The Empire review: Babur origin story is bland historical fiction

The Empire—a new Disney+ Hotstar epic about the reluctant rise of the Mughal emperor Babur—cannot be faulted on scale, or ambition, or grandiosity. They not only pay homage to Bhansali’s signature opulence but also borrow characters and motivations from his movies, while also unwisely lifting scenes and plot points directly from Game Of Thrones and even Baahubali. Later, as Babur’s sister Khanzada gets a Daenerys Targaryen arc, Shaibani becomes a Khal Drogo stand-in who kills an aspiring king with the crown he wants. It is historically chronicled that women behind the crown held together the Mughal empire—from Babur’s grandmother and sister to Akbar’s foster mothers to Jahangir’s wife Noor Jahan, who ruled the empire alongside him—and the series rightly lauds them. This turquoise-coloured season features dodgy visual effects, poignant moments underscored by tinkly ambient massage parlour music, and one scene where I swear a drowning woman actually shouted “Humein bacha leejiye please!” At this rate of improvement, season 2 ought to be solid.