Prasanta Kumar Dash
Mumbai, Oct 2: The 155th Gandhi Jayanti became more phenomenal for AR Rahman as he was offered to share his legendary bands of symphony for the historical drama the Gandhi, which is under production.
With the humble approach and indomitatble interest of ace historical movie maker Hansal Mehta, AR Rahman is all set to compose hymns for Gandhi, to hum in tune with Iswar Allah Tere Naam in Hansal Mehta’s novative Historical drama based on historian-author Ramachandra Guha’s books, “Gandhi Before India, and Gandhi: The Years That Changed The World.”
As per report, when Hansal Mehta set out to make Gandhi, he envisioned it as a story of many contradictions—the leader that the world knows as the Mahatma and the man behind it, the principles he stood for and the humbling incidents that led to their birth. So, when it came to crafting the music for the complex story, the makers had only one and unique choice that is A R Rahman, who could justify the web series duly.
Acknowledging the affiliation of Mehta, the Oscar- and Grammy-winner and ace music composer came forward to share his expertise for the historical drama that sees Pratik Gandhi step into Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s (Mahatma Gandhi) role.
Though, Rahman has previously composed for a docu-series on Indian music, the period drama will mark his foray into fiction series. The feeling only gets heightened when your maiden web series is a retelling of the Mahatma’s life.
On the unprecedented offer Rahman said, watching Gandhiji’s younger life is a revelation—his experiments with truth, life, and so many other things show the evolution of his character.
“I am deeply honoured to be scoring the music for this story under the direction of Hansal Mehta,” says the musician, who to begin work on the project as soon as possible.
The composer has a knack for creating symphonyies that are rooted in Indian music and ragas. Gandhi then will be the perfect articulations of his sounds and the sweeping story of Indian Independence. The show, which is currently amid production stage, will hit the theatres across the globe, as It’s to reflect the Mahatma Gandhi’s name and fame, although in a nutshell.
It is easily the most ambitious work of Mehta, who has become one of the most reliable voices in digital entertainment with Scam 1992, The Harshad Mehta Story (2020) and Scoop (2022). Through his incisive lens, the audience will witness the leader’s early years and experiences in South Africa, and the lesser-known incidents that shaped him into the Mahatma.
In Rahman, Mehta says he has found the perfect collaborator. “Gandhi is a human retelling of MK Gandhi’s life story, a story that continues to inspire generations. AR Rahman’s music has the unique ability to elevate storytelling, and for a project of this scale and significance, we couldn’t think of anyone better to bring the emotional and spiritual nuances of Gandhi’s life to the forefront.
Similarly Sameer Nair, Managing Director, Applause Entertainment, which is backing the offering, opined “Gandhi is a global narrative on the triumph of the human spirit.
AR Rahman’s music will add a soul-stirring dimension to the historical drama, remix of fictious-nonfictious characters and the apparent evolution of Gandhiji from Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi to Mahatma and the father of nation.
