Manoj Bajpayee will be cast in one of the most challenging and iconic roles of his career when he portrays Mahatma Gandhi for the first time. The actor is collaborating with the celebrated filmmaker Sudhir Mishra and producer Anubhav Sinha for a historical drama in which Gandhi’s life (in the context of independence) is not well-known.
The upcoming film is managed by Sudhir Mishra and produced by Anubhav Sinha under his banner, Benaras Media Works. The project is expected to focus on a very small and relatively unexplored 21-day period of Mahatma Gandhi’s life and not a typical retelling of it. Gandhi’s life and personal journey will centre on the Indian political and social changes in the last decade.
Directed by Sudhir Mishra, the film revolves around the 21 days when India was moving towards freedom and Delhi was becoming the centre of political power. Many leaders were involved in the political transition but Gandhi opted to step away from the centre of power. But Mishra’s interpretation is that this was not withdrawal or capitulation. Rather, the filmmaker wants to see how Gandhi turned into it and re-emerged his purpose.
The film is therefore going to go beyond the history and the character and show the real person behind the great person. By dissecting Gandhi’s inner conflict, his choices and how he relates to the political world we will get a personal perspective of a time that has been mainly observed through those historical events.
Manoj Bajpayee’s character is one that is far from what he’s done in the past. Bajpayee has portrayed complex, layered and emotionally difficult characters in movies and web series for so long, from epic dramas to crime stories and socially relevant movies. Playing Mahatma Gandhi, however, takes him into an entirely different artistic space since it is more historical and publicised and people know the character.
Saurabh Shukla is also present in the film’s ensemble cast. So the presence of him adds to the experience of a project that includes some of the most celebrated creative minds of Hindi cinema. Details of his character and the rest of the cast are yet to be revealed and the historical drama is even more fascinating.
Sudhir Mishra and Anubhav Sinha are another biggie of the project. With his socially relevant and thought-provoking cinema work Sinha is a filmmaker and producer. Movies like "Mulk", "Article 15" and "Thappad" dealt with identity, discrimination, social structures and personal relationships. His production of this project indicates a desire to tell a story that is rooted in history for contemporary audiences in an elegant and cinematic style.
Sudhir Mishra brings decades of experience to the project. As he approaches four decades in Hindi cinema, the filmmaker has come to be known for making political, character-driven movies. His acclaimed works include "Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi*", "Dharavi" and "Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin". Meanwhile, he has been awarded three National Film Awards for his work in Indian cinema, so it is all the more important to return to the stage with this project.
The film is particularly intriguing since it wants to combine the scale of India’s independence story with the personal story of one of its most influential leaders. Gandhi’s political philosophy and public life is not going to be studied by this film but instead is going to show the lesser-known choices and emotions that shaped his personal choices at a very crucial moment in history.
The collaboration of Bajpayee, Mishra and Sinha could make this one of the most eagerly awaited historical dramas in Hindi cinema. As a celebrated actor who will take over the role of Gandhi for the first time and an experienced filmmaker who will attempt to bring back a story from a different perspective, the expectations are high.
When the actors, title, production and release date are announced the film will be appreciated very much by viewing audiences and history fans. It could also allow filmmakers to do something different and move away from the typical biographical story and to create a small but powerful narrative that is emotionally driven.
Finally, the project tries to revisit a period that many people may believe they know and to make them see it from a different angle. And so Manoj Bajpayee’s performance and Sudhir Mishra’s direction will be the way to see Gandhi not only as a historical figure, but also a man who is confronted by an ever-changing nation and who has to re-think his own life at a turning point in India’s history.
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