Latest news with #HansalMehta
News18
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Hansal Mehta's ‘Gandhi' To Premiere At Toronto International Film Festival 2025
Last Updated: Hansal Mehta's Gandhi, starring Pratik Gandhi, becomes the first Indian series selected for TIFF's Primetime Programme. In a landmark moment for Indian storytelling, Applause Entertainment's much-anticipated international series Gandhi, directed by Hansal Mehta and starring Pratik Gandhi, will have its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The series has been officially selected for TIFF's prestigious Primetime Programme, making it the first Indian series ever to be showcased in the festival's dedicated celebration of long-form storytelling. Adapted from historian Ramachandra Guha's definitive biographies, Gandhi is envisioned as a sweeping, multi-season epic that reimagines the life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi—not as the saintly figure etched in history, but as the young, flawed, and ambitious man still finding his way in the world. Season One: An Untold Story of Becoming (1888–1915) will chronicle Gandhi's early years, beginning with his adolescence in colonial India, his awkward stint as a law student in London, and his transformative 23 years in South Africa. It's a tale of contradictions, failures, awakenings, and self-discovery—long before he became the Mahatma, he was simply Mohan. TIFF Primetime, which began in 2015, has previously hosted acclaimed series like Alfonso Cuarón's Disclaimer, Shawn Levy and Steven Knight's All the Light We Cannot See, and Netflix's first German original Dark. Gandhi now joins this distinguished roster, marking a significant cultural milestone for Indian content on the global stage. Producer and Applause Entertainment MD Sameer Nair called the selection 'both an honour and a moment of immense pride." He added, 'Taking you up close and personal to the young Mohan way before he became the man history knows, this series is the culmination of deep research, creative development, and unwavering belief in the human story we wanted to tell. TIFF will be the first time our Gandhi will be seen by audiences. To begin that journey on such a global platform is the perfect start." For director and showrunner Hansal Mehta, the project is deeply personal, 'Gandhi has been the most creatively challenging and soul-stirring journey of my career. It's not just a story from our past—it's a meditation on conscience, a portrait of a man in constant conflict with himself and his times. TIFF has previously been home to some of my most precious work, and to have perhaps the most ambitious story of my career premiering there is doubly special—particularly in TIFF's 50th year." The TIFF premiere will be attended by key members of the team including Sameer Nair, Hansal Mehta, Siddharth Khaitan, Pratik Gandhi, as well as Tom Felton and Kabir Bedi. Backed by an accomplished creative team, the series features music by A.R. Rahman, with writing credits to Vaibhav Vishal, Karan Vyas, Felix von Stumm, Hema Gopinathan, Sehaj Kaur Maini, and Yashna Malhotra. Script guidance came from Siddhartha Basu and Ramachandra Guha himself. Casting was handled by Mukesh Chhabra (India) and Shakyra Dowling (International), with production design by Shashank Tere, costumes by Pia Benegal, and cinematography by Pratham Mehta—all contributing to the show's authenticity and scale. The world will now meet Gandhi not as the Mahatma, but as the man in the making, when the series makes its debut at TIFF 2025. First Published: August 10, 2025, 19:16 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Gandhi is like our The Crown: producer Sameer Nair
Mumbai, Aug 10 (PTI) 'Gandhi", the upcoming series directed by Hansal Mehta, will follow India's struggle for independence while providing an in-depth portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi at different stages in his life, says producer Sameer Nair, comparing the show's narrative depth to the acclaimed international series 'The Crown". Starring Pratik Gandhi in the titular role, the series promises an exploration of Gandhi's life and the diverse characters who shaped India's fight for freedom. Nair, the managing director of Applause Entertainment, said while Gandhi is a globally recognised figure, the show seeks to present a 'deeply personal story" that goes beyond his iconic status. 'When (Richard) Attenborough made 'Gandhi' he had only two and a half hours to make it and he ended up making a story about Gandhi via a narrow lens. What we are hoping to do with this is to also tell the story of the Indian independence and there are so many other characters involved. Nair said they are planning to make the show into three seasons. 'It's not just Gandhi, it's also about people who are with him, who were against him, the British and the whole situation. So, these three seasons are more like our 'The Crown' (Netflix's hit show on the British royal family)," Nair told PTI in an interview. Mehta has enjoyed great success in the streaming space with critically-acclaimed shows such as 'Scam" and 'Scoop" and Nair hopes 'Gandhi" would turn out to be a show that the whole world watches. 'Gandhi" will have its world premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September. The banner is known for shows such as Vikramaditya Motwane's 'Black Warrant", Nagesh Kukunoor's 'The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination", Hansal Mehta's 'Scam 1992", and Pankaj Tripathi-starrer 'Criminal Justice" among others. 'Gandhi" is based on renowned historian and author Ramachandra Guha's books — 'Gandhi Before India" and 'Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World". The show will also feature Pratik Gandhi's wife Bhamini Oza as Kasturba Gandhi and 'Harry Potter" star Tom Felton as Josiah Oldfield Nair informed that through three seasons they hope to track Gandhi's journey from 1888 through 1947. The first season is dedicated to the years 1888 to 1915, while subsequent seasons will cover 1915 to 1932 and finally, 1932 to 1947, he said. 'Gandhi is going to be a big one and now it's ready. Hansal is there, Pratik is playing the role, and AR Rahman is doing the music. So, it's all come together quite well. Hopefully, that should be ready by the end of August. 'Then we'll take it out there and see how to put it out. But that will be a big one. Season one is about the younger Gandhi that you don't know about, it's a young adult story, we call season one 'Mohan to Mahatma'." Nair said the first season is about an 18-year-old who goes to London to study law. 'So, it's not the Mahatma you see on the currency note or the person that we all know about. It's a different guy and how he becomes that (Mahatma). So, it's very fascinating," Nair added. Nair said they are hoping to release the first season of the show in India by December end. 'It is quite an expensive project. It's not easy to do this. We've taken some time writing it because you are writing about extremely famous and large public figures and it needs to be done (right). 'We tell human stories. We take the camera very close to the people and we try to tell human stories. So it's not about the great, it's about the people, and how they became great," he said, adding that they haven't shot for the subsequent seasons of 'Gandhi" yet. PTI KKP BK BK RB (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 10, 2025, 11:30 IST News agency-feeds Gandhi is like our The Crown: producer Sameer Nair Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Hansal Mehta's web series starring Pratik Gandhi and Harry Potter fame Tom Felton set for grand premiere in Toronto
Star-studded presence at TIFF 50 — arrahman (@arrahman) MORE STORIES FOR YOU ✕ « Back to recommendation stories I don't want to see these stories because They are not relevant to me They disrupt the reading flow Others SUBMIT When the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, history will also be made for Indian storytelling on the global stage. Hansal Mehta 's highly anticipated web series Gandhi, starring Pratik Gandhi in the titular role, will premiere as part of TIFF's prestigious Primetime Programme — marking the first time an Indian series has been showcased in this series, produced by Applause Entertainment and adapted from Ramachandra Guha's acclaimed biographies of Mahatma Gandhi, has music composed by the legendary AR Rahman, who announced the news on X (formerly Twitter). 'Glad to announce the world premiere of Gandhi at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival 2025, the first Indian series to be selected in TIFF's prestigious Primetime slate! This series is Produced by Applause Entertainment and Directed by Hansal Mehta,' Rahman posted, also revealing a striking glimpse of Pratik Gandhi's to The Hollywood Reporter India, Hansal Mehta expressed deep gratitude for the selection, recalling his long association with TIFF. 'TIFF has previously been home to some of my most precious pieces of work, and to have perhaps the most ambitious story of my career premiering there is doubly special, particularly in TIFF's 50th year. To share this journey at a festival that has embraced me over the years is both humbling and surreal. I hope it opens the door for more Indian series to find their place on the world stage,' he the premiere, Hansal Mehta will be joined by lead actor Pratik Gandhi, producer Sameer Nair, and a notable lineup of cast and crew including Kabir Bedi, Siddharth Khaitan, and Harry Potter star Tom Felton. Their presence will highlight the scale and ambition of the project, which blends historical depth with cinematic storytelling aimed at a global Primetime Programme, which showcases bold, original television storytelling from around the world, has now opened its doors to Indian creators with Gandhi. The milestone reflects the rising appetite for Indian narratives in international festivals.
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Hansal Mehta's web series starring Pratik Gandhi and Harry Potter fame Tom Felton set for grand premiere in Toronto
Hansal Mehta's web series Gandhi, starring Pratik Gandhi and Harry Potter fame Tom Felton among others, will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival's Primetime Programme, marking the first time an Indian series has been showcased in this section. (Image: IMDb) When the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, history will also be made for Indian storytelling on the global stage. Hansal Mehta's highly anticipated web series Gandhi , starring Pratik Gandhi in the titular role, will premiere as part of TIFF's prestigious Primetime Programme — marking the first time an Indian series has been showcased in this section. The series, produced by Applause Entertainment and adapted from Ramachandra Guha's acclaimed biographies of Mahatma Gandhi, has music composed by the legendary AR Rahman, who announced the news on X (formerly Twitter). 'Glad to announce the world premiere of Gandhi at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival 2025, the first Indian series to be selected in TIFF's prestigious Primetime slate! This series is Produced by Applause Entertainment and Directed by Hansal Mehta,' Rahman posted, also revealing a striking glimpse of Pratik Gandhi's look. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India , Hansal Mehta expressed deep gratitude for the selection, recalling his long association with TIFF. 'TIFF has previously been home to some of my most precious pieces of work, and to have perhaps the most ambitious story of my career premiering there is doubly special, particularly in TIFF's 50th year. To share this journey at a festival that has embraced me over the years is both humbling and surreal. I hope it opens the door for more Indian series to find their place on the world stage,' he said. For the premiere, Hansal Mehta will be joined by lead actor Pratik Gandhi, producer Sameer Nair, and a notable lineup of cast and crew including Kabir Bedi, Siddharth Khaitan, and Harry Potter star Tom Felton. Their presence will highlight the scale and ambition of the project, which blends historical depth with cinematic storytelling aimed at a global audience. TIFF's Primetime Programme, which showcases bold, original television storytelling from around the world, has now opened its doors to Indian creators with Gandhi . The milestone reflects the rising appetite for Indian narratives in international festivals.
News18
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Hansal Mehta Shares Poster Of Pratik Gandhi's Gandhi, First Series To Premiere At TIFF
AR Rahman shared his enthusiasm on the social platform X and congratulated the team Hansal Mehta has unveiled the first official poster of his much-awaited series Gandhi, starring Pratik Gandhi in the titular role. The announcement has created excitement, as the series is set to achieve a historic milestone. It will be the first Indian series to premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Taking to his Instagram handle, Hansal Mehta shared the poster and wrote, 'We are honored to announce the world premiere of Gandhi at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival 2025, the first Indian series to be selected in TIFF's prestigious Primetime slate! This series is Produced by Applause Entertainment, Directed by Hansal Mehta and the Music is Composed by A R Rahman." The poster shows Pratik Gandhi in an Gandhi avatar. One of the fans wrote, 'heartiest congratulations to the entire team." Take a look here: AR Rahman shared his enthusiasm on the social platform X, stating, 'Glad to announce the world premiere of Gandhi at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival 2025 (sic)." Reportedly, the series is based on Ramachandra Guha's renowned works, 'Gandhi before India' and 'Gandhi: The Years that Changed the World', which provide an in-depth exploration of Gandhi's impact on India and beyond. Pratik Gandhi's work front: Pratik Gandhi stars as the meticulous and resilient intelligence officer Vishnu Shankar in Saare Jahan Se Accha drama. This fictional drama is mission-based story and brought to life by a standout ensemble cast including Sunny Hinduja, Suhail Nayyar, Kritika Kamra, Tillotama Shome, Rajat Kapoor and Anup Soni. Premiering August 13, the series is created by Gaurav Shukla and produced by Bombay Fables, with Bhavesh Mandalia as the creative producer. The series has been written by Bhavesh Mandalia, Gaurav Shukla, Meghna Srivastava, Abhijeet Khuman, Shivam Shankar, Kunal Kushwah and Ishraq Shah. Pratik Gandhi was last seen in the biographical drama Phule, where he played social reformer Jyotirao Phule, with Patralekhaa as Savitribai Phule. The film, directed by Ananth Mahadevan, was released on April 25, 2025, coinciding with the 197th birth anniversary of Jyotirao Phule, following a short delay due to CBFC-recommended changes related to caste references. view comments First Published: August 08, 2025, 10:36 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
