Securing the role that would define his career and earn him an Academy Award, Sir Ben Kingsley's portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi was a cinematic triumph, but the path to landing the part came with a significant personal sacrifice. The legendary actor, now 81, has opened up about the professional hurdles he faced early on, which led to a life-altering decision.
The Price of a Breakthrough
Born Krishna Pandit Bhanji to an English mother and an Indian father, the actor was 38 years old when he was cast as Gandhi in Sir Richard Attenborough's acclaimed 1982 biopic. The film, which also starred acting heavyweights like Sir John Gielgud and Martin Sheen, was only Kingsley's second film appearance. Prior to this, he had spent over a decade working in television on shows such as the BBC's Play For Today and Crown Court.
However, his journey to that pivotal moment was not straightforward. In a recent interview with Radio Times, Kingsley admitted that he felt compelled to change his birth name after a disheartening early audition. 'As soon as I changed my name, I got the jobs,' he revealed. He recounted one specific tryout as Krishna Bhanji where he was told, 'Beautiful audition but we don’t quite know how to place you.' The contrast was stark after the change: 'I changed my name, crossed the road, and they said when can you start?'
A Profound Irony
The irony of this decision is not lost on the veteran star. He changed a name with roots in Hinduism and Islam to one that was considered more universal and pronounceable, only to later be cast as one of India's most revered figures. 'I suppose it says more about the 1960s than anything else,' Kingsley reflected. 'But the irony is of course I changed my clunky invented Asian name to a more pronounceable, and acceptable, universal name in order to play Mahatma Gandhi. There’s your irony.'
His first TV role came in the 1966 sitcom Pardon The Expression, leading to various small-screen parts throughout the 1970s before the career-defining role in Gandhi. His startlingly accurate performance earned him an Oscar on his first nomination, and the film swept the board at the 55th Academy Awards in 1983.
Legacy and Identity
Kingsley would later return to his Indian heritage for roles such as the Sikh driving instructor Darwan Singh Tur in the 2014 drama Learning To Drive. His acclaimed career also includes his portrayal of Holocaust survivor Itzhak Stern in Steven Spielberg's 1993 masterpiece, Schindler's List. In a dramatic shift, he won a new generation of fans and further award nominations for his chilling performance as sociopathic criminal Don Logan in 2000's Sexy Beast.
After decades of working under his stage name, Sir Ben admits that his identity has shifted. 'I don’t think I think of myself,' he said, comparing his craft to that of a portrait artist. 'For many, many years I have signed my portraits Ben Kingsley. That’s who I am.'
Now happily married to his fourth wife, Daniela Lavender, and watching his sons Edmund and Ferdinand follow him into acting, Kingsley also shared a poignant reflection on his parents. He revealed he never asked them if they were proud of his success, explaining, 'I think asking them would have been a terrible admission of their absence... You should never have to audition for your love.'
