Kaun Banegi Shikharwati trailer: In Lara Dutta, Soha Ali Khan’s new series, a glimpse of desi Squid Game. Watch

Have you ever wondered what would it be like if erstwhile rulers of princely states held Roadies-esque competitions to determine their successor? Well, Kaun Banegi Shikharwati does just that. The trailer for this upcoming web series on Zee5 was released earlier today and it gave us a glimpse at an aged royal’s attempts to save his legacy with the help of his dysfunctional family.

The series, directed by Gauravv Chawla and Ananya Banerjee, stars Naseeruddin Shah as the erstwhile ruler of a fictitious kingdom called Shikarwat. Faced by foreclosure for not paying wealth tax, he and his advisor (played by Raghubir Yadav) devise an outlandish plan to bring the king’s four estranged daughters back together.

The trailer packs a lot in less than three minutes. There is Naseeruddin’s king, trying to get his four daughters (played by Lara Dutta, Soha Ali Khan, Kritika Kamra, and Anya Singh) participate in a Roadies/Khatron Ke Khiladi style talent hunt to gauge their ‘hunar (merit)’ and decide who is fit to be king. There is a plot about a hidden fortune and a looming income tax investigation as well. And there is a not-so-subtle nod to Korean sensation Squid Games in a scene with the younger versions of the princesses dressed in those unmistakable blue track suits playing ‘Royal Games’.

Also read: Naseeruddin Shah says Irrfan Khan knew about his death ‘for about two years’: ‘To be able to see this grim reaper…’

Talking about her role in the show, Soha Ali Khan said, “I have been looking forward to do 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 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 shot in Rajasthan in 2020 with sets erected in a haveli of a small town called Mandawa. According to a report in Dainik Bhaskar, the show’s creative director Nikkhil Advani personally oversaw the arrangements and locations in the small desert town. The crew also shot in a few neighbouring towns in Jhunjhunu district. The shooting was delayed earlier this year when Naseeruddin Shah fell ill and had to be hospitalised. The series will stream on Zee5 on January 7, 2022.