13 May,2026 01:12 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Still from Satrangi
ZEE5 has launched the trailer of Satrangi - Badle Ka Khel, a Hindi original drama series set in the feudal landscape of rural Uttar Pradesh, starring Anshumaan Pushkar, Kumud Mishra, and Mahvash. Directed by Jai Basantu Singh and produced by RND Film LLP, the series will premiere on 22nd May.
Satrangi - Badle Ka khel follows Bablu Mahto (played by Anshumaan Pushkar), a young man raised in the shadows of humiliation and silence as the son of a Launda Naach performer. Growing up in a feudal world divided by caste and power, Bablu learns that survival lies not in strength, but in understanding how power moves. Living a double life as Bablu and Lalli, he begins to navigate two opposing worlds, one of control and one of performance, as he carefully sets into motion a dangerous game between two dominant families, the Singhs and the Pandeys. What begins as revenge soon turns into a larger battle for dignity, access, and control.
At its core, Satrangi - Badle Ka Khel draws from the world of Launda Naach - a traditional North Indian folk form where men perform in female attire at community celebrations. The performers are not portraying a separate gender identity, but are ordinary men carrying forward a cultural performance tradition that has existed across generations in rural India. In the series, Launda Naach goes beyond cultural context to become a lens for exploring identity, dignity, masculinity, and survival within a deeply unequal society, bringing a rarely seen world to life with sensitivity, humanity, and depth.
Talking about the show, Director Jai Basantu Singh said, "At its core, Satrangi - Badle Ka khel is about a man who understands that systems are not broken by force alone, but by learning how to move within them. Bablu's journey through two identities allows him access to worlds that would otherwise remain closed, and that becomes the foundation of his game. The series explores revenge, yes, but more importantly it explores power - who holds it, who performs for it, and who dares to redesign it."
Anshumaan Pushkar, who plays Bablu Mahto, said, "Bablu is a man who has spent his life being unseen, unheard, and underestimated, but beneath that silence is an incredibly sharp understanding of the world around him. His dual existence as Bablu and Lalli becomes his greatest strength as he learns to move through spaces of both power and performance. Satrangi - Badle Ka khel is not just emotionally intense, but also psychologically layered, and I'm excited for audiences to witness that journey on ZEE5."
Kumud Mishra said, "What drew me to Satrangi- Badle Ka khel was the complexity of the world it builds - a world where power is never straightforward, relationships are driven by fear and pride, and every silence carries meaning. The series is deeply rooted, yet its emotional and political tensions feel universally relatable. That layered unpredictability is what makes this story truly engaging."
Mahvash said, "Well, living in a society which is designed to keep certain people invisible , this series âSatrangi - Badle ka khel' is not just a revenge story but it is about the hunger of a man and the right of a human to get equal respect in this society like any other person. It is truly a very special one for me because I get to be a part of not only a strong narrative but finally the cinema that we deserve! Cinema that blends emotional vulnerability with such strong social undercurrents. Our audience keeps talking about how we need more good shows in the industry, well this one won't disappoint them."
