Heightened Indo-Pak tensions affected the show: Pratik Gandhi
India, Sept. 22 -- Actor Pratik Gandhi recently headlined the patriotic web series Saare Jahan Se Accha, released around Independence Day. Set against the backdrop of Indo-Pak tensions in the 1970s, the show follows the story of a spy. Its release, however, came soon after the heightened India-Pakistan tensions earlier this year, which made promotions more sensitive.
"We were very clear when we shot that it's not about jingoism. But the concern was definitely there when we started promoting it. When we got to know the release date, and whatever happened in the recent past, the context changed in the audience's mind," the 45-year-old tells us, adding, "That's when you have to be very careful because you know there is no agenda or propaganda in it. But how do you communicate that to an audience that is already in a different mindset?"
Gandhi insists the makers deliberately stayed away from loud nationalism. He explains, "There is a fine line between patriotism and jingoism and we were very clear we are not making it the latter. In today's hyperactive social media world, if you keep saying the same things 10,000 times, you tend to believe it. In that chaos, we wanted to make a story that was not so loud."
For the actor, patriotism doesn't have to be a loud declaration, but rather an emotion that is carried within. "The easiest is to shout about it, but the moment you add a layer that makes it intriguing and relatable, that's when the difference comes in," he opines.
"When you feel 'Mera Bharat Mahaan', just communicate it. Screaming it out loud is not communicating that feeling. Even without saying those words, I should still feel that this guy cares deeply for his country," the actor signs off....
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