Pratik to play Gandhi in Applause web-series based on Ram Guha's books

Pratik Gandhi is all set to play Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi aka Mahatma Gandhi in an upcoming Hindi web-series being produced by Applause Entertainment.

The show will be an adaptation of two books on the Father of the Nation by well-known historian and author Ramachandra Guha. The books are titled Gandhi Before India and Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World.

In a press note, Applause Entertainment said this is their “most ambitious series yet” and will feature some lesser-known stories from his life that shaped the young Gandhi into the Mahatma.

Sameer Nair, chief executive officer (CEO) of Applause Entertainment, said in a statement that Guha is a historian and storyteller par excellence and they are proud to be adapting his books into this show.

“We couldn’t think of anyone better than the incredibly talented Pratik Gandhi to bring alive the Mahatma, and his philosophies of peace and love that shook the world," Nair said. "We believe that only a richly layered, multi-season drama series will do justice to Gandhi and to all the great personalities that embed the proud and illustrious history of India’s freedom struggle. This is a story of the birthing of modern India for a global audience.”

This is not the first time Pratik will be essaying the role of Gandhiji. He has played the Mahatma in Manoj Shah’s Gujarati play Mohan No Masalo, which looked at the incidents that shaped Gandhi's character. Mohan No Masalo ran for many shows and it was also later translated into Hindi and English.

“I deeply believe in the Gandhian philosophy and his values that echo simplicity in its purest form,” the actor said. “Personally, too, I strive to achieve and imbibe many of his qualities and teachings in my daily life.

"Moreover, playing the role of the Mahatma has been very close to my heart since my theatre days and it is a huge honour to yet again essay the role of this legendary leader on screen.

"It’s a huge responsibility to essay the role with dignity, grace and conviction and I can’t wait to embark on this journey with Sameer Nair and his team at Applause,” he added.

Hansal Mehta's Scam 1992 (2020), the show that made Pratik Gandhi a household name with his portrayal of the late stock broker and scamster Harshad Mehta, was also produced by Applause Entertainment.

Pleased to see his books being adapted into a series, Guha said Gandhi’s work transformed the world and his legacy still sparks the most intense debates.

“His life was an epic journey, played out across three great countries: India, England and South Africa,” he said. “He fought nobly for freedom, for inter-faith harmony, and for the rights of the underprivileged. Along the way he made many friends and not a few enemies, too.

"I am delighted that my books on Gandhi are now being adapted for this ambitious and exciting series being produced by Applause Entertainment," the author continued. "I am confident that it will bring the complex contours of Gandhi’s life and the moral essence of his teachings to viewers across the globe.”

The show will be shot across various Indian and international locations.