The Empire stars Kunal Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Drashti Dhami and Dino Morea in lead roles. It is directed by Mitakshara Kumar.
The show takes us straight to a battlefield, where Babur (Kunal Kapoor) is once again trying to escape death. Armless, he is at the mercy of his enemy but is soon saved by one of his soldiers. It has been this way since Babur was crowned king at the age of 14, danger is his constant companion. So is his strange and constant need for reassurance, which surfaces during testing times. When he defeats the pitiless and cruel Muhammad Shaybani (Dino Morea) to win Samarkand - losing his own city, Fergana, in the process - he asks his grandmother Aisan Daulat Begum (Shabana Azmi) if he really deserves his victory. Many years later, she finds herself having to slap some sense into her grandson when a vengeful Shaybani drives him out of Samarkand - and he promptly drowns himself in drinks.
The loss of his kingdom is humiliation enough. But the turning point in Babur's character arc is when his sister Khanzada Begum (Drashti Dhami) is capture and imprisonment by Shaybani. The future Mughal emperor begins to conquer small regions and build an army to fight his arch-rival, but he is too powerful. It finally allows Babur to overthrow Shaybani and turn his attention to conquering Hindustan - which he does with the help of his son Humayun.
The Empire is based on Alex Rutherford's book Empire of the Moghul, a historical fiction novel about the Mughal Dynasty. We can't comment on whether the show remains true to the book, but it depicts Babur's story in a simple, precise manner. Writers Bhavani Iyer and Mitakshara Kumar keep the storyline of The Empire straight and uncomplicated. The show's dialogues (penned by AM Turaz) are well-written. During the show's press conference, it was revealed that apart from Shabana Azmi, no other actor was familiar with Urdu, but at no point do they make it feel jarring.
Director Mitakshara Kumar, who has extensively worked with Sanjay Leela Bhansali, takes inspiration from SLB's work in The Empire. Dino Morea's mannerism in the role of Shaybani has a hint of Padmaavat's Allauddin Khilji - he rips the skin off an animal in his darbar, butchers a young boy and laughs like a maniac after mercilessly killing people. Even Shaybani's room resembles that of Khilji's in Padmaavat. The show's set designs and well-researched costumes deserve a special mention too. They make the characters believable and lend authenticity to the plot. However, bad CGI effects in some sequences and a plastic doll shown as an infant do leave a bad taste.
The Empire's biggest strength is its actors. This show tells the story of an emperor, but it gives equal prominence to his counsellors. Women aren't just shown as pawns here, they hold a strong position in every decision that is being made. Shabana Azmi in the role of Babur's grandmother and kingmaker delivers a powerful performance. Daulat Begum has the reins of the kingdom, and it is her will that prevails over everyone else's. Being fluent in Urdu, Shabana effortlessly gets into the skin of her character. It's a delight to watch her scheming and plotting on screen. Similarly, Drashti Dhami's Khanzada Begum plays a prominent role in Babur's victory and in his political life. The show highlights the strong presence of women in politics in the Mughal empire. Though it is the king who announces every decision, there is a woman's brain behind every step.
The Empire isn't without flaws, but it manages to keep you interested and invested. You can watch the show on Disney+Hotstar.
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