Actor Manoj Bajpayee is set to portray Mahatma Gandhi for the first time in his career in an upcoming theatrical feature directed by Sudhir Mishra and produced by Anubhav Sinha. The film will explore a lesser-known 21-day chapter from Gandhi’s life during the period surrounding India’s independence, when Delhi was emerging as the centre of political power.
Speaking about the project, Mishra said the film focuses on an important yet lesser-known chapter of history, the 21 days in the life of Mahatma Gandhi during India’s independence. He said that at a time when the nation was stepping into freedom and Delhi was becoming the centre of power, Gandhi made an unexpected choice to walk away, and that this was not a retreat but a reinvention. Mishra added that while history books record the surface events of that era, the film would explore what lay beneath that choice and depict Gandhi’s personal journey of redefining his path.
The film also stars Saurabh Shukla in a key role. It is produced by Anubhav Sinha and Narendra Hirawat under A Benaras Mediaworks, and presented by NH Studioz. Rather than covering Gandhi’s entire life, the film aims to offer a more intimate perspective by focusing on this specific chapter of his story.
The project brings together two filmmakers known for socially and politically driven cinema. Sinha has directed films including ‘Mulk’, ‘Article 15’ and ‘Thappad’, while Mishra’s filmography includes ‘Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi’, ‘Dharavi’ and ‘Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin’. The film marks Mishra’s return to a theatrical release after 2023’s ‘Afwaah’.
Bajpayee, a multiple National Film Award winner, has built a career on layered, intense performances across films including ‘Satya’, ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Aligarh’ and ‘Sonchiriya’, as well as the streaming series ‘The Family Man’.