A.R. Rahman to Score Hansal Mehta’s ‘Gandhi’ Series

Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman (“Slumdog Millionaire”) has signed on to create the musical score for the upcoming series “Gandhi,” directed by Hansal Mehta and produced by India’s Applause Entertainment.

The announcement was made on Oct. 2 to coincide with Gandhi Jayanti, the annual celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday in India.

The series is based on historian Ramchandra Guha’s books “Gandhi Before India” and “Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World, 1914-1948.” The first season covers the formative years of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s life as a law student in London and later as lawyer and civil rights activist in South Africa, during which time he conceived the ideas that ultimately led India to independence from British rule. Gandhi became known as Mahatma, or great soul, for his leading part in the independence movement. The second and third seasons will cover the rest of his life.

The series sees the reunion of Applause, director Mehta and actor Pratik Gandhi (no relation to the Mahatma) who plays Gandhi, after hit SonyLIV series “Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story” (2020).

Sameer Nair, managing director of Applause Entertainment, said: “‘Gandhi’ is not just a series, it’s a global narrative on the triumph of the human spirit. A.R. Rahman’s music will infuse a soul-stirring dimension to this iconic story to resonate with audiences around the world. With Rahman’s score, I believe we are crafting something truly special — a series that both entertains and inspires.”

Rahman added: “Watching Gandhi-ji’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 honored to be scoring the music for this story, in collaboration with Applause Entertainment and under the articulate direction of Hansal Mehta.”

Mehta said: “’Gandhi’ is a deeply human retelling of M.K. Gandhi’s life story, a story that continues to inspire generations. Having A.R. Rahman join us on this journey is truly a dream come true. His 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.”