Mahatma na Mooliyaan Dekhado — Mohan No Masalo

Under the headline 'Mahatma na Mooliyaan Dekhado — Mohanno Masalo' (The Roots of the Mahatma Shown Through Mohan No Masalo), Gujarati theatre critic Utpal Bhayani wrote a substantial review of Manoj Shah's production for the Chehra Mohra arts column.

Bhayani opens by noting that Ideas Unlimited's production stands as an important theatrical event. In our times, when a meaningful Gujarati play on a subject like the Mahatma is presented, it deserves more than fleeting attention. The play is not merely an artistic achievement — it is a social and cultural contribution.

The review traces the play's lineage through the various dramatic and cinematic portrayals of Gandhi, from Richard Attenborough's 1982 film to more recent stage productions. Bhayani argues that while 'Making of the Mahatma' and 'Gandhi Viruddh Gandhi' approached the subject with reverence, Manoj Shah's approach is different: he shows us not the Mahatma but the Mohan — the ordinary young man whose ordinary experiences, refracted through an extraordinary conscience, produced the leader India needed.

The critic praises the writing by Ishan Doshi, noting that Doshi (who had previously acted in Shah's plays) shows remarkable maturity as a debut writer. The metaphor of masalo — the spices that make a recipe — is called inspired: just as many spices make a dish, many experiences made the Mahatma. Each incident from Mohan's early life is a spice, and the audience watches the recipe come together.

On Pratik Gandhi's performance, Bhayani writes that Gandhi has proven himself through Master Madam and Hu Chandrakant Bakshi, but this role demands something different: not the fire of Bakshi or the comic timing of Master Madam, but a quiet, growing conviction. The transformation from the shy boy of Porbandar to the man who would challenge an empire is rendered through subtle physical and vocal shifts rather than dramatic gestures.

The review concludes: 'Today, when we feel at every step that Gandhiji is urgently needed, and we also know that Gandhiji himself is not coming back — then why does one of us not become Gandhiji? This play takes us in that direction. From childhood to Mahatma, the journey has been made deeply enjoyable. The writing, direction, and acting — all three pillars are exceptionally strong.'