From Shah Rukh's Kal Ho Naa Ho to The Revolutionaries: Nikkhil Advani on melodrama, youth-led freedom struggles and why he won’t separate politics from film

Nikhil Advani, the filmmaker behind Kal Ho Naa Ho, has a career that defies easy categorization. His projects range from romance and family dramas to terrorism, war, history, patriotism, and social injustice. The Revolutionaries, his latest series on Prime Video, is no exception. Advani describes the series as not a somber political drama, but one filled with passion, fervor, and obsession.

The series explores a generation of young revolutionaries who challenged British rule and sought to challenge colonial oppression. Advani is particularly interested in the youth behind the movement, rather than focusing solely on figures like Gandhi, Nehru, and Patel. He believes that revolutions are done by young people, a sentiment that resonates even more today, given the rise of Gen Z-led protests worldwide.

What fascinated Advani about the series was discovering the interconnectedness of revolutionary movements across India and beyond. He resisted the temptation to cast A-list stars as young revolutionaries, preferring actors who looked and felt their age. Advani is a melodramatic person, loving drama in all aspects of his life, and he aims to bring that same spirit to his writing and filmmaking.

He is acutely aware of the dangers of reducing patriotism to chest-thumping, arguing that it should be deeply personal and not merely flag-waving. For Advani, love is a powerful force that can make people stand up against injustice, and he believes that revolution cannot happen without love.