The story of a king and the origins of his dynasty

Disney+ Hotstar and Nikkhil Advani present the grandest show of 2021 – The Empire; starring Kunal Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Drashti Dhami, Dino Morea and more

~ Based on Alex Rutherford’s literary work ‘Empire of the Moghul: Raiders from the North’ the show traces the saga of an empire from the valley of Ferghana to Samarkand and beyond ~

~ Directed by Mitakshara Kumar with story adaptation by Bhavani Iyer, The Empire releases on 27th August 2021 for all new and existing subscribers of Disney+ Hotstar ~

~ Trailer out now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP0nou-f0yU ~

Mumbai, 7th August 2021: From the pages of Empire of the Moghul: Raiders from the North by Alex Rutherford comes the story of a young king who is faced with a seemingly impossible challenge as rampaging armies and brutal enemies threaten his destiny, throne and even survival. One of India’s biggest video-streaming platforms Disney+ Hotstar joins hands with prolific filmmaker Nikkhil Advani of Emmay Entertainment to present the biggest show ever created in India, The Empire – a fiction saga of a warrior-turned-king. Mounted on an unrivaled scale that brings together India’s finest talent, spectacular visuals and a gripping narrative, Hotstar Specials presents The Empire is set to release for all subscribers of Disney+ Hotstar on 27th August 2021.

Disney+ Hotstar has always looked at breakthrough ways of bringing compelling content directly to its viewers. From unique formats of storytelling across seven regional languages to unexplored genres, the streaming platform’s original content under Hotstar Specials is known for its big and authentic storytelling. With The Empire, it is now set to take long-form storytelling to newer heights.

Actor Kunal Kapoor makes his grand digital debut, taking centre stage as the King of the series, and is joined by a powerful ensemble that includes actors Shabana Azmi, Drashti Dhami, Dino Morea, Aditya Seal, Sahher Bambba, Rahul Dev among many others. The series marks the directorial debut of Mitakshara Kumar who has also co-written this epic saga with Bhavani Iyer with Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani of Emmay Entertainment as producers. The 8-episode series has brought together immensely talented costume designers, VFX professionals, production and sound designers, action choreographers all part of a mammoth crew who breathed life into this ambitious vision. Shot across multiple locations in India and Uzbekistan, The Empire brings alive a spectacular and imposing experience studded with epic scenes of battlegrounds, stupendous forts, and vast landscapes.

Showrunner Nikkhil Advani said, “The Empire is a dream project that I have nurtured for years. The narrative we are exploring is something none of the makers have ever attempted in the history of Indian entertainment and given this story a fictional and creative bent. It’s overwhelming to see the trailer receive resounding praises and we hope that it makes for an unforgettable viewing experience.”

Actor Kunal Kapoor said, “We have heard many stories about Babur and the Mughals, but very little about who they were, where they came from and how they came into India. In this fictional take, this is a character with a lot of complexities, and that is what intrigued me as an actor. The trailer is just a small glimpse into the world of The Empire.”

Actor Shabana Azmi said, “For many years I have been fascinated by the imperial lives from the pages of history. We have seen and read many stories but the ones that I love the most are where women play strategic roles; much like my character in The Empire – she is fierce, confident and knows what she wants. I hope the audience enjoys watching her as much as I enjoyed playing her.”

Synopsis:
The king of Ferghana dies in an accident and a young prince is now tasked with taking over the throne. It’s a time of great distress due to imminent danger from an evil warlord. An assassination attempt on the king that further deepens the worries about the vulnerability of Ferghana. The young king must now take responsibility for an entire kingdom.

Disney+ Hotstar offers an unmatched entertainment experience to users with the world’s best stories and LIVE sporting action coming together on one platform – where subscribers can enjoy mega-blockbuster films directly releasing on the platform, the best of global movies and shows dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, best animation films, kids favourite characters, exclusive Hotstar Specials shows in seven languages LIVE sporting action and much more!

~Watch the first of its kind, visual spectacle The Empire from 27th August 2021; exclusively for all subscribers of Disney+ Hotstar~
About Disney+Hotstar

Disney+ Hotstar (erstwhile Hotstar) is one of India’s largest premium streaming platforms that has changed the way Indians experience entertainment – from their favourite series and movies, to sporting extravaganzas. With the widest range of content in India, Disney+ Hotstar offers more than 100,000 hours of top-quality entertainment including path-breaking original series from Hotstar Specials, direct-to-digital blockbuster movies released with Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex, access to STAR network serials before television, the latest and the best of live sporting action, and more! Disney+ Hotstar is also the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. With unprecedented access to Disney’s long history of incredible film and television entertainment, Disney+ Hotstar is the exclusive streaming home for the newest releases from The Walt Disney Studios; and offers the latest from 20th Century Studios, Disney Television Studios, FX, Searchlight Pictures, and more. With three distinct subscription offerings (Sept 2021 onward) – Mobile, Super and Premium; the streaming service gives users the freedom to select their preferred plan of choice. In its earlier avatar, the Hotstar mobile app has notched 400 Mn+ downloads, making it one of the most in-demand apps in India and also secured top spots on the Google Play Store as well as the Apple App Store. The app’s success reflects its highly evolved video streaming technology as well as the quality of experience across devices and platforms.
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For further information, please contact
Samika M
Public Relations | samika@hotstar.com