The Empire, which will premiere this week on Disney+ Hotstar, is being described as India’s biggest-ever streaming TV show, despite no news on how much money Star India is investing in it. That’s a tale from Uzbekistan in the north to southern India, spanning two centuries from Babur to Aurangzeb. Given the scope of the narrative, The Empire would need to alter its cast every seaso or so, much as The Crown does.
But it all hinges on how well it does when it debuts. Nikkhil Advani, who directed Batla House, is the show’s creator, director, and executive producer, alongside Mitakshara Kumar, who worked on Sanjay Leela Bhansali‘s Padmaavat and Bajirao Mastani, directing numerous episodes. It’s unclear how Advani and Kumar will split the directing responsibilities. The Empire season 1 is claimed to be written by Bhavani Iyer (Raazi), with dialogue provided by lyricist A.M. Turaz (Padmaavat). Can they work together to create a season that lays the necessary groundwork?
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Season 1 of The Empire appears to be set in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, chronicling Babur’s early difficulties in and around Samarkand before turning his attention south-east to Kabul and the Delhi Sultanate. Here’s all you need to know about the new Hotstar Specials series, including when it will premiere, who will star in it, how many episodes there will be, and a teaser.
The Empire Release date
In India, all eight hour-long episodes of The Empire Season 1 will be released on Disney+ Hotstar on Friday, August 27 at midnight IST. The Empire will also be available on Hotstar in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Singapore on Friday, August 27.
The Empire Trailer
Early in July, Disney+ Hotstar released the first teaser trailer for The Empire, which offered us a look at the series’ costumes, locales, and mood. The Empire’s full-length teaser debuted in early August, laying out the first season’s narrative and foreshadowing the major conflicts that viewers will see.
The Empire Cast
Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire, is played by Kunal Kapoor (Rang De Basanti). But The Kingdom begins before he established his Empire when he was still a youthful monarch in Uzbekistan’s Fergana Valley. The Empire, according to Kapoor, would span 25 years of Babur’s life. Aisan Daulat Begum, Babur’s grandmother, is played by screen icon Shabana Azmi. She was Babur’s counselor from the time he was 12 years old until he came to the throne.
Shaibani Khan, the first season villain of The Empire, is played by Dino Morea (Raaz). Shaibani was an Uzbek chieftain who clashed with Babur on several occasions. The Empire trailer implies that this finally led to Shaibani marrying Babur’s elder sister to create an alliance. Drashti Dhami (Madhubala) plays Khanzada Begum, Babur’s elder sister, who had a strong bond with her brother throughout their lives. Aditya Seal (Tum Bin 2) portrays Humayun, Babur’s firstborn son, who, along with his half-brother Kamran Mirza, would replace his father as Mughal Emperor.
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Humayun’s mother and Babur’s third wife and primary consort, Maham Begum, Sahher Bambba (Pal Pal Dil Ke Pass), complete The Empire’s core ensemble. Rahul Dev (Torbaaz) as Wazir Khan, a fictionalized lieutenant of Babur’s father Umar Sheikh Mirza and Babur’s mentor; Toranj Kayvon (Kesari), Kallirroi Tziafeta (Bard of Blood), and Anuj Singh Duhan as Wazir Khan, a fictionalized lieutenant of Babur’s father Umar Sheikh Mirza.
