1990s superstar-scamster Harshad Mehta is now once again a household name, thanks to Hansal Mehta’s series. And to think Varun Dhawan was all set to play Harshad Mehta in a film to be produced by Paresh Rawal! Reliable sources say, Varun was all but locked in to play Harshad Mehta by Paresh. But the script for the bio-pic was stuck. They finally had to scrap the idea.

This is when Sameer Nair and Applause Entertainment stepped in and acquired the rights to make a web series on Harshad Mehta. An unknown Gujarati actor was roped in to play Harshad Mehta. Pratik Gandhi is now a household name.

Says Hansal Mehta, “I’m aware that Harshad Mehta’s story has had long journey to the screen. Hota hai. Every story has its own destiny. I had to face a lot of resistance while casting Pratik Gandhi. Many big names were suggested. But I wanted Pratik. Then I was advised to do some padding in the casting. But I refused to cast known faces even in supporting roles. I now feel one of the reasons why Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story worked so well was the relatively unknown faces on screen. They all looked like the characters they were playing.”

The show has received a remarkable response from audiences for its gripping performances from Pratik Gandhi and Shreya Dhanwanthary, stellar direction by Hansal Mehta and an exceptional script from Sumit Purohit, Saurav Dey, Vaibhav Vishal and Karan Vyas.

Also Read: OTT round up of the month: Mirzapur 2 rages, Khaali Peeli underwhelms, Scam 1992 soars this October