It’s a story we’ve heard of so many times in the past: An ageing freedom fighter running from pillar to post, waging his own battle against bureaucratic red tape, trying to prove that he participated in the freedom struggle. With actors like Vinay Pathak, Konkona Sen and Ranvir Shorey in the line-up, Anant Mahadevan’s Gour Hari Dastaan could well have been Mahesh Bhatt’s Saraansh. Sadly, it’s too slow and the execution too boring. Nonetheless, the film definitely belongs to the league.

While the film does struggle with a slow pace and certain irrelevant characters and scenes that digress from the core subject, this biopic deserves to be seen.

Rating this movie is beyond my call… but for the record it is 5 stars which in a way limits the brilliance of this movie.

GOUR HARI DASTAAN, The Freedom Files is a movie worth going miles to see.

As you watch the talented but largely anchorless actor Vinay Pathak slip easily into the part of the real-life freedom fighter Gaur Hari Das , you feel he is holding back when he could easily let go. The same is true of Ananth Narayan Mahadevan’s noble bio-pic.

As a director, Ananth Mahadevan is sincere in his approach. He portrays the subject with complete honesty. And it is this uprightness that makes the film a powerful and appealing saga.

‘Gour Hari Dastaan’ is powerful, meaningful, inspiring, probing and appealing highly recommended for lovers of good cinema and a true Indian. Do not miss.