The bespectacled, dhoti-clad man, who changed the country’s future with his ideals of peace and non-violence, has influenced every Indian at some point of time in their lives. Assassinated 66 years ago by Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi has also had several Indian filmmakers firmly in his thrall, his lifestory providing fodder to their cinematic experiments. As the nation pays tribute to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on his 145th birth anniversary today, we take a look at some memorable films based on the advocate of ahimsa...

Hey Ram (2000)

It was Kamal Hassan’s version of Gandhi’s assassination. This partly fictional drama showed the dilemma of Nathuram Godse and the Partition of India. It was made in Hindi and Tamil with Naseeruddin Shah playing Gandhi. Although it did not manage to do well at the box office, it received worldwide appreciation and three National Awards.