Pratik Gandhi: Morally, one should not tweak history

Pratik Gandhi in the film

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.

Biopics in Hindi cinema often become hagiographies, with protagonists whitewashed and their journeys, embellished. Such storytelling doesn't appeal to Gandhi, who played an anti-hero of sorts in his breakout series Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story (2020). The actor points out the need for sensitivity and sensibility when crafting biopics about social leaders.

He notes, "These kinds of stories need more sensibility and sensitivity than trying to make them appealing to the masses. Today, we need [a hero] like Phule. But I don't need slow-motion shots to make him look larger than life. Nor do I need to give him [heroic] lines to show that he has come from heaven. That's why I trusted Ananth Mahadevan; he relies on facts, data and incidents."