Pratik Gandhi: Cracking north Indian twang was important

Pratik Gandhi in a still from the series

There's something about gripping investigative dramas that pull you into their world instantly. Pratik Gandhi believes the same holds true for his upcoming series, The Great Indian Murder.

The actor's next big outing after the raging success of Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story is built on a solid foundation - the Disney+ Hotstar special is based on Vikas Swarup's bestseller Six Suspects. "The script was the starting point because the subject itself is intricate and complex. If you have read the book, you get a sense of how elaborate the subject at hand is," says the actor, who plays Central Bureau of Investigation officer Suraj Yadav, tasked with investigating the murder of a minister's son. The drama, which delves into the lives of the corrupt and powerful, also stars Richa Chadha, Ashutosh Rana, Raghubir Yadav and Shashank Arora.

The opportunity of working with director Tigmanshu Dhulia was one of the reasons for Gandhi to say yes to the project. "I am playing a north Indian character for the first time, so cracking the twang was important. The lingo had to be learnt. It helped that Tigmanshu comes from Allahabad, and his command over Hindi is so good. We jammed a lot, and came up with nuances for the character."

Extensive homework comes naturally to the actor who has roots in theatre. Gandhi studied the nuances of investigative officers of north India before stepping in front of the camera. "My character is in the system, but he is playing with the system. It is interesting because he carries a different body language and his world is different [from that of the roles I have played before]."