Pratik Gandhi inseparable from his “Scam 1992” role

Written By: RAVI HARI, Senior Writer

More than one year after the release of “Scam 1992”, actor Pratik Gandhi is still being talked about for his stellar performance in the web show, and the Harshad Mehta role that he portrayed comes up in the discussions every time there is his new release.

With his first big Bollywood film "Bhavai" where he played Rajaram Joshi who gets to play the role of Raavan; short film ‘Shimmy’ in which he is seen as Amol, the father of a teenaged daughter; and Gujarati web series titled “Vitthal Teedi” where he essays the role of a gambler - it is with authority that Pratik Gandhi has made the industry take note of him, and is not just an overnight sensation.

Amazing to watch in the current OTT platform, he portrayed different characters to give the audience a good cinema experience.

But, with the TV series “Scam 1992”, Pratik Gandhi for sure had bagged the film that has made his mark in the game that began in the OTT space.

So, is the Pratik Gandhi sensation here to stay? Maybe. And, how could anyone miss this amazing performance in the financial thriller? Right from the first scene to the last in the 2020 biopic, Pratik attracted viewers instantly, made them fall in love with his character, and ultimately has won accolades for his acting and the magic that keeps viewers glued to him.

The audiences appreciated his incomparable acting, impeccable dialogue delivery, and equally in astonishment as he delivered the screen presence that needed no further improvement. The film has full of such instances. Pratik took with both hands the opportunity presented before him by director Hansal Mehta. The smirk that he shows on one side of his face is definitely not to be missed. People who watched him will vouch for this. The mannerisms he expresses, the authoritative and confident walk, the conversation that he keeps with the other characters in the movie, and especially with his younger brother Ashwin Mehta (played by Hemant Kher) when going through ups and downs, have all the hallmarks of an actor with star material.

The actor is humble when admits he has been doing stage acting for years and never was in desperation to get hold of roles in the mainstream. Maybe he knew his time would come one day. And, he ultimately got the role that he perhaps wanted and is now forcing big wigs in the field to just sit back, and enjoy the powerful role that he played.

Pratik speaks with confidence on the stage, at events, speaks sense all the time, and takes all into a trance when he is asked to say the dialogues of “Scam 1992”.

When attributed the dialogues of "Scam 1992" to Pratik's acting skills, he is a "Success" and not a ‘Failure ke baad ka chapter’ as he won accolades in Gujarati theatre and cinema for a number of years. The appreciation Pratik received from all is definitely not ‘Emotion mein insaan hamesa galti karta hai’. The audience connect to him when he utters the dialogue, ‘Mein market mein jaake bhashanbaazi karna nahi chahta, seedha logon ke bharose pe khelna chahta hoon!’.

Pratik with this masterpiece has taken a risk enacting controversial late stockbroker Harshad Mehta, but is now thoroughly enjoying ‘Risk hai toh ishq hai!’. When one goes back to this dialogue, ‘Dekho mein cigarette nahi peeta, par jeb mein lighter zarur rakhta hoon, Dhamaka karne ke liye’, the conclusion can be only be that Pratik has made a Dhamaka entry in the OTT space.

When he lived the role, everyone fell in love as they saw someone breaking the stereotype. The way dialogues are delivered is what makes him extraordinary. It was just pure acting and talent, and in this once-in-a-life-time role, Pratik has immortalized himself. For a man who believed hard work will pay off one day, it was for him to change his life by this one performance. Playing the role that turned his life completely, it is proved that for a good script you also need a good talent. It is rare for actors to be known for fictional names but for his mind-blowing performance, one thought he was the real Harshad Mehta - a character that stays in our minds forever.

With his raw authentic look, a smile that shows another level of confidence, impeccable dialogue delivery, Pratik becomes the soul of this show, giving goosebumps to anyone watching him, and this is how he built his image. And, this makes him so special that even more than one year after the release, people still want to talk about this cult show.

Many who watched the web series want to see more and more of him on the big and small screens. And, with a number of offers coming his way, he will make you fall in love with his different roles again. With the magic that he possesses, he will be amazing to watch in his upcoming works – “Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan” with Taapsee Pannu, “Six Suspects” with Richa Chadha, Hansal Mehta’s “Dedh Bigha Zameen”, and an untitled romantic comedy starring Vidya Balan and Ileana D’Cruz.

So, has someone finally arrived? And, is Pratik Gandhi the best bet for the next acting star in the Hindi cinema space?
Keep thinking!