 "Netflix’s ‘Saare Jahan Se Accha’ actor Pratik Gandhi on Deepika Padukone's view: ‘8-hour shift will magically transform your creative imagination; I feel for…’")
Netflix’s upcoming series Saare Jahan Se Accha tells the story of Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) agent Vishnu Shankar, who undertakes a perilous mission deep inside enemy territory: Pakistan. While inspired by real events, the series is a fictional drama and not a direct biopic of any specific individual or event. Set in the volatile 1970s, when a single move could tip the balance of power and trigger a global nuclear war, Saare Jahan Se Accha unfolds as India’s R&AW and Pakistan’s ISI clash in a deadly game of strategy.
In an interview with Firstpost, Pratik Gandhi talks about his role as a RAW officer in Netflix’s upcoming series Saare Jahan Se Accha and why story is the hero.
WATCH the entire interview with the cast of Netflix’s Saare Jahan Se Accha in the link below:
Edited excerpts from the interview:
There is a lot of chatter on the eight-hours shift, what do you have to say about that?
I will talk like an industrial engineer. I worked for the longest time on shop floor. Most of the time when you are even working for 12-hour shift, your productive time actually is not more than 6 or 7-hours.
What happens is there is a fatigue and, in our job, because our job is constantly demanding us to create emotions. When I am creating an emotion, my body doesn’t understand that I am acting. I constantly do this for 6 to 7 hours. But after 8-hours it is extremely impossible to generate any magic. We try with all our possibilities, but it is tough. This is from the actors’ point of view. With all logic, it is almost impossible to work for 12-hours. That applies for all industries.
Eight-hour shift will magically transform your creative imagination. Even if we are working for 12-hours, the productive time is not more than 8 to 9-hours. Forget about actors, I am also talking on behalf of other departments especially the technicians, I totally feel for them.
Was it stressful since Saare Jahan Se Accha is inspired from real events?
Yes, it is inspired from real events. But since the whole show is fictitious, it gave us freedom to create characters and tell our stories and emotions. The story is all about spies, but I won’t call it a thriller. This espionage drama is a little different, I don’t call it a thriller, it’s a thriller drama. We have humanised the spies from all over, not just India. You will hear about RNAW, ISI, Mossad, CIA- all these agencies who work to avoid war.
It is fascinating to shift the focus and look at them at a different angle that their job is to avoid wars. And avoiding any situation that can threaten humankind. All of us are playing very layered characters, conflicted within themselves and the moral dilemma as to what is right and what is wrong is subjective. What may be wrong from my country’s perspective, may be right from an officer from Pakistan’s perspective which is the case for even army officers of any country. Here they are cheating a lot of people to get something right. So, all the characters in the show are very layered and very complex.
There is a beautiful line in the show, “koyi bhi informer banta hai, jaab who kuch paana chahata hai aur kuch chupana chahata hai.”
What do you have to say about the beautiful change in cinema, where everybody plays an important role?
From the actor’s point of view, I would say it is one of those real good times to be around as a creator, storyteller or as an artist. In all the OTT platforms, there is no barrier of a one particular format. It is a good time to be a creative person.
Story is the hero. For this show I would say, the writing is flawless. Recently there was a strike going on among the writers of Hollywood saying that they are not getting their due. What do you have to say about India?
I think it is improving though we have a long way to go. I personally feel writers must get their due, in terms of money, position and even freedom because they are the starting point for a good story. If we don’t have stories, we will not be able to do anything. And especially subjects like Saare Jahan Se Accha needs a lot of research.
Did you personally do any research on this by meeting ex-Raw agents?
No, we were not so fortunate. As far as my research goes, I watched a lot of international documentaries to understand their world. Apart from there story became my biggest research material. I met a lot of IAS, IPS and Army officers. So, to a large extent, I can draw a parallel. I have a couple of friends in the army, they don’t share everything with the civilians. They know exactly what to share and what not to share. A little parallel that you can drawn between a spy and an army officer.
Does series give you the satisfaction as an actor considering it gives you the chance for the character that you play evolve?
Sometimes some stories require longer story telling format and it cannot be compressed into a feature film. You get a chance to live the character for the whole arc. It is challenging.
When you go back home are you ‘Vishnu Shankar’ or Pratik Gandhi?
That is a part of our practice how quickly, you can switch off and switch on between your life and the character’s life. The sooner you can do it, it is better for your mental wellbeing.
WATCH the trailer of Netflix’s ‘Saare Jahan Se Accha’ :
Lachmi Deb Roy is the Entertainment Editor of Firstpost, Network18. She reviews films and series with a gender lens. She is a 'Rotten Tomatoes' certified critic. Her interviews are called 'Not Just Bollywood' because she takes a huge interest in world cinema. She has been the winner of the prestigious Laadli Media and Advertising Award for Gender Sensitivity for two consecutive years, 2020 and 2021. OTT over theatrical releases is her preference unless and until it's a King Khan film. She takes interest in fashion, food and art reviews too.