Patna: A three-day Gandhi Film Festival will be organised at Bapu Tower in Gardanibagh, Patna, from September 9 to 11, bringing seven rare films on Mahatma Gandhi’s life, philosophy and legacy to schoolchildren and young audiences.
Organised by the Building Construction Department, Government of Bihar, the festival aims to introduce children, including children with special needs, and young people to Gandhi’s ideas of truth, non-violence and self-reliance through films and historical footage.
Entry to the festival will be free, and students from different schools have been specially invited to attend the screenings.
Oscar-Winning ‘Gandhi’ to Open the Festival
The Gandhi Film Festival will begin on September 9 with Richard Attenborough’s acclaimed film ‘Gandhi’ (1982).
The Oscar-winning film will be screened at 11 am on the opening day. It presents the life and journey of Mahatma Gandhi and his role in India’s freedom struggle.
The first day will also feature ‘Gandhi – Prophet of the 20th Century’ (1940) at 3 pm.
The selection of films is intended to give young viewers an opportunity to understand Gandhi not only as a historical figure but also through the ideas and values associated with his public life.
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Two Films Scheduled for September 10
The second day of the festival, September 10, will feature two films focusing on Gandhi and his philosophy.
The morning screening will be ‘Mahatma Gandhi Talks’ (1931), while the afternoon session will feature ‘A Boundless Idea’ (1970).
The latter explores Gandhian philosophy and provides viewers with an opportunity to engage with the ideas that shaped Gandhi’s approach to society, politics and public life.
For students, the screenings offer an alternative way of learning about India’s history and the freedom movement beyond conventional classroom material.
Three Films to Be Screened on September 11
The festival will conclude on September 11 with three screenings.
The day will begin at 11 am with ‘Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara’ (2005). The film examines the relevance of Gandhi’s ideas in a modern context and provides a contemporary perspective on his legacy.
The final part of the festival will then feature two historical footage-based films — ‘Noakhali Extracts’ (1946) and ‘South India Tour of Mahatma Gandhi’ (1946).
These films will take audiences closer to historical moments associated with Gandhi’s travels and activities, allowing viewers to experience archival material connected with the period.
Free Entry for Students and Young Visitors
A key feature of the Gandhi Film Festival is that entry will be free. Schools across Patna have been invited to encourage students to attend the screenings.
The initiative particularly seeks to connect younger generations with Gandhi’s principles of truth, non-violence and self-reliance.
Using cinema as a medium can make historical subjects more accessible to students, while rare films and archival footage can provide visual context that is difficult to capture through textbooks alone.
The festival at Bapu Tower also creates a public platform where students and other visitors can engage with different interpretations and representations of Gandhi’s life and ideas.
Seven Films Across Three Days
The complete three-day schedule includes seven films:
- September 9: ‘Gandhi’ (1982) at 11 am and ‘Gandhi – Prophet of the 20th Century’ (1940) at 3 pm.
- September 10: ‘Mahatma Gandhi Talks’ (1931) in the morning and ‘A Boundless Idea’ (1970) in the afternoon.
- September 11: ‘Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara’ (2005) at 11 am, followed by ‘Noakhali Extracts’ (1946) and ‘South India Tour of Mahatma Gandhi’ (1946).
The range of films spans different periods and formats, from a major feature film on Gandhi to documentaries and historical footage.
Connecting Gandhi’s Ideas with a New Generation
The festival comes at a time when educational institutions are increasingly using visual and experiential methods to make learning more engaging.
By bringing together students, young visitors and historical films at Bapu Tower, the Gandhi Film Festival in Patna seeks to make Gandhi’s ideas accessible through a medium familiar to younger audiences.
The emphasis on truth, non-violence and self-reliance also gives the event relevance beyond history. These ideas continue to influence discussions around civic responsibility, social harmony and individual responsibility.
For Bihar, the festival also highlights the potential of public cultural spaces such as Bapu Tower to host educational and heritage-focused programmes.
With free entry and special invitations for school students, the three-day event is expected to provide young audiences with an opportunity to explore Gandhi’s life, the freedom movement and Gandhian thought through rare cinematic and archival material.
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