What turns a devotee into an assassin? This play dares you to understand the man who killed Gandhi.
Mahatma Gandhi: lawyer, champion of non-violence, beloved leader. Nathuram Godse: journalist, nationalist – and the man who murdered Gandhi. This gripping play traces Godse's life over 30 years during India’s fight for independence: from a devout follower of Gandhi, through to his radicalisation and their tragic final encounter in Delhi in 1948.
Acting
Abeysekera's Godse: charming, repellent, devastatingly human.
Direction
Rubasingham makes history feel dangerously present-tense.
Writing
Godse narrates his own murder—daring structural choice.
Director
Indhu Rubasingham
Hiran Abeysekera
Nathuram Godse
Azan Ahmed
Daulat/British Policeman
Ravi Aujla
Baba
Paul Bazely
Mohandas Gandhi
Ayesha Dharker
Aai
Marc Elliott
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
Ravin J. Ganatra
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Raj Ghatak
Kishore
Nadeem Islam
Mithun/Ensemble
Tony Jayawardena
Vinayak Savarkar
Aysha Kala
Vimala
Sid Sagar
Narayan Apte
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Hiran Abeysekera won the 2022 Olivier for this role; the performance was filmed during the West End transfer, not the original National Theatre run.
Godse remains a polarizing figure in India—honored by some Hindu nationalist groups, condemned by the state. The play's 2021 premiere sparked debates about whether any platforming of assassins risks legitimization.
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