Have you ever imagined what it would be like if royal rulers held Roadies-style contests to determine their potential heir? Kaun Banegi Shikharwati, ZEE5’s new show, does exactly that. The trailer for web series depicts an elderly royal attempting to save his legacy with the aid of his dysfunctional family. Actress Soha Ali Khan stars as a princess in the comedy series alongwith Naseeruddin Shah, Lara Dutta, and Kritika Kamra, among others. Prior to its debut, the comedy series was compared to the popular Korean drama Squid Game.
The comparison was made in particular for a scene in the Hindi show in which the young princesses play games while wearing striped tracksuits. When Soha was asked what she thought of the comparison, she responded, “Yes, but it’s just the tracksuit. It’s nothing like Squid Game. It’s a fun show not at all gory. I was actually planning to wear the tracksuit for Halloween, but I couldn’t get it.”
The series, directed by Gauravv Chawla and Ananya Banerjee, stars Naseeruddin Shah as the former ruler of Shikarwat, a fictitious dynasty. Faced with foreclosure for the inability to pay wealth tax, he and his advisor (Raghhubir Yadav) implement a bizarre plan to reunite the king’s four estranged daughters.
Soha Ali Khan said of her role in the show, “I have been looking forward to doing something out of the box and Kaun Banegi Shikharwati turned out to be exactly what I wanted. The script was the first thing that caught my attention and of course, the talented star cast! I am sure the families who will watch our series will be able to relate.”
Her co-star Lara Dutta also added, “It was such a refreshing experience shooting for this series with such great co-stars who together are a mad bunch to handle. Family dramas might be common, but this dysfunctional family is unlike any you have seen before.”
Kaun Banegi Shikharwati was filmed in Rajasthan in 2020, with sets built in a haveli in the small town of Mandawa. The show’s creative director, Nikkhil Advani, personally oversaw the arrangements and locations in the small desert town, according to a report in Dainik Bhaskar. In addition, the crew shot in a few nearby areas in the Jhunjhunu district. The filming was put on hold earlier this year when Naseeruddin Shah became sick and needed to be hospitalised. On January 7, 2022, the series will premiere on Zee5.
