Sameer Nair on web series Gandhi starring Pratik Gandhi: We will explore the whole gamut in 25 hours

Given that the makers have the advantage of time, they want to use all 150 characters to portray the story of Gandhi and the fight for Indian freedom

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Gandhi the monumental work based on Mahatma Gandhi's life, was revealed by its creator, Sameer Nair, in May to commemorate the five years of Applause Entertainment. The books Gandhi Before India and Gandhi — The Years that Changed the World, written by Indian historian and novelist Ramachandra Guha, will serve as the basis for the multi-season series. It is hardly surprising that Nair acknowledges that getting Guha on board was difficult when the conversation first started.

The producer told Mid Day that he pursued Guha for three years. He first contacted him in July 2019, and the writer sent him back after Nair met him without having finished the book. He finished the entire book after that and went back to Guha. During the pandemic, Nair got in touch with him once more, and the response changed from a flat "No" to "Let me see," then to "Let's talk."

Hansal Mehta will act as the series' director and showrunner, and Siddhartha Basu will serve as a historical and creative adviser. Pratik Gandhi, well known for his role in Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story will play the series' eponymous role. Gandhi is clear to see as Nair's passionate endeavour. According to him, the goal is to convey a comprehensive tale that depicts the concurrent rise of a country and a leader.

Nair said that they are creating a plot analogous to The Crown or The Tudors but he doesn't want to draw comparisons because they come with their own set of problems. Regarding a biopic, only one story about Mahatma Gandhi has been produced. Gandhi by Richard Attenborough is a two-and-a-half-hour-long biopic that focuses on one person. Freedom fighters like Subhas Chandra Bose and BR Ambedkar don't have standout scenes in the movie. They are making a more significant effort. Given that the makers have the advantage of time, they want to use all 150 characters to portray the story of Gandhi and the fight for Indian freedom. They will cover the entire spectrum in the next 25 hours.

The first season will concentrate on the beginning of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi's life, which is a tale of an irate young man. It will then discuss how his education in South Africa affected his beliefs.

Nair adds that Gandhi realised the real-world effects of racism when he travelled to South Africa. From there, the story unfolds: how he returns to India, marshals his forces, and transforms into Mahatma. They are telling the story of the 30 years he spent meeting people before becoming independent. People claim to be familiar with the tale, but they are unaware of the countless tales of the independence movement. Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Gandhi had a friendship that is still unexplored. At its core is the tale of the creation of a nation, and the story's politics are consistent with the book Guha wrote. There is no other side to this story.

Through his work, Mr. Guha has raised many issues. He claimed Gandhi became the father of the country, but could he also be a father to his own children? It is a human drama rather than a political one.

The main cast of a show of this magnitude is just as important as the writing. Nair was aware that Pratik Gandhi had to play the lead because Mohan No Masalo is a drama based on Gandhi. They won't want anyone to arrive with baggage because the show will feature a variety of new actors. Since this project requires a multi-season commitment, they need actors that are interested. Next year, the drama will begin production.

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