Jubilee Trailer: Vikramaditya Motwane’s New Prime Video Series Depicts Glamor and Scandal in Bollywood’s Golden Age

Vikramaditya Motwane’s upcoming Jubilee web series just got a trailer. Ahead of its April 7 debut, Amazon Prime Video released a trailer for the show, a love letter to Bollywood’s golden age, chronicling the life of a rising star, studio heads, of a nautch girl, and more, as they chase dreams and struggle to succeed in the film industry. Although the premise looks a bit like Damien Chazelle’s Babylon, the tone of the Jubilee trailer isn’t anywhere near as loud or boisterous — or drug-fuelled, for that matter. Motwane – best known for Netflix’s Sacred Games – directs the 10-episode series, from a script written by Atul Sabharwal (Aurangzeb). Jubilee Episodes 1-5 will be released on April 7, while the remaining 6-10 will be released the following week on April 14.

Set in a newly independent India, the Jubilee trailer opens with the voiceover of an invisible woman: “What’s good about some people?” When they are not given their piece of land, they conquer it. Cut to Bombay in 1947, we are introduced to an up-and-coming actor named Madan Kumar, who is desperately in demand by the head of the Roy Talkies production house, Srikant Roy (Prosenjit Chatterjee), for a role in one of his films. Enter Binod Das (Aparshakti Khurana), who is portrayed as Roy’s “loyal soldier”, who is sent on a mission to escort Madan Kumar from Lucknow to Bombay. However, things go awry on the trip home, when their car eventually crashes and catches fire, leaving Kumar trapped inside the car. Binod, who always wanted to be a star decides to take this opportunity, leaving Kumar for dead and coming back empty-handed.

Although not explicitly mentioned in the Jubilee trailer, it is implied that the incident was covered up and that Binod assumed the identity of Madan Kumar. (You don’t know what they did about his facial appearance?) He is seen gradually climbing the ranks – attending lavish parties, signing autographs and enjoying the sight of the public rehearsing his lines. Of course, whenever things go out of frame, studio executives are there to remind the star of who he really is. “I mortgaged the studio to fund this movie and to make you ‘Madan Kumar’, Binod,” Roy says, as we’re shown footage of our fake star meeting two other key Jubilee characters.

The first is Jay Khanna (Sidhant Gupta), an aspiring rookie director who intends to make a film with Madan Kumar. “If you love wasting money so much, go gamble in a casino,” the stone-faced Madan/Binod warns, though that doesn’t even faze the ambitious filmmaker. Then there’s Nilofer (Wamiqa Gabbi), a singer-dancer, who makes a living performing for live audiences, clinging to the belief that you have to give up body or soul to succeed in the world. industry. We also meet fellow star Sumitra Kumari (Aditi Rao Hydari), who is on a mission to expose the fake Madan Kumar and her husband Roy’s involvement in the cover-up – she’s been romantically involved with the real one and demands justice.

“Jubilee for me as an actor was a no-brainer. When I heard the story, and especially Binod’s journey, I knew I had to do it. He’s one of the most difficult characters I have played to date, but also the most rewarding,” Khurana said in a prepared statement. “Vikramaditya Motwane is a maverick, he has been able to bring out the best not just in me but in the whole from the cast and crew.” Jubilee also stars Nandish Sandhu (Super 30) and Ram Kapoor (Thappad), and features a vintage soundtrack composed by Amit Trivedi.

The first five episodes of Jubilee will premiere April 7 on Amazon Prime Video.

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