Even one second is very late

Come.

Have you been spinning?

Gandhi-ji's call, who can refuse

I am trying, but my progress isn't encouraging

Join the Ashram. - Thank you, no

The Ashram is fine,

...but your vow of sexual abstinence, is difficult for me

Sorry, I have placed you in an awkward situation

On the contrary, you gave Harilal a job because of me

You took care of him,

...trusted him and he swindled you out of 30,000 Rupees

You cannot trust him anymore.

Dismiss him from the job, immediately

But, Gandhi-ji, my intentions...

File a case of fraud against him

I have stopped practicing law.

Otherwise I would have fought your case

He's young. Mistakes can happen

So?

He is your son after all

How long?

For how long will we keep protecting our children...

...even in crime?

What kind of a society do we wish to create, Narottamdas-ji?

If you have any respect for me or concern for our relationship...

then file the case. Let the courts decide

If Harilal accepts the punishment, that will be his glory

And my pride

Now come. Today you will learn from me before you leave

Harilal. Harilal.

He is not at home

For three days now you've been repeating that lie

From Porbander to Calcutta, I have travelled, in search of him

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