Even though Scam 1992 actor Pratik Gandhi’s film Bhavai ran into unwanted controversy, he believes India is a tolerant country

Nonika Singh

He is bona fide star of OTT. And as Scam 1992 actor Pratik Gandhi, who created waves with Hansal Mehta’s much acclaimed web series on stockbroker Harshad Mehta, is ready with his next outing Bhavai, he sure is keeping his fingers crossed.

With Bhavai releasing in cinema halls, you could call it an acid test of his new-found stardom. He agrees that releasing the film in theatres is both an opportunity “for audiences are ready for the big screen experience” as well as a risk which even big-ticket films are taking rather testily. The musical incidentally has already stirred a hornet’s nest. Shakespeare may have believed, ‘what’s in a name,’ the easily provoked brigade clearly saw red and had problems with the title Ravan Leela forcing the makers to change its name and also chop a few scenes.

Will that affect the film’s fortunes and perhaps rob it of its essence? Says Pratik, “If you are a purist kind of cinema lover and every single scene and dialogue matters than you may feel something is missing. But I am sure the makers have ensured that the gist of the film remains intact.”

Whether controversy helps or mars a film, he can’t say for such an unsavoury experience (he was personally trolled too) is first of its kind for the otherwise hugely admired actor. What is heart-breaking for Pratik is the fact that people jump the gun and react and judge without watching and base their verdict on preconceived notions.

“The film,” he insists, “is neither about Ram nor Ravan and once they watch and understand the context they will realise they have nothing to object against.”

Rather, the movie directed by Hardik Gajjar has an interesting premise in which reel and real lives of theatre actors intercut and get messed up. He says, “It’s about perceptions on a big canvas.” Being a theatre practitioner, actor of stellar performances like the play Mohan No Masalo which saw him enacting the monologue in three languages back-to-back earning it a place in Limca Book of Records, he could certainly identify with the part. But as an actor with years of experience in theatre and Gujarati cinema he sure has learnt the art of switch on and off once the lights are off.

He is not unduly perturbed by the fact that India woke up to the actor in him with a Hindi series even though he has several hit Gujarati films up his sleeve.

On limited reach of regional cinema, he opines, “Language does pose an impediment. But then there is cinema from South, Malayalam and Tamil films in particular, which know no regional boundaries. The whole world is watching them.”

Besides, he is in no mood to complain and is ever grateful to last one year (only recently he celebrated one year of Scam 1992) and OTT in particular which he deems is a boon for audiences and the actors. Whether the future belongs to the OTT, he feels, “Who knows there could be a new disruptive medium tomorrow?” But the best thing is all the existing ones will coexist and even better Pratik, who has even been a part of, could be the common factor and be seen in all. Apart from Bhavai we shall soon him in Atithi Bhooto Bhava, also directed by Hardik Gajjar, Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan and Ajay Devgn’s production, the web series, Six Suspects.

Post Scam 1992 which he calls a game changer, life has been in a fast lane rather as he puts it has been a “scamdemic” leading to a very busy calendar.

Tasting success in the middle years of life, he agrees, “Might be a blessing for you are not swept off your feet.” But as an afterthought he smiles and quips, “I don’t know better.”

But if you want to know the actor in him better, watch Bhavai which releases in theatres today. A musical love story it comes packed with many satires about our thought processes and society at large.