Manoj on ‘Secrets of the Kohinoor’: Revelations in the documentary took me by surprise

Mumbai, July 28  Acclaimed actor Manoj Bajpayee, who has collaborated with Neeraj Pandey for the series ‘Secrets of the Kohinoor’, has said that the revelations made in the documentary about the precious diamond ‘Kohinoor’ took him by surprise.

Manoj said: “Despite being talked about for years, there are many facts about the Kohinoor that were unknown to me, and I am certain, they would be unknown to a majority of the world as well. The revelations made in the documentary took me by surprise and I cannot wait for viewers to explore this untold story and be just as surprised.”

The docuseries uncovers aspects like how over the years since its discovery, the weight of the diamond has been slashed down to less than six times its original weight; or that the Kohinoor, which we want to call our own, might not be the same diamond Emperor Babur mentioned in his memoir.

Featuring Parliamentarian and Author Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Historians Irfan Habib, Dr. Adrienne Munich, Prof. Farhat Nasreen, K. K. Muhammed, Dr. Manvendra Kumar Pundhir, Navtej Sarna, J. Sai Deepak, Dr.Danielle Kinsey, Dr. Miles Taylor and Master Diamond Polisher Ms. Pauline Willemse.

Directed by Raghav Jairath, the docuseries also uncovers the stories of multiple rulers and their insatiable desire for the Kohinoor which led to significant and very bloody wars, triggered agonising mind games, and empowered rulers and ruined dynasties whilst exploring stories of powerful emperors whose lives intertwined with the diamond in unfathomable ways.

Creator Neeraj Pandey, added: “The unseen, disguised and unknown historical facts have always intrigued and fascinated me to delve deep into the subject. After the amazing response to Secrets of Sinauli, the idea to explore the mystery of the Kohinoor excited us as it has been one of the most talked about diamonds in the history of time.”

He further adds: “It is always a pleasure to work in collaboration with Manoj, who is a master of his craft and has taken the show to a whole new level with his striking storytelling expertise. The robust research, peppered with inputs from renowned scholars and experts, digs deep into the story of Kohinoor to surface lesser-known facets of its journey whilst narrating the importance of bringing it back to its homeland.”

Sai Abishek, Head of Factual & Lifestyle Cluster- South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery, shared: “The captivating history of Kohinoor and its unexplored aspects are even more prevalent now and need to be known by audiences across the globe.”

‘Secrets of the Kohinoor’ will be premiering on August 4 on Discovery+.