{ "id": "epxc9dtrhw", "slug": "paurashpur", "title": "Paurashpur", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted", "label": "Unscripted, reality, and web-native series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries", "label": "Indian and South Asian web series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "India · 2001 to 2020: Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "path": [ { "id": "geo.ind", "label": "India", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001", "label": "India · 2001 to 2020", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted", "label": "Unscripted, reality, and web-native series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Paurashpur (पौरशपुर) is a Hindi erotic period drama web series that premiered 29 December 2020 on ALTBalaji and ZEE5, starring Annu Kapoor, Shilpa Shinde, Milind Soman, and Shaheer Sheikh across three seasons (2020, 2023, 2024).", "snippet": "Paurashpur (पौरशपुर) is a Hindi erotic period drama web series that premiered 29 December 2020 on ALTBalaji and ZEE5, starring Annu Kapoor, Shilpa Shinde, Milind Soman, and Shaheer Sheikh across three seasons (2020, 2023, 2024).", "node": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries", "markdown": "# Paurashpur\n\n**Paurashpur** (पौरशपुर) is an Indian Hindi-language period drama web series that premiered on 29 December 2020 on the streaming platforms [ALTBalaji](https://www.edgepedia.org/altbalaji) and ZEE5. Set in a fictional sixteenth-century kingdom, it follows a tyrannical king whose treatment of women and the third gender provokes a rebellion within his own palace.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/paurashpur-streaming-on-altbalaji-zee5-live-updates-7125131/) • [2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/paurashpur/season-1/seasonreview/80022538.cms)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Original title | पौरशपुर[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/paurashpur) |\n| First episode | 29 December 2020, on ALTBalaji and ZEE5[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/paurashpur-streaming-on-altbalaji-zee5-live-updates-7125131/) |\n| Seasons | Season 1: 7 episodes (2020); Season 2: 5 episodes (28 July 2023); Season 3: 5 episodes (19 July 2024)[4](https://globalzonetoday.com/paurashpur/) • [5](https://thetvdb.com/series/paurashpur/allseasons/official) |\n| Directors | Shachindra Vats (Season 1), Kaycee (Kevin Couto) (Season 2)[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/paurashpur) • [4](https://globalzonetoday.com/paurashpur/) |\n| Principal cast | Annu Kapoor, Shilpa Shinde, Milind Soman, Shaheer Sheikh, Poulomi Das[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/paurashpur-streaming-on-altbalaji-zee5-live-updates-7125131/) |\n| Genre and rating | Erotic period drama; rated A (adults only)[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/paurashpur) • [6](https://scroll.in/reel/982658/paurushpur-review-its-bump-and-grind-time-once-again-in-ekta-kapoors-kingdom) |\n| Availability | Unavailable to stream in India as of the most recent checks; last available on Zee5 from December 2020 to April 2021[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/paurashpur) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Premise and setting\n\nThe series is set in Paurashpur, a fictional kingdom in sixteenth-century India that is ruled entirely by men. King Bhadrapratap Singh, played by [Annu Kapoor](https://www.edgepedia.org/annu-kapoor), is described in reviews as a misogynist and sex-addicted ruler who treats women as objects. Women in the kingdom have no rights: they are considered slaves to men, are required to undergo the Sati ritual (Hindu practice of widow immolation on husband's pyre) after a husband's death, and are forced to wear a chastity belt with a lock; those who defy these rules face public execution.[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/paurashpur/season-1/seasonreview/80022538.cms) • [7](https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/entertainment/web-series/review/paurashpur-season-1-web-series-review-in-hindi/moviereview/80067636.cms)\n\nThe king's first wife, Queen Meerawati ([Shilpa Shinde](https://www.edgepedia.org/shilpa-shinde)), arranges new queens to satisfy him, but each bride mysteriously disappears from the palace the day after her wedding. Boris ([Milind Soman](https://www.edgepedia.org/milind-soman)), a transgender character whose presence makes the king uncomfortable, is connected to the disappearances, and the queen herself begins plotting against the king with his enemies. The season-one finale introduces [Shaheer Sheikh](https://www.edgepedia.org/shaheer-sheikh)'s character Veer Singh, who was positioned as a central figure for the following season.[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/paurashpur/season-1/seasonreview/80022538.cms) • [8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/paurashpur-trailer-a-tale-of-lust-revenge-and-gender-politics-7096656/)\n\nAccording to the makers, the show addresses patriarchy, gender politics, and power. Shilpa Shinde, who plays Queen Meerawati, said the show touches on serious issues that existed \"even in those days\" and described it as shot on a grand scale.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/paurashpur-streaming-on-altbalaji-zee5-live-updates-7125131/) Milind Soman said he deliberately avoided stereotyped mannerisms in portraying Boris, aiming instead to show the character's human side.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/paurashpur-streaming-on-altbalaji-zee5-live-updates-7125131/)\n\n### Seasons\n\n**Season 1** consists of seven episodes, all released on 29 December 2020, with titles including \"Paurashpur: Kingdom of Patriarchy\" and the finale \"Vidroh: The Uprising\".[4](https://globalzonetoday.com/paurashpur/) Episodes run roughly 20 to 26 minutes.[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/paurashpur) • [12](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/52736/paurashpur)\n\n**Season 2**, directed by Kaycee, premiered on 28 July 2023 with five episodes: \"Thrones and Deceit\", \"Love's Battle\", \"Secrets and Shadows\", \"The Prophecy Unveiled\", and \"The Dance of Power\".[4](https://globalzonetoday.com/paurashpur/) Its main cast included Aaryan Harnot, Shilpa Shinde, and Annu Kapoor.[13](https://www.airtelxstream.in/tv-shows/paurashpur-season-2/SHEMAROOME_TVSHOW_64c38f8ec0048d4c4000715e)\n\n**Season 3** followed on 19 July 2024 with five episodes, continuing the power struggle inside the palace around the character Snehlata and ending with \"Together or Apart\", described as the final battle over the fate of Paurashpur.[5](https://thetvdb.com/series/paurashpur/allseasons/official)\n\n## Production\n\nALTBalaji announced Paurashpur in October 2020 as one of its largest web shows, describing it as a fictional period drama envisioned on the lines of *Game of Thrones*, with a set built on the outskirts of Mumbai and multiple seasons planned.[9](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/altbalaji-to-launch-magnum-opus-drama-paurashpur-6742303/) The series was produced by Sachin Mohite under the banner of Jaasvand Entertainment and directed by Shachindra Vats.[10](https://nettv4u.com/about/hindi/web-series/paurashpur) The writers were Baljeet Singh Chaddha, Rajesh Tripathi, and Chital Rajesh Tripathi, with Vats also editing the seven episodes.[6](https://scroll.in/reel/982658/paurushpur-review-its-bump-and-grind-time-once-again-in-ekta-kapoors-kingdom)\n\nThe production drew established names for its craft departments: the sets were designed by [Nitin Chandrakant Desai](https://www.edgepedia.org/nitin-chandrakant-desai) and the costumes by Leena Daru.[6](https://scroll.in/reel/982658/paurushpur-review-its-bump-and-grind-time-once-again-in-ekta-kapoors-kingdom) The release, originally scheduled for 15 December 2020, was postponed for reasons that were not stated, and the series premiered on 29 December 2020.[11](https://leisurebyte.com/alt-balaji-paurashpur-review/)\n\n## Reception\n\nSeason 1 opened to poor reviews. The Times of India gave it 2.0 out of 5, calling it \"an underwhelming erotic period drama\" and criticizing loose plot threads and clichéd erotic scenes, while singling out Milind Soman's performance as the show's saving grace.[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/paurashpur/season-1/seasonreview/80022538.cms) Navbharat Times rated it 1.5 out of 5, judging the concept good but poorly executed, and noting that Shaheer Sheikh appears in only two scenes of the season.[7](https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/entertainment/web-series/review/paurashpur-season-1-web-series-review-in-hindi/moviereview/80067636.cms) ABP Live, also at 1.5 out of 5, wrote that the series focuses on titillating scenes at the expense of a coherent story.[14](https://www.abplive.com/entertainment/movie-review/alt-balaji-web-series-paurashpur-review-1700703) A LatestLY review rated it 1.0 out of 5, criticizing the editing, writing, and direction, though it found Milind Soman's Boris the one notable performance.[15](https://www.latestly.com/entertainment/tv/paurashpur-review-milind-soman-and-shilpa-shindes-erotic-web-series-dons-feminism-to-serve-semi-naked-bodies-and-boring-sex-scenes-latestly-exclusive-2238540.html)\n\nReviewers consistently noted the gap between the production's scale and its writing. The Scroll review observed that the plot's central mystery, the fate of the king's vanished wives, is resolved without much suspense, and that lovemaking scenes are inserted throughout.[6](https://scroll.in/reel/982658/paurushpur-review-its-bump-and-grind-time-once-again-in-ekta-kapoors-kingdom) [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express)'s live coverage of the release was headlined around the show opening to poor reviews.[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/paurashpur-streaming-on-altbalaji-zee5-live-updates-7125131/)\n\n## Availability\n\nPaurashpur streamed on Zee5 from December 2020 until April 2021, after which it left that platform; as of the most recent availability check it could not be streamed in India, though Season 2 has been offered on Airtel Xstream Play through ShemarooMe.[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/paurashpur) • [13](https://www.airtelxstream.in/tv-shows/paurashpur-season-2/SHEMAROOME_TVSHOW_64c38f8ec0048d4c4000715e)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Paurashpur release LIVE UPDATES: ALTBalaji series opens to poor reviews, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/paurashpur-streaming-on-altbalaji-zee5-live-updates-7125131/)\n2. [Paurashpur Season 1 Review: An underwhelming erotic period drama, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/paurashpur/season-1/seasonreview/80022538.cms)\n3. [Paurashpur - watch tv show streaming online, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/paurashpur)\n4. [Paurashpur (Hindi Web Series) - All Seasons, Episodes & Cast, Global Zone Today](https://globalzonetoday.com/paurashpur/)\n5. [Paurashpur - Aired Order - All Seasons, TheTVDB.com](https://thetvdb.com/series/paurashpur/allseasons/official)\n6. ['Paurushpur' review: It's bump-and-grind time once again in Ekta Kapoor's kingdom, Scroll.in](https://scroll.in/reel/982658/paurushpur-review-its-bump-and-grind-time-once-again-in-ekta-kapoors-kingdom)\n7. [पौरषपुर review, Navbharat Times](https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/entertainment/web-series/review/paurashpur-season-1-web-series-review-in-hindi/moviereview/80067636.cms)\n8. [Paurashpur trailer: A tale of lust, revenge and gender politics, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/paurashpur-trailer-a-tale-of-lust-revenge-and-gender-politics-7096656/)\n9. [ALTBalaji to launch magnum opus drama Paurashpur, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/altbalaji-to-launch-magnum-opus-drama-paurashpur-6742303/)\n10. [Hindi Web Series Paurashpur | Released on ALTBalaji, Nettv4u](https://nettv4u.com/about/hindi/web-series/paurashpur)\n11. [Alt Balaji's Paurashpur Review, Leisurebyte](https://leisurebyte.com/alt-balaji-paurashpur-review/)\n12. [Paurashpur, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/52736/paurashpur)\n13. [Watch the Web Series Paurashpur Season 2 on Airtel Xstream Play](https://www.airtelxstream.in/tv-shows/paurashpur-season-2/SHEMAROOME_TVSHOW_64c38f8ec0048d4c4000715e)\n14. [Alt Balaji Web series Paurashpur Review, ABP Live](https://www.abplive.com/entertainment/movie-review/alt-balaji-web-series-paurashpur-review-1700703)\n15. [Paurashpur Review, LatestLY](https://www.latestly.com/entertainment/tv/paurashpur-review-milind-soman-and-shilpa-shindes-erotic-web-series-dons-feminism-to-serve-semi-naked-bodies-and-boring-sex-scenes-latestly-exclusive-2238540.html)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Web-native and streaming-original series › Indian and South Asian web series*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/paurashpur", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/paurashpur.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Paurashpur\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/paurashpur. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Paurashpur](https://www.edgepedia.org/paurashpur)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/paurashpur](https://www.edgepedia.org/paurashpur). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Paurashpur\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/paurashpur. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Paurashpur is a Hindi erotic period drama web series that premiered 29 December 2020 on ALTBalaji and ZEE5, starring Annu Kapoor, Shilpa Shinde, Milind Soman, and Shaheer Sheikh across three seasons." }