The recently concluded IIFA showcased a new dialogue promo of Kavi Raz’s upcoming Hollywood film The Black Prince. Actor Satinder Sartaj and Shabana Azmi were present for the screening. The scene features an interesting encounter between Amanda Root’s Queen Victoria, Satinder Sartaj’s Maharajah Duleep Singh and Shabana Azmi’s Maharani Jinda. The Maharajah’s relationship with these two women plays a central role to the film, and the simmering tension between Root’s imperious Queen Victoria and Azmi’s defiant Rani Jindan is a sight to behold on screen.

The Black Prince chronicles Maharajah Duleep Singh, the last King of Punjab’s lifelong struggle and daring journey of self-discovery in order to reclaim his identity, his faith, and the Kingdom that was rightfully his. This ultimately leads him to meeting his mother, long herself in exile, after 13 years. The Black Prince spotlights Queen Victoria’s warm relationship with Maharajah Duleep Singh as he begins adjusting to and ultimately embracing the English culture into which he was drawn at the age of 15. The film also sheds light into his upbringing as an aristocrat in the UK who converts to Christianity under the influence of his foster parents, but later longs to return to his Kingdom, mother and roots. His character, as it evolves is torn between two contrasting cultures – his royal ancestry from the Kingdom of Punjab as its last King, set against his upbringing in the UK as he embarks in a new journey of exile, away from his mother.

The Black Prince is poised to create a wave of intrigue in India and the UK as the story touches upon the historically significant and priceless Kohinoor diamond, which was purportedly gifted by a young 13-year-old Maharajah Duleep Singh to Queen Victoria at a ceremony held in 1850 at Buckingham Palace in London. The film releases on July 21, 2017.