The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival is extra special for India.
It will see the world premiere of Hansal Mehta’s Gandhi, the first Indian series ever to be premiered at TIFF.
Pratik Gandhi plays the titular role while his wife Bhamini Oza doubles up as his screen wife Kasturba.
Glimpses of Gandhi‘s journey in Toronto.
The best journeys start with a kiss, and Pratik and Bhamini endorse that, as they drive to the festival venue in Toronto.
Hansal captures his feelings with a poignant post: ‘2012 was my first TIFF with Shahid. That trip changed my life. It gave me a voice, a place on the world stage. In 2016 I returned with Omertà, a film that will always be special to me even if it never quite got its due.
‘I still remember that first time with Jai when we could barely afford a proper meal. Another year Rajkummar and I were here for less than 24 hours.
‘This time feels different. This time feels so special. I’m here with the most personal work of my life surrounded by so many of the people who made it possible. And for all those who couldn’t make it here — we carry your love, your joy, and the passion you poured into Gandhi with us to this wonderful festival.’
The series is based on Ramachandra Guha’s books, Gandhi Before India and Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World, and looks closer at a young Gandhi.
We are introduced to a newly-married man, who is expecting his first child with Kasturba, even as he hopes to pursue a law degree in distant London.
The series will have three seasons, dividing Gandhi’s life into phases — the first season will focus on his formative years from 1888 to 1915, followed by 1915 to 1932 and then 1932 to 1947.
“I was born with the surname Gandhi,” Pratik once told PTI.
“In school, people used to tease me, they would say, ‘Gandhiji and Bapu’, when I was in pre-primary school. I hated that.
“My father once told me that you don’t know the power of this surname, you don’t know who they are talking about. Once you read, once you grow up, you will understand who this person was. I thought he was just trying to make me feel good.”
Pratik has played Gandhi before, as he has done more than 500 shows of the Gujarati play Mohan No Masalo in the past decade.
Harry Potter‘s Draco, Tom Felton, has been cast as Josiah Oldfield, Gandhi’s friend in London.
Interestingly, Felton was also Pratik’s first friend in England.
‘Cheers to my first friend in England, the innocent, emotional and funny @t22felton. Can’t wait to have you in India,’ Pratik posted.
Director of Photography Pratham Mehta captures a slice of history with his post.
Attending TIFF comes with its fan moments too, and Hansal gets his, as he chats with Dustin Hoffman.
Hansal writes, ‘#TIFF50 privileges. I had to overcome my shyness and approach this man for photographs. We ended up having a brief conversation about Gandhi, his film with Peter Greenway and Indian cinema. Honoured to meet the great Dustin Hoffman.’
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
