The Revolutionaries Review: Bhuvan Bam, Pratibha Ranta Shine But This Historical Drama Remains Shallow!
Directed by Nikkhil Advani, The Revolutionaries draws from Sanjeev Sanyal’s non-fiction book Revolutionaries: The Other Story Of How India Won Its Freedom.
2 / 5
India holds a long and complex history that has inspired countless films and shows. The freedom fight against British rule remains one of the most repeated themes because it still touches people deeply and carries heavy emotional weight. A new series has now arrived on the same subject. Directed by Nikkhil Advani, The Revolutionaries draws from Sanjeev Sanyal’s non-fiction book Revolutionaries: The Other Story Of How India Won Its Freedom. It focuses on young fighters who saw armed action as the only real way to end colonial control. The cast includes Bhuvan Bam, Rohit Saraf, Pratibha Ranta, Gurfateh Pirzada, Jason Shah, and Paoli Dam, and here’s what we think about it.
Plot
The story stays close to the book’s core idea. It follows a group of determined young revolutionaries during the British rule who choose guns and action over peaceful protests to achieve freedom.
Performances
The performances are clearly the good part. Bhuvan Bam plays Rash Behari Bose and makes the leader feel real and driven. Rohit Saraf takes on Sachindranath Sanyal and clearly shows honesty in the role. Pratibha Ranta brings quiet strength to Pratibha Lahiri even when the writing does not give her much room to grow. Gurfateh Pirzada is fierce as Bagha Jatin, and Paoli Dam owns every scene as Pishima and leaves a strong mark. Jason Shah stands out the most as the cold and harsh General Dyer. His performance feels truly unsettling and hard to shake off.
Verdict
Yet the series struggles to match the weight of its subject. From the smooth camera work and stylish shots to loud background tracks and heavy dramatic moments, they often pull attention away from the raw and gritty side of the matter. The fight against colonial rule starts to feel polished and distant instead of what you had expected. Also, a romantic subplot also sits awkwardly in the middle of the action and adds little value. Can we stop with these, please?
Also, the eight episodes and their pace are tiring. It feels dragged, and some of the songs interrupt the flow, and suddenly the tone and attention shift. If the editors had cut down a few episodes or tightened the edit, it would have helped a lot. The show moves through major events like a checklist and only skims the deeper thoughts and personal stories of the fighters. It ends up more watchable than truly moving.
Lastly, it’s so sad that such good actors end up held back by a script that never quite digs deep enough. Stories about the freedom struggle usually leave a strong mark, but this one stays mostly surface-level and fails to land. Even though the cast tries hard, the overall result feels uneven and less impactful.
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First Published: September 11, 2026 2:55 PM
