Hansal Mehta drops Gandhi BTS pics on Gandhi Jayanti: 'He stumbled upon greatness'
Synopsis
On Gandhi Jayanti, Hansal Mehta broke his silence on the ambitious three-season streaming series 'Gandhi' with rare BTS images of Pratik Gandhi in character — complete with period-accurate Victorian sets. The world-premiered-at-TIFF series, based on Ramachandra Guha's landmark biography, could be the biggest biographical undertaking in Indian OTT history.
Key Takeaways
Hansal Mehta shared behind-the-scenes pictures from streaming series 'Gandhi' on 2 October , Gandhi Jayanti.
Pratik Gandhi plays Mahatma Gandhi in the titular role; images show Victorian and Edwardian period sets.
The series is based on Ramachandra Guha's books 'Gandhi Before India' and 'Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World' .
Season 1 covers 1888–1915 and completed shooting in August 2024 ; world premiere was at TIFF 2025 on 17 September 2025 .
The show is planned for three seasons and is produced by Applause Entertainment .
This is the third collaboration between Mehta and Pratik Gandhi, following the acclaimed 'Scam 1992' .
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta marked Gandhi Jayanti on 2 October by sharing rare behind-the-scenes pictures from the sets of his much-anticipated streaming series 'Gandhi', offering audiences the first look at Pratik Gandhi embodying Mahatma Gandhi in the titular role. The images, posted on Hansal's Instagram, capture period-accurate Victorian architecture, Edwardian design elements, and authentic fabrics that transport viewers to the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.
What Hansal Mehta Said
Accompanying the images, Mehta wrote a reflective caption: 'Behind the scenes of #Gandhi. Only for today. He was a young man who did not know where he was going. He stumbled upon greatness. Today more than ever before let us understand his journey and celebrate his chosen path. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. 2 Oct 1869 - 30 Jan 1948.' The note signals the deeply personal register in which Mehta appears to be approaching the project.
About the Series
The show is based on historian Ramachandra Guha's acclaimed two-volume biography — 'Gandhi Before India' and 'Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World' — and is planned across three seasons. Season 1, which covers the years 1888 to 1915, charts Gandhi's journey from a curious teenager in colonial India to a shy law student in London, and finally to a young lawyer who spends 23 transformative years in South Africa. Principal photography for the first season wrapped in August 2024. The series had its world premiere in the Primetime Programme at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on 17 September 2025.
Hansal Mehta and Pratik Gandhi: A Proven Partnership
This marks the third collaboration between Hansal Mehta and Pratik Gandhi, a pairing that first earned national acclaim with 'Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story'. Mehta has consistently pushed the boundaries of Indian streaming content, having also produced 'Modern Love Mumbai' and 'Khana Khazana', and directed celebrated films such as 'Aligarh' and 'Shahid'. The series is produced by Applause Entertainment.
Why This Story Matters
The release of BTS imagery on Gandhi Jayanti is a deliberate and strategically timed move — it frames the series not merely as prestige entertainment but as a cultural moment. Adapting Guha's rigorously researched biography for the screen is an ambitious undertaking; a three-season arc places 'Gandhi' among the most expansive biopics ever attempted in Indian streaming. Notably, Pratik Gandhi's previous transformation into Harshad Mehta set a benchmark for biographical performance in the OTT space, raising audience expectations considerably for this role.
Point of View
But the real story is the weight of expectation sitting on this project. Adapting Guha's definitive two-volume biography across three seasons is the most ambitious biographical commission in Indian streaming — and the first to attempt Gandhi in a serialised, prestige-format arc rather than a single film. Pratik Gandhi's credibility as a transformative biographical actor is beyond question after 'Scam 1992', but Gandhi is a figure freighted with far more political and cultural sensitivity than Harshad Mehta. How Mehta navigates the South Africa years — which include aspects of Gandhi's early racial views that modern audiences will scrutinise closely — will determine whether this series merely earns awards or genuinely shifts the conversation.
NationPress
2 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hansal Mehta's 'Gandhi' series about?
'Gandhi' is a streaming biopic series depicting the life of Mahatma Gandhi, based on Ramachandra Guha's books 'Gandhi Before India' and 'Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World'. The first of three planned seasons covers the years 1888 to 1915, tracing Gandhi's time in India, London, and South Africa.
Who plays Mahatma Gandhi in the series?
Pratik Gandhi plays the titular role of Mahatma Gandhi. This is his third collaboration with director Hansal Mehta, following the critically acclaimed 'Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story'.
Where did the 'Gandhi' series have its world premiere?
The series had its world premiere in the Primetime Programme at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on 17 September 2025.
Who is producing the 'Gandhi' series?
The series is produced by Applause Entertainment. Hansal Mehta is the director, and the show is adapted from Ramachandra Guha's two-volume biography of Mahatma Gandhi.
Why did Hansal Mehta share BTS pictures on 2 October?
2 October is Gandhi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, who was born on 2 October 1869. Mehta shared the pictures to mark the occasion and pay tribute to Gandhi's legacy while generating interest in the upcoming series.
