Dharmendra, Nasseruddin to star in new series 'Taj – Divided by Blood’

MUMBAI: Veteran actor Dharmendra and Naseeruddin Shah are part of the ensemble cast of ZEE5's new original series ''Taj – Divided by Blood'', the streamer announced Tuesday.

Produced by Contiloe Digital, the series is described as a revelatory tale about the inner workings and the succession drama that played out in the hallowed chambers of the Mughal empire.

The story, which will see Dharmendra as Sheikh Salim Christi, encapsulates the reign of King Akbar (Shah) who is on a quest to find a worthy successor.

It dramatises the rise and fall of the generations that follow, showcasing the beauty and brutality of this great dynasty, their passion for arts, poetry and architecture, but at the same time their remarkably cold-blooded decisions with regards to their own family, in the quest for power, as per the official plotline.

The ensemble cast includes Aditi Rao Hydari as Anarkali, Aashim Gulati as Prince Salim, Taha Shah as Prince Murad, Shubham Kumar Mehra as Prince Daniyal, Sandhya Mridul as Queen Jodha Bai, Zareena Wahab as Queen Salima, Sauraseni Maitra as Mehr un Nisa and Rahul Bose as Mirza Hakim. William Borthwick is the showrunner of ''Taj'' with Simon Fantauzzo as the writer and Ronald Scalpello as the director.

'''Taj – Divided by Blood' is our most ambitious project which encapsulates the Mughal era and the war for dynasty unlike ever-before. We are excited to bring forth this epic saga of war and succession which will unravel many untold stories to our viewers. ''We are confident that this magnum opus will excite and entertain our viewers and reinstate ZEE5 as India's foremost storytellers,'' Manish Kalra, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 India, said in a statement.

Actors Subodh Bhave, Aayam Mehta, Deepraj Rana, Shivani Tanksale, Padma Damodharan, Pankaj Saraswat, Digambar Prasad and Zachary Coffin will also feature in pivotal roles.

''Taj - Divided by Blood'' will stream on ZEE5 soon.