Pratik Gandhi: Rare show where every department was excellent

As Scam 1992 sweeps the mid-day and Radio City Hitlist OTT Awards with five wins, breakout star of 2020 Pratik Gandhi on the series that changed it all for him

Pratik Gandhi won the top acting honours

Let’s take a moment and flash back to 2020: When we weren’t talking about the surging COVID-19 cases or the vaccine, we were discussing how we devoured Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story in one sitting. Or dissecting the plot twist in Aarya. With all of us confined to our homes for the better part of last year, web series and OTT films became our only source of entertainment, the calm to the chaotic reality.  

Naturally, when mid-day and Radio City Hitlist OTT Awards returned with its second edition, fans from across the country voted to make their favourites known, loud and clear. Hansal Mehta’s Scam 1992 was the big winner with five trophies under its belt. If Pratik Gandhi and Shreya Dhanwanthary won the top acting honours in the Series category, the SonyLIV offering also walked away with gongs for Best Series, Best Series (Drama) and Best Ensemble Cast.

Janhvi Kapoor, Shreya Dhanwanthary and Kunal Kemmu

Gandhi was arguably the breakout talent of 2020, mesmerising everyone with his Harshad Mehta act in the drama. Thrilled to have bagged the Best Actor (Series) award, he acknowledges that the raging success of the show is a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon. “This is a rare show where each and every department of the show was excellent. Tomorrow, if we collaborate again, I don’t know whether we will be able to recreate the magic.” 

With roots in theatre, Gandhi had graduated to Gujarati cinema before landing bit roles in Hindi movies. Now, as all eyes are on him, he says he is only getting started — Bollywood has already come knocking at his door. “I have been offered mainstream Bollywood films. I am a greedy actor, and I am looking forward to exploring different formats of entertainment. I will try to strike a balance between Bollywood, regional films and web series,” he says, before adding that he won’t forget his first love. “Theatre helps me hone my craft. Nothing gives me the amount of satisfaction that theatre does. So, I will never give up on that.”