Pratik Gandhi says 'Saare Jahan...' not a typical spy thriller
What's the story
Pratik Gandhi, who stars in Netflix's Saare Jahan Se Accha, says the show is more of a "spy drama" than a thriller. In an interview with Hindustan Times, he explained what sets the series apart from other spy thrillers. The show is based on true events and follows an R&AW agent's mission to stop Pakistan from becoming an atomic power in the 1970s.
Character-driven narrative
'Not to make a spectacle but tell character-driven stories'
Gaurav Arora, the show's creator, said, "The hyper-realistic style is to show a very stylish spy with good-looking women and in exotic locations." "My attempt was to keep it very real and to show their pain and pressure." Producer Sejal Shah also emphasized, "The idea was not to make a spectacle but to tell a story driven by the characters." "And that is what we have here, characters who have a story, and both sides have stories."
Role preparation
Gandhi on how show differs from other spy thrillers
Gandhi plays Vishnu, an Indian spy in Pakistan. He said, "James Bond was my first-ever introduction to spies." "I always felt that anyone who plays a spy on screen will be a very flashy, flamboyant guy, very charming." "But I wouldn't call this series a spy thriller. It is a spy drama. That makes it absolutely fresh for me as an actor." The series also stars Sunny Hinduja, Tillotama Shome, Anup Soni, Kritika Kamra, and Suhail Nayyar.