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.

"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.

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 !!

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.

One of the best books I have read till date was Pratipchandra .While reading the book I had no idea that someone of around my age think like that. I was waiting for the film on this book .

But the cast and the screenplay was not able to do what the writer was able to do with story in the book with his writing skills. The protagonist role , the storyline , the police , lead actress role and the conclusion everyone had a role that was justified but in the film things were not aligning .One time watch !! Those who are really interested the original book is what you should read. One of the finest EVER!!!