The director of a new British Raj drama has called for the United Kingdom to pay India trillions of dollars in reparations for what he described as two centuries of colonial enslavement. Nikkhil Advani, who helmed the Amazon Prime series *The Revolutionaries*, said the drama aims to shed light on the atrocities committed during British rule in India.

The eight-part series centers on a group of Indian freedom fighters and depicts harsh and violent episodes from the colonial era. Advani acknowledged that the portrayal of certain characters, particularly one based on Colonel Reginald Dyer, was amplified beyond historical accuracy to evoke sympathy for reparations claims, which have been estimated to reach as high as $56 trillion (about £41 trillion).

The series opens with a scene featuring a character examining a collection of sketches that illustrate the brutality of British forces, which then come alive as animations. Among the disturbing images are British soldiers marching through landscapes littered with bodies and soldiers bayoneting civilians. Captions emphasize the suffering endured under colonial rule, stating: “They established the Empire on Indian corpses... But our soil witnessed everything.”

Advani, 55, an award-winning Bollywood filmmaker, described the colonial period as a “catastrophic time.” He said, “More than 100 years later we are still reeling under the fact we were raped, pillaged and plundered – that $56 trillion is owed to us.” The call for reparations follows long-standing debates about the economic and human costs of British rule in India.

A central figure of controversy in the series is Colonel Reginald Dyer, notorious for his role in the 1919 Amritsar massacre where British troops fired on unarmed civilians, resulting in 379 deaths. Known historically as the "Butcher of Amritsar," Dyer is depicted in the show engaging in brutal acts, including dragging prisoners and firing a cannon with a prisoner tied to its muzzle. Advani conceded the depiction was “not a fair representation” of Dyer’s actions but defended the choice as symbolic of broader colonial atrocities.

The series and Advani’s statements have drawn criticism from historians. Jeremy Black, a British historian, described the drama as presenting a “clearly prejudiced” view of the Raj. He noted that British rule often depended significantly on Indian cooperation, suggesting the show may oversimplify a complex historical relationship.

*The Revolutionaries* continues to spark debate over how colonial history is portrayed in media and the ongoing conversation about reparations for colonial-era injustices.