Karan Anshuman on 'Glory': Cliffhangers are my superpower, says Mirzapur creator
Synopsis
Karan Anshuman doesn't hide it: cliffhangers are his signature move. As his boxing drama Glory hits screens on 1 May, the Mirzapur architect explains that every narrative twist—from Inside Edge to Mirzapur to this new series—is designed to pull viewers back. It's not accident; it's architecture.
Key Takeaways
Director Karan Anshuman says cliffhangers are a deliberate storytelling tool, calling them his 'superpower' in an interview ahead of Glory's release on 1 May .
Anshuman directed the Emmy-nominated drama Inside Edge (2018) and served as showrunner for the crime saga Mirzapur .
Glory is a boxing drama starring Pulkit Samrat , Divyenndu , and Suvinder Vicky , opening with the mysterious death of India's Olympic boxing hopeful Nihal Singh .
During the trailer launch on 17 April , Pulkit Samrat became the first Indian actor to box with a professional boxer, a feat achieved globally only by Tom Hardy and Jake Gyllenhaal .
Glory is created by Karan Anshuman and Karmanya Ahuja , produced by Atomic Films , and streams on 1 May .
Director and creator Karan Anshuman, known for the Emmy-nominated drama Inside Edge and the sprawling crime saga Mirzapur, has revealed that crafting narrative suspense through cliffhangers is a deliberate storytelling strategy. Speaking ahead of the release of his boxing drama Glory on 1 May, Anshuman said: "Everything is designed. I think it's my superpower to leave things on a cliffhanger that people will come back for. I literally think that's my thing."
A pattern of layered storytelling
Anshuman's directorial trajectory bears out this philosophy. His 2015 debut Bangistan, starring Riteish Deshmukh and Pulkit Samrat, was followed by Inside Edge, which earned a nomination for the 2018 International Emmy Award in the Best Drama category. His subsequent showrunner role on Mirzapur — a hinterland gangster drama set in the badlands of eastern Uttar Pradesh and centred on illegal arms trade and drug smuggling — cemented his reputation for building complex, interconnected narratives that demand viewer investment across seasons.
Glory: A boxing drama with a mystery
His latest project, Glory, pivots to the high-stakes world of professional boxing. The series opens with the mysterious death of Nihal Singh, India's Olympic boxing hopeful, and unfolds the brutal ecosystem surrounding the sport. The ensemble cast includes Pulkit Samrat, Divyenndu, Suvinder Vicky, Jannat Zubair, Ashutosh Rana, Sikandar Kher, Kunal Thakur, Sayani Gupta, Yashpal Sharma, and Kashmira Pardeshi.
A historic moment for Pulkit Samrat
During the trailer launch on 17 April, Pulkit Samrat made headlines by stepping into the ring with a professional boxer, becoming the first Indian actor to do so and only the third globally after Tom Hardy and Jake Gyllenhaal. The stunt underscored the series' commitment to authenticity in depicting the sport.
Behind the scenes
Glory is created by Karan Anshuman and Karmanya Ahuja, produced by Mohit Shah and Anshuman under the Atomic Films banner, and written by Anshuman, Ahuja, and Vaibhav Vishal. Karan Anshuman and Kanishk Varma jointly directed the series, which streams from 1 May.
Point of View
His signature is the dangling thread that makes audiences return. But there's a risk: in an era of streaming oversupply, cliffhangers work only if the next chapter delivers. Glory's opening — a mysterious Olympic boxer's death — suggests Anshuman is banking on that same formula. Whether the boxing drama sustains narrative momentum or collapses into melodrama will define this series' cultural staying power.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'Glory' and when does it release?
'Glory' is a boxing drama created by Karan Anshuman and Karmanya Ahuja, starring Pulkit Samrat, Divyenndu, and Suvinder Vicky. The series opens with the mysterious death of Nihal Singh, India's Olympic boxing hopeful, and streams from 1 May.
Why is Karan Anshuman known for cliffhangers?
Anshuman has built his reputation on layered, complex narratives across Inside Edge and Mirzapur. He has stated that leaving audiences on cliffhangers is a deliberate storytelling strategy designed to pull viewers back for the next season.
What is Karan Anshuman's directorial background?
Anshuman made his directorial debut with Bangistan (2015), followed by the Emmy-nominated Inside Edge (2018). He then served as showrunner for Mirzapur, a hinterland gangster drama set in eastern Uttar Pradesh centred on illegal arms trade and drug smuggling.
What historic feat did Pulkit Samrat achieve during the Glory trailer launch?
On 17 April, Pulkit Samrat became the first Indian actor to step into the ring with a professional boxer, making him the third globally to do so after Tom Hardy and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Who else stars in Glory besides Pulkit Samrat?
The ensemble cast includes Divyenndu, Suvinder Vicky, Jannat Zubair, Ashutosh Rana, Sikandar Kher, Kunal Thakur, Sayani Gupta, Yashpal Sharma, and Kashmira Pardeshi.
