Audience watch a film at Gandhi Sangrahalaya in Patna on Sunday. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, March 27: These movies do not have silver screen “heroes” like Amitabh Bachchan or Shah Rukh Khan or even Sanjay Dutt in his Munna Bhai avatar. Naturally, they fail to attract an audience despite being shown for free.

But on every Sunday, Gandhi Sangrahalaya screens films on the lives and works of national heroes like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose and others. They have been doing this for the past three years. But the officials of the museum lamented that these films — mostly documentaries — fail to attract audience.

Even the small number of people who do trickle in are hardly interested in the films being shown.

The film screened today was titled Bapu Ne Kaha Tha. The man operating the projector as well as a majority of the audience were sleeping. To begin with there was hardly anyone in the air-conditioned hall that has a capacity of 40. Later, a couple of people did come in, to escape the heat outside and take a nap in the cool environment inside the hall.

“I was just roaming in Gandhi Maidan. I had no work on Sunday. I tried to sleep at the maidan but there is too much noise because the workers are dismantling structures that were put up for Bihar Divas. So I came here to sleep in peace,” said Ramesh Paswan, a member of the audience.

On being asked about the film, he said: “I don’t have a clue. Even the man who is operating the projector is sleeping. What do you expect from us? It is free anyway.”

These are obviously not the reactions the officials expect. On being asked about the purpose of the film shows, Gandhi Sangrahalaya director Razi Ahmed said: “We want to make people aware of the sacrifices made by the freedom fighters. Films like these are hardly made these days. We are working hard to create a space for patriotic films.”

He added that films like Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi — that won an Oscar — and Bhavna Talwar’s Dharm were not easily available and he had to procure CDs from Mumbai or Delhi. “But there is no interest among the youth for such films.”

Rakesh Kumar, who sells sattu at Gandhi Maidan and had come to see today’s show, corroborated with Ahmed’s analysis of audience interest.

“What’s so special about this film? It is a black and white movie. The only reason I came here is to escape the heat and rest in the cool atmosphere,” said Rakesh.

But Ahmed has decided not to be dissuaded by such discouraging response.

“Like Gandhi experimented with truth (his autobiography is titled My Experiments with Truth), this is my experiment to influence individuals. Some visitors do show interest,” said Ahmed.

He added: “These films are good for students. But they hardly turn up despite notices published in major newspapers.”

Ahmed said: “There is unrest and violence all over the world. These films on Gandhi and other freedom fighters send out messages of non-violence.”

On being asked why he did not screen popular films on Gandhi, such as the Sanjay Dutt-starrer Lage Raho Munna Bhai, he turned livid and said: “I do not want to make fun of Gandhi. He should not be commercialised like this. The film does not project his thoughts and philosophy in the right manner.”

We could only say Lage Raho!