Gandhi to Hitler panned by critics

It's been compared to a real-life version of Mel Brooks's Springtime for Hitler musical from the classic 1968 comedy The Producers – and yes, there are songs. Now the first reviews of much-derided Bollywood historical drama Gandhi to Hitler are emerging from India, and it's not looking good. Previously titled Dear Friend Hitler, Rakesh Ranjan Kumar's film centres on two letters written by Gandhi to Hitler in which he urged the German leader to pursue his goals via peaceful means. When the film was announced in June 2010 there was concern the Nazi dictator might be portrayed in a positive light. Comments from producers appeared to indicate Hitler might be depicted as a sort of lost hero of Indian independence. The film itself seems to have dropped much of that angle, perhaps following the departure of the well-known Bollywood actor Anupam Kher, who was originally cast as the Führer. Kher walked out as a result of the furore surrounding the film. Criticism so far has focused on the use of Indian actors to play not only Hitler and his lover Eva Braun (whose name is misspelt as Eva Brown in the titles),but also a range of other leading and supporting roles, including French, German and Russian soldiers. "In my opinion, [this] makes it look counterfeit," writes film critic Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama. "The director intercuts Gandhi preaching non-violence and Hitler stomping around in his bunker rather abruptly." "The film even has a subplot of a Gandhian Punjabi housewife longing for her soldier husband to return from the war," sneers Blessy Chettiar of dnaindia.com. "They even have a Holi dance, singing about the significance of the tricolor. Phew! And I'm still figuring out why every character, including Hitler, is played by an Indian." The Hollywood Reporter, reviewing the film at the Cannes film festival, where it was available for purchase, wrote: "Mel Brooks has got to see this one: somebody has actually made Springtime for Hitler. The funniest thing about this film from India is that it's dead-on serious, replete with all-Indian actors playing the leaders of the Third Reich. " Not everyone hates Gandhi to Hitler, however, or sees the all-Indian cast as indicative of a lack of imagination. Nandita Dutta of dearcinema.com writes: "All the characters, be it a German or a French, have been played by Indians. But this isn't a reason to deride the film. It is completely an Indian rendition of events, true to Indian flavour and popular taste. An international cast would have been more convincing, but would have taken away from the essence of the film."