‘The Empire’ cast share their experience of creating something special

When I started working on ‘The Empire’, I treated it like a movie and not a show which allowed me to step into the big frame and create an experience on a massive scale where every detail was minutely taken care of, as we do for movies.

Hyderabad: ‘The Empire’ series, which is all set to release on Disney+ Hotstar on August 27, revolves around a young 14-year-old ascending the throne of Ferghana, and follows his journey of becoming King Babur.

Sharing his experiences of working on the series, director Mitakshara Kumar said, “When I started working on ‘The Empire’, I treated it like a movie and not a show which allowed me to step into the big frame and create an experience on a massive scale where every detail was minutely taken care of, as we do for movies. Seeing the tremendous response from all quarters on the trailer has instilled confidence in me that we have indeed created something special!”

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Right from the costumes, dialogues, backdrop, everything was well thought through and holds the narrative, says Kumar. “I am lucky to have ‘The Empire’ as my directorial debut and partners like Nikkhil Advani, Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani at Emmay Entertainment and Disney+ Hotstar. Many years of dedication and hard work went into creating this project, and I am eagerly waiting for viewers across India to enjoy it,” he adds.

Actor Drashti Dhami said, “It’s been an overwhelming experience – right from working with this brilliant team to actually seeing audience reaction on the trailer! Playing the role of Khanzada was challenging but equally empowering. Through Khanzada’s eyes, you will see how strategy and planning comes into play and how easily allies become adversaries. Every day on the set of ‘The Empire’ was an experience on its own and watching it all come together as a landmark in Indian entertainment, makes the journey even more gratifying.”

Dino Morea, who plays the antagonist in the series, shared that Shaibani Khan is the most dynamic and interesting antagonist he has played in his career. “For the character, I had to be a different person altogether – menacing, shrewd and sometimes downright scary! From the moment I would put my costume on, I had to become that person – ‘Shaibani Khan’. The detailing, complexity and the love and hate for this character are what makes him so special. Can’t wait for audiences to see a different avatar of me through ‘The Empire’,” Morea added.