Richard Attenborough's stately biopic of Mahatma Gandhi has all the hallmarks of David Lean: historical scope; sure command of thousands of extras; and, most of all, an ability to focus on individual endeavour amid the spectacle. For this is one of the 20th century's most remarkable stories, that of the righteous Indian lawyer (a quietly inspirational performance by Ben Kingsley) who returned from racially segregated South Africa to drive the British out of his home country through successive acts of non-violent protest. The film begins with his assassination and flashes back to the key moments in a 30-year struggle. While Kingsley (who took one of eight Oscars) is the glue that holds this epic piece together, you must relish a cast that includes John Gielgud, Edward Fox, John Mills, Martin Sheen and Roshan Seth as Gandhi's protégé and future leader Pandit Nehru.

In the early years of the 20th century, Mohandas K. Gandhi, a British-trained lawyer, forsakes all worldly possessions to take up the cause of Indian independence. Faced with armed resistance from the British government, Gandhi adopts a policy of 'passive resistance', endeavouring to win freedom for his people without resorting to bloodshed.