Watch The Frontier Gandhi

The Frontier Gandhi is a documentary film that examines the life and legacy of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, also known as the "Frontier Gandhi." Khan was a legendary figure in the struggle for Indian independence from British colonial rule, and one of the most important leaders of the Pashtun community in what is now Pakistan. The film begins by tracing Khan's early life, growing up in a family of religious scholars and becoming involved in various social and political movements. As he became more politically active, Khan began to develop the theory of nonviolent resistance that would become the hallmark of his career. He saw nonviolence as a way of confronting and dismantling the unjust systems of colonialism and imperialism that plagued much of the world at that time.

The heart of the film is a detailed examination of Khan's leadership of the Khudai Khidmatgar, or Servants of God, a nonviolent movement for social and political reform in the Pashtun areas of what is now Pakistan. The Khudai Khidmatgar was unique in that it enlisted both men and women, and was explicitly anti-sectarian and anti-communal, uniting people of different religious and ethnic backgrounds in pursuit of a common goal.

The film includes extensive archival footage of Khan and the Khudai Khidmatgar, depicting their tactics of nonviolent protest, civil disobedience, and community organizing. One particularly powerful sequence shows the Khudai Khidmatgar marching with banners and placards bearing quotes from the Quran, drawing on Islamic theology to justify their peaceful resistance against British imperial rule.

Many of Khan's tactics and strategies were influenced by his close relationship with Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence movement. The two men corresponded frequently, and Gandhi visited Khan's home in 1929. Despite their close ties, however, Khan remained a fiercely independent and unique thinker – for example, he rejected Gandhi's famous Salt March, seeing it as too limited in scope.

The Frontier Gandhi also explores the complex and often tragic history of Khan's relationship with the newly formed state of Pakistan after independence. Despite his decades of work on behalf of the people of the region, Khan was often marginalized and persecuted by the Pakistani government, which saw him as a threat to its own power. He spent many years in prison, and was eventually exiled from Pakistan altogether.

Despite these challenges, Khan's legacy has inspired generations of activists and humanitarians around the world. His unique blend of Islamic theology, Gandhian nonviolence, and grassroots organizing serves as a powerful example of how social and political change can be achieved through peaceful means. The Frontier Gandhi is a compelling and insightful examination of this remarkable figure and his enduring impact, and is essential viewing for anyone interested in the history of South Asia, nonviolent resistance, or social justice.