Nikkhil Advani on 'The Revolutionaries': 34 Years of Work Gave Me the Confidence to Ask
Nikkhil Advani discusses his upcoming series 'The Revolutionaries', the demanding prep of its young cast, and why he is drawn to historical stories.
Filmmaker Nikkhil Advani says his three decades in the industry have given him the confidence to approach actors with demanding roles and expect their trust. Speaking about his upcoming series 'The Revolutionaries', he admitted he would have been "heartbroken" if the young cast had turned him down.
"I feel I've worked hard for 34 years, enough to reach a point where, if I go to an actor with a role, they say yes," Advani said. He was drawn to the young actors because they had "fire" in them, a quality he saw during the intense preparation that included workshops, readings, and physical transformations. Rohit Saraf changed his look three times for the series, while Bhuvan Bam changed his six times.
The series, based on Sanjeev Sanyal's book Revolutionaries: The Other Story Of How India Won Its Freedom, follows four young revolutionaries—Rash Behari Bose, Sachindra Nath Sanyal, Pratibha Lahiri, and Bagha Jatin—as they lead an armed resistance against the British Raj. Advani explained that the story covers a period often left out of conventional history books, which tend to jump from figures like Mangal Pandey and Rani Lakshmibai to Jallianwala Bagh.
"This particular story... is what led to the spark that eventually ignited the revolution," he said. History remains his "comfort zone," he noted, citing projects like Chatterjee vs Norway, Airlift, and Mumbai Diaries as examples of his love for documenting real-life events and characters.
Acknowledging the challenges of recreating history, Advani said he focuses on getting the central idea right while ensuring the story remains entertaining. "The idea was that the British had enslaved us ruthlessly for 200 years, and they needed to be driven out," he said, adding that he must be allowed to entertain his audience.
The trailer for 'The Revolutionaries' was released on August 26. The series stars Bhuvan Bam, Rohit Saraf, Pratibha Ranta, and Gurfateh Pirzada in lead roles, with Jason Shah, Paoli Dam, and Tota Roy Chowdhury in key roles. Produced by Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani under Emmay Entertainment, it premieres worldwide on Prime Video on September 11, 2026.