It’s been five years since Pratik Gandhi changed the face of Indian streaming with his breakout performance in Scam 1992. As Harshad Mehta, he didn’t just deliver a role. He created a phenomenon. But that kind of success can be a double-edged sword. For Gandhi, every new project since then has carried the invisible burden of comparison. Now, with Netflix’s upcoming thriller Saare Jahan Se Accha, he may finally have the chance to rewrite that narrative.
Set to premiere on August 13, just ahead of Independence Day, the show is a spy drama rooted in the tension and secrets of 1970s India. Gandhi plays Vishnu Shankar, an intelligence officer navigating complex missions and dangerous political undercurrents. The teaser reveals a version of him that feels distant from the cocky stockbroker he once played. This time, his eyes are quieter, his movements more measured, and the stakes far more personal.
For an actor often associated with financial fraud and sharp monologues, this shift into espionage offers a new challenge. The real question is whether the audience is ready to embrace him in a world of spies and secrets. Because no matter how skilled the performance, the weight of Scam 1992 still looms large.
That’s not to say he hasn’t tried to diversify. From the slice-of-life tones of Modern Love Mumbai to the comedic chaos of Madgaon Express, Gandhi has consciously chosen varied scripts. But none of them quite reached the cultural impact of his debut. Saare Jahan Se Accha might be the first to truly challenge that dominance.
There’s also the power of timing. Releasing during a patriotic weekend could help the show gain traction among viewers looking for content with national flavor and historical intrigue. With the right blend of narrative depth and character transformation, the series has all the ingredients to spark a new chapter in Gandhi’s career.
If this role lands, it won’t just prove his range. It will remind audiences that while Scam 1992 was his beginning, it was never meant to be the limit. Sometimes, all it takes is the right character in the right moment. And this might be that moment.
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