Hemant Karia opens his Gujarati review by recalling the impact of Richard Attenborough's Gandhi: after that 1982 film, people said 'Attenborough's Gandhi.' After watching Mohan No Masalo, Karia writes, one wants to say: this is Manoj Shah's Mohan.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was always going to become Mahatma Gandhi — perhaps that was decided in his very childhood. What were the specific qualities and incidents that made Mohan into Gandhiji? Manoj Shah has done a beautiful job of shedding light on exactly this. Here, Shah does not introduce us to Gandhiji but to Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Everyone knows Gandhiji, but how many know Mohan? That question must have occurred to Shah — and so he first got to know Mohan himself, and now through this play introduces Mohan to us.
Every young person currently in school or college must see this play. How Mohan used truth, non-violence, and satyagraha to shake the very foundations of the British Empire — this depiction is truly gripping. How he became a believer in non-violence, how he became a lover of truth, how he steeled himself for freedom and stood like an immovable mountain against the British.
How many of us recognise the flaws within ourselves? And having recognised them, how many make them public? Those who do are Gandhiji. How many of us live our lives supported by truth and non-violence? Those who do are Gandhiji. Those who fight against injustice are Gandhiji. Those who keep their promise to their mother, like Lord Rama, are Gandhiji.
The review concludes powerfully: 'Today, when we feel at every step that Gandhiji is urgently needed, and we know he himself is not coming back — then why does one of us not become Gandhiji? This play takes us in that direction. The journey from Gandhiji's childhood to the Mahatma has been made deeply enjoyable. The writing, direction, and acting are exceptionally strong. When a master theatre-maker takes up a subject, he does complete justice to it — and that feeling is palpable at every moment.'