Netflix original series, based on the book, Bard of Blood, in partnership with Red Chillies Entertainment. Penned by the young Indian author, Bilal Siddiqi the book was brought to life as an seven-episode high-octane political espionage thriller series for more than 109 million members around the world.
Bard of Blood released on Netflix on Sep 27th and garnered great word of mouth and reviews.
Set against the backdrop of the Indian subcontinent, the multilingual series tells the story of an expelled spy, Kabir Anand who is recalled from his new life as a Shakespeare professor to save his country. A combination of combat skills, intellectual background and personal circumstances propel Kabir to avenge the past and face his deadliest enemies in a race against time.
The series involves intricate, highly stylised action sequences never before seen on screen in India.
INDIATIMES.COM
“Emraan Hashmi & Sobhita’s Bard Of Blood Receives A Big Thumbs Up, Internet Calls It A ‘Must Watch’”
NEWS18.COM
“Bard of Blood – in fact every episode – is espionage in every sense of the term, thrilling and blood curdling. But nobody can miss the political games that are played, and the men on the ground are but puppets. Who pulls the strings: Is it Rajit Kapoor’s Sajid Sheikh, the number two in the Indian spy agency, or the diabolical Pakistani secret agent and Taliban handler, Tanveer Shehzad (Jaideep Ahlawat), or New Delhi or Islamabad? We would never guess, and Dasgupta keeps the suspense alive and kicking – forever or so it would seem – and draws the curtain with Adonis on the edge of a cliff, imaginary or real”.
MID-DAY
“Emraan Hashmi’s heroic acts will keep you hooked. What stands out in this character-driven series with multiple narratives is Emraan Hashmi’s acting. His character, who feels ordinary, wishes happiness like any other being, also desires to save his country, as a responsible citizen, and also an army man. His heroic stance will leave you nothing but proud”
GULF NEWS
“‘Bard of Blood’, a prime example of a well-cast series, is worth your time and money. As far as pace goes, the twists are well-timed and the series is peppered with enough cliffhanger moments to keep you invested in these armed players who like to live on the edge”.
BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA
“The production values are world class and Chirantan Das’s Cinematography is simply spectacular”
MASHABLE INDIA
“If to binge or not to binge, that is the question, I’ll say go for it.
FIRSTPOST
“Emraan Hashmi is most impressive in this thrilling, pacy and binge-able Netflix series”
NDTV.COM
“Emraan Hashmi Delivers Measured Performance In Bingeworthy Netflix Series”
THE QUINT
“‘Bard of Blood’ brings together intrigue with an excellent cast. The 7 episodes are strung together with intrigue, spycraft and in this case some melodrama which takes us to Balochistan and shows in great detail the Indian interest in the region”
THE SCROLL
“Bard of Blood’, Netflix spy thriller has relentless action and a committed Emraan Hashmi”.
CNBC TV18
“If the characters are uni-dimensional, why did I binge watch the season? The fabulous cinematography by Chirantan Das, of course. The action scenes are nothing short of brilliant whether it is the Isuzu trucks chasing each other in the dusty, rocky terrain or the gunbattle between the hero and the baddie through the narrow lanes of the settlements in Balochistan, the cinematography is mind-blowing. The camera captures the hostility of the terrain in daylight and even the nights seem to be monstrous. It is this that catapults the Indian show on to the world stage effortlessly”.
SPOTBOYE.COM
“Binge Or Cringe? Emraan Hashmi spy thriller will chill you to the bone. Bard of Blood is a gripping watch. So, go ahead and dedicate your weekend to this one, because, a thumbs up from our side!”
AAJ TAK
“दमदार एक्शन, रोमांचक ट्विस्ट से लबरेज है इमरान की वेब सीरीज”
DECCAN HERALD
“Netflix strategically picks Balochistan as the set for its new spy thriller ‘Bard of Blood’, which at its core has something most espionage series don’t : Shakespear
TELEGRAPH
“Shot stunningly, Bard Of Blood — despite a few bumps — is worth a watch. Bard of Blood follows a familiar, and sometimes formulaic, espionage thriller template that nevertheless has enough hooks to keep one engaged. More than anything else, this is a human story about the dream for freedom and one’s unending journey towards it. Or as the bard said… Having my freedom, boast of nothing else. But that I was a journeyman to grief”.
KOIMOI.COM
“Emraan Hashmi’s Spy Drama Is The Right Kind Of Thriller For The Weekend. Emraan Hashmi’s web debut couldn’t have been any better. It’s refreshing to see him doing a different genre and nailing it like a boss. Special mention to Viineet Kumar Singh and Sobhita Dhulipala stole the show and outshined everyone”.
NATIONAL HERALD
“Bard of Blood has its share of moments and highlights. Exquisite cinematography is an engaging quality of the series that can be binge-watched if one loves spy stories. Some critics have compared Bard of Blood to The Family Man and stated why the former pales in front of the latter. While the two series have followed each other in quick succession, the comparison is unnecessary. Barring the basic fact that the protagonists of both these shows are spies, there is little that is common between the two of them”.
THE SUNDAY GUARDIAN
“Netflix India’s new spy thriller hits the right notes. Bard of Blood, stands out for its gritty realism, well-choreographed action sequences, solid performances and intriguing plot twists”.
FILMIBEAT.COM
“Emraan Hashmi’s Classy Performance & The Cliffhanger Will Leave You Impressed. The way in which every episode ends on a cliffhanger keeps the audiences hooked. It is an edge-of-the-seat entertainer. We are sure that though you might begin thinking you will watch a few episodes; you might end up watching the entire series”.
DECIDER.COM
“Our Call: STREAM IT. Bard of Blood is a nicely balanced blend of straightforward storytelling within a thorny, labyrinthine setting. You may just let the autoplay feature do what it does best”.
NEWSX.COM
“Emraan Hashmi, Sobhita Dhulipala and Viineet Kumar’s performances make this espionage thriller a winner”