For centuries, dark secrets and mystery shroud one of the most beautiful and largest cut diamonds in the world, the Kohinoor. Retracing the story and controversies around what is India’s most prized possession that was wrongfully snatched during British rule, director Raghav Jairath, creator Neeraj Pandey and Manoj Bajpayee have joined hands for a fascinating docu-series titled Secrets of the Kohinoor. It will premiere on August 4 on discovery+.
At the launch event, Manoj shares, “While shooting for it, we all had so many second thoughts that are we doing it correctly or not? Sometimes we all were so confident. I feel it’s all part of the creative process.”
When asked whether he was aware of Kohinoor before this docu-series was offered to him, he reveals, “I was only aware of it that much which has been taught as a subject. I never really went deep into the Kohinoor secrets. The biggest advantage of anchoring and narrating such stories is that you also learn so much, and that’s the most fascinating part of it. Like I have read about Sunauli (excavation site) but never really went into it deeply, and the same goes for Kohinoor.”
He adds, “While shooting for it, I got to know so many things about it. I got to know the meaning of Kohinoor too. The research team of the show has worked really hard, and they had got so much content. Kohinoor itself had a lot of drama attached to it, so it was a challenge for the makers to make it dramatic but keeping the actuality intact to the narrative.”
Manoj and Neeraj have collaborated together on several projects. When we quiz him about the special bond he has with the filmmaker, Manoj concludes, “We enjoy each other’s company a lot. I enjoy being directed by him, but off camera, our lives are much more colourful.”
