After a long wait, Vijay Sethupathi's upcoming silent film Gandhi Talks has locked a theatrical release date. Directed by Kishor Pandurang Belekar, best-known for helming Marathi films such as Sa Sasucha and Yeda, the film will be released on January 30, coinciding with Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary. The film has music composed by AR Rahman.
Announced in 2021, the film went on floors in 2022. After completion of filming and editing, Gandhi Talks was first silent film played at the 23rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa in 2023. The film also stars Arvind Swami, Aditi Rao Hydari, and Marathi actor Siddharth Jadhav as the leads. A new teaser released by the makers shows glimpses of the leads in different scenarios. "They loved in silence. They sinned in silence. They suffered in silence. This film speaks that silence," wrote the makers while sharing the news.
According to the official synopsis, the film shows a young, unemployed graduate, Mahadev’s struggle to land a job through any means possible, has him cross paths with a businessman and petty thief. The film also reportedly draws references from Hindu mythology and the story of Samudra Manthan.
When the film was screened during IFFI 2023, Vijay Sethupathi shared that the film "brings out the dichotomy between Gandhi on currency notes and the Gandhi whose ideals they (people) wish to imbibe."
"Justice is different from reality. Initially, the protagonist reacts to Gandhi on the notes but later he starts reacting to Gandhi in his heart (Gandhi’s ideals). This is the dichotomy that the movie explores," he said.
Speaking about the vision behind the film, director Kishore Belekar shared, “Gandhi Talks is a film about trusting silence. As Indian cinema marks over a century of storytelling, we wanted to return to the medium’s most elemental form pure performance and emotion. The actors embraced that vulnerability completely, and A.R. Rahman’s score became the film’s voice. With Zee Studios’, Meera Chopra’s support, we were able to make a bold, honest piece of cinema."
The film was created by ZED Studios in collaboration with KYOORIUS and Movie Mill Entertainment.
