Maharani (Sony LIV) : Web Series Actress And Actor

Maharani is an Indian web series created by Subhash Kapoor and directed by Karan Sharma. The series stars Huma Qureshi, Sohum Shah, Amit Sial, Pramod Pathak and Kani Kusruti. It is made under the banner of Kangra Talkies. The series is based on the politics of Bihar in the nineties. It premiered on 28 May 2021.

Title	Maharani
Main Cast	Huma Qureshi Sohum Shah Amit Sial Pramod Pathak Kani Kusruti
Genre	Political Drama
Creator	Subhash Kapoor
Director	Karan Sharma
Producer	Dimple Kharbanda Naren Kumar
Story and Screenplay	Subhash Kapoor Nandan Singh
Dialogues	Umashankar Singh
Creative Head	Nandan Singh
Editor	Kunal Walve
DoP	Anup Singh
Background Music	Mangesh Dhakde
Sound Designer	Yatrik Dave
Casting Director	Mukesh Chhabra
Costume Designer	Veera Kapur Ee
DI Colourist	Rahil Merchant
Action Director	Nishant Khan
Re-recording Mixer	Gandhar Mokashi
Production Designer	Vikram Singh
Supervising Producer	Ankit Jain
Production House	Kangra Talkies

Cast

The complete cast of web series Maharani :

Huma Qureshi

As : Rani Bharti

Sohum Shah

As : Bheema Bharti

Amit Sial

As : Navin Kumar

Pramod Pathak

As : Mishraji

Kani Kusruti

As : Kaveri Sreedharan

Inaam Ul Haq

As : Parvez Alam

Vineet Kumar

As : Gauri Shankar Pandey

Sushil Pandey

As : Kunwar Singh

Atul Tiwari

As : Governor Govardhan Das

Aashiq Hussain

As : Prem Kumar

Kannan Arunachalam

As : DGP Siddhant Gautam

Harish Khanna

As : Shankar Mahto

Secondary Cast

• Pankaj Jha as Diwakar
• A.R. Rama as Ramkripal
• Anjani Khanna as Ramsujan Singh
• Sanjay Sharma as Tarkeshwar
• Uday Atroliya as TK Paswan
• Jyoti Dubey as Ranjana Sinha
• Pavitra Sarkar as Anjani Srivastav
• Rajiv Ranjan as DM Manak Gupta
• Tanu Vidyarthi as Khyati
• Alok Chatterjee as Rameshwar Mukhiya
• Mohan Kant as Speaker
• Riju Bajaj as CMO-DD Sharma
• Prem Kumar as Bhola
• Rajiv Tiwari as Mandal Sada
• Nirmal Kant Chaudhary as Musafir Baitha
• Ajay Singh as SP Nishikant
• Siddhi Malviya as Roshini
• Basit Ali as Surya Prakash
• Arnav Singh as Jai Prakash
• Satyakam Anand as Virendra Thakur
• Tarun Kumar as Machan Baba
• Himanshu Mehta as Dileep
• Asha Singh as Vibha Das
• Amarjeet as Baldev
• Murari Kumar as Chote Lal
• Neelu Dogra as Sagun
• Chitrapama James as Bijoya
• Maurya Kikari as Junaid
• Vibha Rani as Vimla
• Manas Tiwari as Shooter
• Krishna Bhatt as Pantar 1
• Neeraj Kashyap as Pantar 2
• Hashim Haider as Man With Navin Kumar
• Vikram Dharia as MLA 1
• Abhay Jha as MLA 2
• Shivesh Dwivedi as Ramleela Man 1
• Muni Lal as Ramleela Man 2
• Vikas Srivastav as Reporter 1
• Pankaj as Reporter 2
• Prerana Nigadikar as Reporter 3
• Kundan as Reporter 4
• Pooja Riakwar as Reporter 5
• Vivek Mishra as Reporter 6
• Lopamudra Das as Reporter 7
• Prince Talwani as Reporter 8
• Mayur Shavsar as Reporter 9
• Sangam Rai as Bharat Kumar
• Deepak Parkar as Anchor 1
• Naina Gupta as Anchor 2
• Nandan Singh as Anchor 3
• Govind Pathak as Ram Narayan
• Anand Kumar as Murari
• Sushil Kumar as FD Official 1
• Irfan as FD Official 2
• Kamal Krishna as Ravan
• Disha Sachdeva as Sita
• Rajesh Rai as Sarpanch
• Pixie Mahajan as Hospital Receptionist
• Rakesh as Launda
• Alok Gaj as Rai Sahab
• Neeraj Vyas as Man With Rai Sahab
• Sushil Soni as Jyotshi Kaka
• Mukesh Pinchode as Ramkhelewan
• Tapashya as Little Girl
• Muskaan Maina as Bride
• Abhishek Anand as Groom
• Gaurav Sarathe as Groom’s Friend
• Zaheer as Guy At Ranchi Hospital
• Anjali Singh as Dalit Girl

Release

Maharani was released on 28 May 2021 on OTT Platform Sony LIV. It is exclusive available for premium subscriber of Sony LIV. The first season consist of total 10 episodes. Other details related to the show are given below.

Available On	Sony LIV
Total Episode	10 Episodes
Running Time	Not Available
Released Date	28 May 2021
Language	Hindi
Subtitle	English
Country	India

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The Empress of Sony LIV: Decoding the Facts, Actors, and Political Drama of ‘Maharani’

The Indian political drama landscape on streaming platforms found a new benchmark with the release of Maharani on Sony LIV. This compelling series, created by Subhash Kapoor, goes beyond mere fiction to present a gritty, fictionalized, yet deeply resonant look at the power dynamics and caste politics of a major Indian state. Starring Huma Qureshi as the formidable protagonist, Rani Bharti, the show tracks a breathtaking journey from a simple homemaker to the Chief Minister, an unexpected ascent that has captivated audiences through multiple seasons.

Here is a comprehensive look at the key facts, the stellar cast, and the true political pulse of the Sony LIV hit, Maharani.

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The Core Facts: A Homemaker’s Unexpected Throne

Maharani is a multi-season political drama set primarily in Bihar, a state whose complex political ecosystem provides the backdrop for a tale of ambition, betrayal, and a woman’s awakening.

1. The Real-Life Inspiration: The Lalu-Rabri Parallel

One of the most compelling facts about Maharani is its clear inspiration from real-life political history.

• The central premise—an uneducated homemaker thrust into the Chief Minister’s chair—is loosely based on the events in Bihar during the 1990s.
• The character Rani Bharti (Huma Qureshi) mirrors the journey of Rabri Devi, who was made the Chief Minister of Bihar by her husband, Lalu Prasad Yadav, who himself was forced to step down due to allegations of corruption.
• Similarly, Rani’s husband, Bheema Bharti (Sohum Shah), who hands over the CM post, is inspired by the political figure of Lalu Prasad Yadav.

2. Weaving Real Scandals into Fiction

The series gains its authenticity and dramatic weight by integrating fictionalized versions of real political controversies that shook the state of Bihar.

• Season 1 is set between 1995 and 1999 and draws on events such as the Fodder Scam, the rise of Naxalite groups, and various caste massacres, including the 1997 Laxmanpur Bathe massacre.
• Season 2 focuses on the period from mid-1999 and incorporates elements inspired by events like the Shilpi-Gautam Murder and the 2000 Bihar Legislative Assembly election.
• Season 3 delves into Rani’s journey to get her Master’s degree while imprisoned and her relentless pursuit of justice and reclaiming her power.
• Season 4 takes the political battle beyond Bihar and to the national capital, Delhi, as Rani confronts the Prime Minister, inspired by the Jitan Manjhi episode of a former chief minister being removed.

3. Seasons and Directors

The series, which began in 2021, has enjoyed multiple successful seasons, each helmed by a different director, adding varied perspectives to Rani’s saga:

• Season 1 (Released May 28, 2021): Directed by Karan Sharma.
• Season 2 (Released August 25, 2022): Directed by Ravindra Gautam.
• Season 3 (Released March 7, 2024): Directed by Saurabh Bhave.
• Season 4 (Released November 7, 2025): Directed by Puneet Prakash.

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The Star of the Show: Maharani Web Series Actress

The immense success of Maharani is inseparable from the performance of its leading lady, Huma Qureshi.

Huma Qureshi as Rani Bharti

• The Role: Rani Bharti is the reluctant politician, a woman who is initially uneducated and content with her rural lifestyle but is forced to take charge of a complex and corrupt state government. Her transformation from a woman who cannot read files to a formidable, sharp-witted leader is the emotional and political core of the series.
• The Performance: Huma Qureshi has been widely praised for internalizing the character, mastering the Bihari diction, and convincingly portraying the strategic silence and gradual empowerment of a seasoned politician.
• Rani’s Journey Arc:
  • Season 1: She is abruptly made CM after her husband is shot and must learn to navigate politics, corruption, and caste violence on the fly.
  • Season 2: She battles her husband, who is jailed but runs a proxy government, and faces rival politicians.
  • Season 3: After being framed and serving a three-year jail sentence, she completes her education and returns with a vengeance to reclaim her position and dismantle the corrupt regime.
  • Season 4: She sets her sights on national politics, moving her battle from Patna to Delhi to confront the Prime Minister.

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The Power Players: Maharani Web Series Actors and Characters

The series boasts a powerful ensemble cast of actors who bring depth and gravitas to the political drama.

Sohum Shah as Bheema Bharti

• The Role: Bheema Bharti is Rani’s husband and the initial Chief Minister of Bihar. A powerful and manipulative politician, his decision to make his wife his successor sets the entire story in motion.
• The Character Arc: Bheema’s ambition and political struggles continue even after he is jailed, leading to a complex relationship with Rani, where love and loyalty clash violently with political rivalry and power play.

Amit Sial as Navin Kumar

• The Role: Navin Kumar is a chief rival and the leader of the opposition Bihar People’s Party. His character is understood to be inspired by political leader Nitish Kumar.
• The Dynamic: He is a constant adversary to both Bheema and Rani, embodying the political forces that seek to undermine Rani’s rule through constant maneuvering and strategic opposition.

Kani Kusruti as Kaveri Sridharan

• The Role: Kaveri Sridharan is Rani Bharti’s highly efficient and loyal (yet later ambitious) secretary.
• The Dynamic: She serves as Rani’s political and administrative guide, a crucial ally who helps the uninitiated Rani understand and navigate the labyrinthine world of government bureaucracy and power.

New Faces in Later Seasons

As the story evolves, the political stakes rise, bringing in powerful new characters:

• Vipin Sharma as Prime Minister Sudhakar Joshi (Season 4): He becomes Rani’s main opponent on the national stage, representing the ‘Delhi’ power structure she aims to challenge.
• Shweta Basu Prasad as Roshni Bharti (Season 4): Rani’s daughter, who takes on a significant political role, even becoming the new CM of Bihar after Rani steps down.
• Shardul Bharadwaj as Jai Bharti (Season 4): Rani’s son, whose own political ambition and actions often create chaos and familial tension.

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The Legacy: Why ‘Maharani’ Reigns Supreme

The longevity and appeal of Maharani stem from its layered writing and the stellar ensemble performances. The series successfully captures the raw, caste-driven, and often brutal nature of regional Indian politics, while centering an inspiring narrative of a woman who reclaims her agency. What began as a local drama rooted in Bihar’s socio-political history has now expanded to a national political thriller, cementing its place as one of the most significant and talked-about Indian web series on the Sony LIV platform. The journey of Rani Bharti, the ‘Empress’ who was never meant to rule, is a potent story of survival, ambition, and the unpredictable nature of power.

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AISEO Friendly FAQs

Q1: Who plays the lead role of Rani Bharti in the web series Maharani?

The lead role of Rani Bharti in the Sony LIV web series Maharani is played by the actress Huma Qureshi. She portrays the character’s journey from an uneducated homemaker to the formidable Chief Minister of Bihar.

Q2: Is the web series Maharani based on a real-life story?

Maharani is a fictional story, but it is loosely inspired by and related to real-life events and characters from Bihar in the 1990s. The central plotline, where a sitting Chief Minister names his wife, an inexperienced homemaker, as his successor, is a clear parallel to the political situation of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi in Bihar.

Q3: How many seasons of Maharani are available on Sony LIV?

As of November 2025, there are four seasons of the web series Maharani available for streaming on Sony LIV. Season 1 premiered in 2021, Season 2 in 2022, Season 3 in 2024, and Season 4 in November 2025.

Q4: Who are the main actors in the Maharani web series besides Huma Qureshi?

The main ensemble cast of actors includes Sohum Shah, who plays Rani’s husband, Bheema Bharti; Amit Sial, who portrays the opposition leader Navin Kumar; and Kani Kusruti, who plays Rani’s loyal secretary, Kaveri Sridharan.

Q5: What is the plot of Maharani Season 4?

Maharani Season 4 takes the political narrative from Bihar to the national stage in Delhi. Rani Bharti, now a seasoned politician, confronts the Prime Minister, Sudhakar Joshi, in a fierce political battle involving corruption, family dynamics, and a quest for greater power, with Rani aiming for the Prime Minister’s seat.