Pratik Gandhi: Dividing 365 days between mediums

A still from Vaahlam Jaao Ne

Forgetting his roots is not an option for Pratik Gandhi, who has a background in Gujarati theatre and cinema and has been devoted to the industry for decades. After becoming an overnight sensation with the success of Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, the actor was on every director's wish-list. However, balancing the Hindi and Gujarati film industry with a plateful of projects lined-up throughout the year is no easy feat, but Gandhi doesn't believe in taking pressure. Instead, he hopes to front more interesting Gujarati projects. "Scam 1992 became the benchmark of my life. It [introduced me to] a different phase in my life, but I don't take that pressure," says the actor, who has been roped in for Gujarati film Vaahlam Jaao Ne.

Pratik Gandhi

Perplexed by questions of his return to Gujarati cinema, Gandhi claims that he "never left", despite the fact that he is doing a Gujarati film after four years. "I am getting a lot of work in mainstream Hindi films and web series, so I get little time [to do anything else]. The only practical thing to do is divide the 365 days [in a year] between different formats and mediums. I also want to experiment with Gujarati films that have a good subject and [interesting] characters, and I am open to other regional cinema too," says Gandhi, adding that the comfort in performing in his mother tongue brings out his performance. "It is not only about acting, it is also about creating something between the lines, which is beyond imagination. That comes with the comfort in the language."

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Directed by Hardik Gajjar - Vaahlam Jaao Ne - the family entertainer sees Gandhi attempting situational comedy for the first time. "It is going to be my 10th Gujarati film on screen. It is a comedy based on situations we have created. Nobody is trying to force humour, and that is the kind I like to perform," he says.