The Secret of the Shiledars

The Secrets of Shiledars" is a six-episode fantasy-adventure series released on Disney+ Hotstar on January 31, 2025. Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, known for the horror-comedy Munjya (part of the Maddock Horror Universe), this time he shifts gears to helm an action-packed treasure hunt mystery. The series is based on Dr. Prakash Koyade's Marathi historical fiction novel Pratipaschandra.

The show boasts a stellar cast, including Rajeev Khandelwal, Sai Tamhankar, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Ashish Vidyarthi, Gaurav Amlani, and Kanan Arunachalam.

Story & Execution The plot revolves around a secret society of Shiledars, who have been guarding Shivaji Maharaj's legendary golden throne for generations. Krishnakant (Dilip Prabhavalkar) has been searching for the next Shiledar when he encounters Ravi (Rajeev Khandelwal) and reveals his true destiny. At the same time, Ramachandran (Kanan Arunachalam) sends his men after Krishnakant to uncover Shivaji's heirlooms.

Ravi, along with his brother Aditya (Gaurav Amlani) and Krishnakant's assistant Priyali (Sai Tamhankar), embarks on a thrilling quest to find the treasure before it falls into the wrong hands-all while being pursued by the police.

The characters are well-developed, with each playing a crucial role. Rajeev Khandelwal shines in his dual identity as a doctor and a history buff. Gaurav Amlani brings charm as the tech-savvy younger brother, and Sai Tamhankar provides solid support. Ashish Vidyarthi, as always, delivers a powerful performance, while Kanan Arunachalam's villainous presence is noteworthy.

The direction is good but it felt a little bit off at some points . The director was able to generate goosebumps inducing moments at many places but also fails to make some points engaging. The writing is brilliant with attention to details and building suspense. It brilliantly merges history with fantasy making it a engaging watch. But the story felt a little predictable at many points. The odds and tension didn't felt so much as it should has .

The story had some plot holes and some unengaging plotlines but the fast pacing of the story made it unnoticeable which made the series a pretty good watch. All the story wrap up under 6 episodes of about 35 mins each. The ending wasn't conclusive as it left some questions that should have been answered. Despite the thrilling premise, the tension and stakes don't always feel high enough. The characters rarely seem truly endangered, which reduces the intensity expected from an adventure series.

It is a pretty decent watch. You will like it if you are a history buff or a fan of treasure hunt movies like Indiana Jones and National treasure. You can binge it in one night. I personally liked it but it could have been better.

It is based on the Marathi novel Pratipashchandra by Dr. Prakash Koyade. The series beautifully fuses fiction with history, making it look like a real tale unfolding in front of you, which may urge you to search whether this was a real story.

Shiledars, who have been the protectors of Shivaji Maharaj's treasures and throne for ages, now have to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.

It surely gives you an Indiana Jones vibe as the Shiledar and his accomplices try to find the treasure before the criminals do. What's funny is that if he is the protector, why does he need to find the treasure, which is already protected? And by finding it, doesn't he expose it to people with ill intentions? This major loophole weakens the series. The big suspense reveal in the final episode can be guessed from miles away, killing the impact. The riddles and treasure hunt sequences are neither unique nor creative, making the proceedings merely average.

Rajeev Khandelwal, as the Shiledar, does his part perfectly well and elevates the series. Sai Tamhankar provides solid support, as does Ashish Vidyarthi. Gaurav Amlani is a bit raw in places, but as a supporting act, he passes.

The set design isn't great, which is quite important for a series like this, as the grandeur of the treasure and the entire journey of mystery could have been a visual spectacle. Unfortunately, it fails in that department. The action sequences are amateurish, and the police subplot feels caricaturish since they can't solve anything.

The series had potential, but with a low budget and lack of creativity, it turned out to be merely average. It's not boring, though, and at just under three hours, you can watch it when you want something light.

#PranuReviews #TheSecretsOfTheShiledars #TheSecretsOfTheShiledarsReview.

"The Secret of the Shiledars" is a historical action-thriller that brings to life the elite warriors of the Maratha Empire-Shiledars-who served as the protectors of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The series follows a high-stakes treasure hunt, uncovering ancient secrets that could change history. Led by Rajeev Khandelwal's character, the story weaves through conspiracy, betrayal, and intense battles, aiming to balance history with suspense. With powerful action sequences, rich historical references, and a fast-paced narrative, the show attempts to deliver an engaging experience.

The series successfully captures the essence of Maratha history while delivering thrilling action. Rajeev Khandelwal and Sai Tamhankar give solid performances, adding depth to their characters. The cinematography is visually striking, with well-crafted battle scenes and an immersive background score that enhances the tension. The production design effectively recreates the grandeur of the era, making the show a visual treat.

However, the series struggles with its execution. The biggest flaw is its rushed storytelling-problems are resolved too quickly, often making critical moments feel unrealistic. The narrative lacks the depth needed to build tension, as conflicts are introduced and resolved almost immediately. Additionally, the plot becomes predictable, reducing the overall mystery and excitement. While the premise is intriguing, the show doesn't take full advantage of its potential, leaving certain story arcs underdeveloped.

Despite its shortcomings, The Secret of the Shiledars remains a decent historical thriller. It offers solid performances and engaging action, but its lack of depth and rushed pacing prevent it from being truly exceptional. It's worth a watch for history and action lovers but might leave others wanting more.

Just finished the series...it's mainly based on books which is Focus on history.... I haven't read book yet but I found series decent...it has 6 episodes and length is about 30-35 minutes...nice attempt by makers to bring old history of shivaji mahahraj and his lost treasure... series started very well in first 2 episode in thriller aspect...from there only focus on adventure is highlighted....story is very intresting and keep you engaged till end..I wish there should be more than 6 episode... sometimes things are seen so much easy like clues and other things..if writing shoud more intense than it will be blockbuster series... it's one time watchable series now.

A Quest of Hidden Treasure A Shiledar bound to protect it A person intending to destroy it Who will win ?

Adapted by the book "PRATIPASHCHANDRA" this Aditya Sarpotdar directed stands out as an absolute adventurous and intresting series. Though the story is a fictional story but the emotions and respect generated towards Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is real !!!

The concept was absolutely amazing. Creating this as a series instead of a film was a good decision. It couldn't have done the same justice to the story as a 2 hr film as it did as a series. The suspense and twist through the story was fantastic. Though some twists felt like predictable, some will really amaze you.

Rajeev Khandelwal is a truly gem and underrated actor. He has done a fantastic job as Ravi. The way he potrays different type of emotions throughout is amazing. Sai Tamhankar as Priyal Deshpande is amazing in her role. She did a good job. Gaurav Amlani as Adi, had not much but he did his job well.

Other actors as Ashish Vidyarthi and Dilip Prabhavalkar were also great in their respective roles and had good impact on story.

Coming to the musical part of the series. The background score and theme was great. Although there were no such songs in the series which made it intense and intresting.

Special mention to all the locations and set of the whole series. They all were shown amazingly.

That's it about this series. This is an adventurous and full off suspense 6 episodes series. It has action, drama, suspense, thrill and lot of respect for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The series though at some point is predictable but it won't bore you much. You can give this one a try !!