Mumbai: In a defining moment for Indian storytelling on the world stage,‘Gandhi’ the ambitious International series from Applause Entertainment, will have its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Directed by visionary filmmaker Hansal Mehta and headlined by Pratik Gandhi, ‘Gandhi’ has been selected as part of TIFF’s Primetime Programme, making it the first Indian series ever to be showcased in this global celebration of episodic storytelling.
Adapted from the definitive biographies by historian Ramachandra Guha, ‘Gandhi’ is a sweeping, multi-season epic that reimagines the life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, not as the icon we remember, but as the young, flawed, ambitious man the world has yet to meet.
An Untold Story of Becoming, Season One (1888–1915) traces Gandhi’s early journey – from a curious adolescent in colonial India, to an awkward law student in London, to the young barrister who would spend 23 transformative years in South Africa. It is a story of contradictions, failures, awakenings, and self-discovery. Long before he became the Mahatma, he was just Mohan.
Since its inception in 2015, TIFF Primetime has spotlighted auteur-driven series that push the boundaries of long-form storytelling. Over the years, some handpicked series like Alfonso Cuarón’s “Disclaimer”, “All the Light We Cannot See” from Shawn Levy and Steven Knight, George Pelecanos, Netflix’s first German series “Dark” have premiered at the festival. In joining this distinguished roster, ‘Gandhi’ becomes the first Indian series ever invited to the programme, and marks a major cultural milestone.
Sameer Nair, Producer, Managing Director, Applause Entertainment, “To have ‘Gandhi’ selected for TIFF’s Primetime showcase is both an honour and a moment of immense pride; not just for Applause, but for Indian storytelling. Taking you up close and personal to the young Mohan way before he became the man history knows, this series is the culmination of deep research, creative development, and unwavering belief in the human story we wanted to tell. TIFF will be the first time our ‘Gandhi’ will be seen by audiences. To begin that journey on a global platform of such import, is the perfect start and we can’t wait for the world to discover him.”
Hansal Mehta, Director and Showrunner, “’Gandhi’ has been the most creatively challenging and soul-stirring journey of my career. It’s not just a story from our past—it’s a meditation on conscience, a portrait of a man in constant conflict with himself and his times. TIFF has previously been home to some of my most precious pieces of work, and to have perhaps the most ambitious story of my career premiering there is doubly special—particularly in TIFF’s 50th year. To share this journey at a festival that has embraced me over the years is both humbling and surreal. I hope it opens the door for more Indian series to find their place on the world stage.”
The TIFF premiere will see key members of the team in attendance including Sameer Nair, Hansal Mehta, Siddharth Khaitan, and lead actor Pratik Gandhi along with Tom Felton and Kabir Bedi. Backed by an exceptional creative team, Gandhi boasts music by A.R. Rahman and writing by Vaibhav Vishal, Karan Vyas, Felix von Stumm, Hema Gopinathan, Sehaj Kaur Maini, and Yashna Malhotra. The series also benefited from the guidance of esteemed script advisors including Siddhartha Basu, historian and author Ramachandra Guha. Casting was led by Mukesh Chhabra (India) and Shakyra Dowling(International), with production design by Shashank Tere, costumes by Pia Benegal, and cinematography by Pratham Mehta, collectively bringing authenticity, scale, and detail to this monumental project.
-Based on Press Release
