With a string of successful films behind him, Ali Abbas Zafar knew it was time to explore a new dimension of storytelling. If the new brings with it the fear of the unknown, it also offers the joy of discovery. It holds true for the filmmaker who has attempted long-format storytelling with Tandav — while the series has made him unlearn many a trick of his craft, it has also been his most fruitful endeavour.

Drawing an analogy with cricket, he begins, “If you love the sport, there is nothing better than playing test cricket. The same holds true here. Long-format shows demand more patience from a filmmaker, and is more difficult as you have to hold the audience interest for over eight to nine hours.”

The Amazon Prime Video series — featuring Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub — is a tale of burning greed, power and ambition in the murky world of politics. Even as the first season has yet to drop online, the director reveals that work on the second instalment has begun. “The Coronavirus pandemic has been a boon for me because, as writers, we don’t get to spend enough time with ourselves. During the lockdown, I sat in my Dehradun home for five months and kept writing. We have already developed the script for the second season, and hopefully, it will go on floors soon.” Sources say the next edition will roll in February. 

While his films subliminally often touch on politics, the subject takes centre-stage in his upcoming offering. “Even if the show was made 200 years ago, or years into the future, it would resonate [with the audience]. That’s how politics is — it either exploits you or empowers you, and is always relevant,” states Zafar, adding that the talented cast further elevated the powerful material. “Saif was my first choice for the character of Samar Pratap Singh, who is borderline grey yet vulnerable. That said, we have developed multiple tracks in the show. Every actor we approached, understood that his/her arc is crucial to the story. The series is not riding on one superstar.”