7 Important Biopics That Were Derailed By Massive Problems

5. Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi is a symbol of pacifist protest to millions (and in many ways this is deserved), yet his depiction by Ben Kingsley was rife in flaws. Firstly, the movie was bankrolled by the Indian Government; the government had an interest in directing the posthumous legacy of Gandhi to favour them- he was after all highly involved in the Indian National Congress, one of the largest Parties in India. This means that the movie has the underlying tones of propaganda throughout, and is flawed in more ways than simple political management; Although Ben Kingsley has Indian heritage, he is still a British actor, and considering Gandhi's life was defined by fighting (non-violently) the British, this is somewhat paradoxical. Gandhi has become a symbol without reality; he was a man who would sleep naked next to his nieces in order to test his ability to avoid temptation; he refused his wife western medicine, leading to her death, and then used western medicine to prolong his own life. These do not negate his amazing achievements, but they do humanise a historical actor who is revered by almost everyone. Humanising historical heroes is always a dangerous move, as we will see later in the list.