Pratik Gandhi on Bhavai-Ravan Leela controversy: It has nothing to do with any religion

Pratik Gandhi became a household name after Hansal Mehta's Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story dropped on SonyLIV on October 9, 2020. Arguably one of the best Indian web shows ever made, Scam 1992 instantly became a hit. What Pratik perhaps wasn't prepared for was his share of controversy after the roaring success he had just tasted. When the trailer of his Bollywood film Ravan Leela dropped, there were calls to boycott the film as it allegedly hurt religious sentiments. The makers soon issued a clarification, and the title of the film was changed to Bhavai. However, it was still heartbreaking.

In an exclusive chat with IndiaToday.in, Pratik Gandhi opened up on the Ravan Leela-Bhavai title change controversy. He said that it is sad that people reacted without watching the film. He also revealed that while the second season of Scam 1992 has been announced, he is not part of the web series.

Excerpts from the conversation:

As a theatre actor, did you have any ritual you did before going up on stage that you have carried with you on a Bollywood set?

Yes, there is a shloka that we used to say which is the puja of Lord Nataraj. We were taught this in school, where Nataraj was worshipped. So we sought his blessings before we went and performed a character. I have been following this ritual since I stepped on stage for the first time in the fourth standard. To date, I do the same thing. The moment I go on stage or on set, this is what I do.

Tell us about your first encounter with stardom. Do you remember the first time someone came to you for a photo or an autograph?

Yes, I will always remember that moment. So, it was during the lockdown and I used to buy groceries and vegetables. Scam 1992 had released on October 9, 2020, and in the following days, I stepped out to buy groceries. Suddenly I heard murmuring and people started pointing at me and asking for photos. I was dressed in a regular T-shirt and jeans as I would wear normally. I had no idea that people outside would recognise me. Earlier I had some people come up to me and tell me 'I have seen your Gujarati film' or 'I have seen you in that play', but to have so many people recognise you on the street was quite surprising.

How does one stay grounded after you are catapulted into stardom overnight?

I guess my family is who I can go and be myself, and that is how it has always been. Also, theatre has taught me so many things. One of those is discipline and being true to yourself - because you are a different person, and the character that you have to create has to be a different person. That made it so clear to me since my early days in theatre. These are two separate things. I, as a person, will always be a different entity compared to the characters I play. The moment I started thinking this way, I could easily detach myself from the characters that I create. And then get into it once I am there. So, I guess these simple things have kept me absolutely clear in my life and made me what I am right now.

Your first Bollywood film as a lead was initially titled Ravan Leela and later got changed to Bhavai. How did you react to this title change?

Watch the trailer of Bhavai here:

It is very difficult to navigate because for me this is the first time that I am experiencing something of this scale. I have seen others going through it, but I am experiencing it for the first time. It is really heartbreaking, and it is saddening to understand that people are reacting even without knowing the context of it and without even watching it. I understand, if you have seen everything, and then you have an issue, but you can’t base an opinion and judge a film on just its title. There is nothing religious in our film. It is a simple love story of two actors. It has nothing to do with any religion.

Recently you had the chance to meet Amitabh Bachchan on the sets of Kaun Banega Crorepati 13. How was that moment for you?

It is an experience of a lifetime because, since childhood, I have always seen him on screen. For people like me, for us, he is the character we thought we will never get a chance to meet. How will we meet? Pankaj (Tripathi) ji said the perfect thing. When Pankaj ji met him, he said today we believe that you exist. Until now, we had only seen you on screen. So, for the first time, I could put a face and a real person to the voice that I always loved.

Is there anything personal that Mr Bachchan shared with you? Any word of advice he gave you that is probably going to stay with you?

Not a word of advice, but just the fact that he is so humble. The way he met us, the way he welcomed us and whatever he said, will always be with me. He said a wonderful thing when he was talking to me and Pankaj ji. He said, wherever you come from, the kind of life experiences you bring with you is one of your biggest assets. That is helping you create different characters and a lot of people do not get to live it. It felt so true when he said it.

What word of advice do you have for aspiring actors who want to make it big and break into the industry?

I think the only way is to keep doing your thing - that's how it worked for me. Just keep adding value to yourself and your craft and then the rest will fall in place. In this field, nobody knows when the opportunity will come. So, all you can do is be prepared, because you will not know when that one opportunity will come your way, and when it does, you will have to hit it out of the park. You will not be given a second chance. So, you have to be completely prepared and without being bitter and without having any grudges and without having any negative thoughts. Constantly motivate yourself and keep doing it. I know it is easier said than done, but that is the only way.

Will you be a part of the second season of Scam 1992? There is buzz that Scam might just become a larger franchise.

Well, yes Scam can become an interesting franchise for sure, and I am sure they must have planned it that way. Applause Entertainment has announced Season 2 already. But I am not a part of it yet, so I don’t know what is going to happen in that.

There are a lot of other projects that I am a part of which have already been announced. Some others I am in talks with. But Scam 1992 Season 2 is not one of them.

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