Saying yes to Phule, a biopic on social reformer Jyotirao Phule, was a no-brainer for Pratik Gandhi for a simple reason. Director Ananth Mahadevan shared the same belief as him about the genre—that biopics should be “a business of responsibility”. With that approach, the duo went ahead to tell the story of the 19th century social activist who fought casteism and championed women’s education.

“I credit Ananth Mahadevan and his co-writer Muazzam Beg for keeping it real. Collectively, we thought it has to be represented in the most earnest and honest way possible. There are certain facts that cannot be changed. Morally, one should not tweak history as [the information] is out there. [Phule’s] body of work and the reforms he brought are so significant that he can be called a hero, without us doing anything extra,” says the actor, who is joined by Patralekhaa in the April 11 release.