Vijay Sethupathi, Aditi Rao Hydari's silent film ‘Gandhi Talks’ to hit theatres on Jan 30

Gandhi Talks, an ambitious silent film featuring Vijay Sethupathi, Arvind Swamy, Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth Jadhav, is set for a theatrical release on January 30, 2026, Zee Studios announced on Saturday.

The film defies convention by using visual performance and AR Rahman's musical composition as its main narrative voice rather than spoken conversation.

Gandhi Talks deviates from traditional Indian film by focusing only on visual storytelling, performances, and music. The Kishore Belekar directorial is a rare comeback to the art of silent cinema in India.

Although silent cinema dominated the early 20th century, it is now practically unheard of in mainstream filmmaking.

According to a press release, the Zee Studios production is a "rare silent film in modern Indian cinema, which shines as a bold creative leap where silence becomes the strongest form of storytelling."

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh has also shared the announcement on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, with the statement: “Vijay Sethupathi - Arvind Swamy - Aditi Rao Hydari - Siddharth Jadhav: Zee Studios To Release Silent Film 'Gandhi Talks' On 30 Jan 2026.”

Watch the teaser here:

VIJAY SETHUPATHI - ARVIND SWAMY - ADITI RAO HYDARI - SIDDHARTH JADHAV: ZEE STUDIOS TO RELEASE *SILENT FILM* 'GANDHI TALKS' ON 30 JAN 2026... #ZeeStudios has announced the release date of #GandhiTalks –

a silent film – slated to arrive in cinemas on 30 Jan 2026.

The film will… pic.twitter.com/kSrSmrieQG

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) January 3, 2026

Set against the backdrop of socio-ethical reflection, Gandhi Talks is a black comedy that examines the discrepancy between Mahatma Gandhi's beliefs and his omnipresent picture on Indian currency.

Using expressive performances and emotional clues instead of dialogue, the story chronicles a young man's quest for money and his unexpected encounter with a robber.

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The movie is yet another collaboration between Zee Studios and actors who are known for selecting unique, content-driven projects. Famous for his subtle parts in Tamil and pan-Indian films, Vijay Sethupathi has accepted the vulnerability that the silent medium demands.

Sethupathi is joined in a performance-driven cinematic experiment by Arvind Swamy, who has worked in Tamil and Hindi films for decades. Aditi Rao Hydari is known for her multilingual work, while Siddharth Jadhav provides more nuance to this intriguing production.

The film's score is composed by music icon AR Rahman, who serves as its ‘voice’ in the lack of language. Rahman's compositions are designed to guide audiences through the film's emotional landscape, transforming stillness into an engrossing theatrical experience.

Regarding the movie, director Kishore Belekar stated that the idea was to get back to the basics of filmmaking. “Gandhi Talks is about trusting silence. We wanted to explore storytelling through pure performance and emotion,” he told India Today.

The film's thematic engagement with Gandhi's ideology and legacy is underscored by the fact that the premiere date, January 30, coincides with the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's martyrdom.