Before the British Empire built its monolithic stage in India, a chaotic and ruthless audition took place on the banks of a single river.

In this episode, we travel back to a time when Bengal was a miniature Europe—a geopolitical chessboard where the Portuguese, Dutch, and French fought a shadow war for the riches of the East. This is the forgotten prequel to the Raj; a story of shifting alliances, strategic gambles, and clashing ambitions. Discover how this ‘river of rivals’ not only decided India's fate but also holds surprising lessons for the multipolar world of today.

It was the command centre for a fifth of humanity, the second city of the British Empire after London. So how did this crown jewel become the very place where the revolution to shatter that crown was born?

In the series premiere of Past Forward, we journey into Kolkata’s soul to decode the architecture of power, the politics of segregation, and the intellectual uprising that changed the world. Discover the colonial ghost that still haunts modern India and the radical, 'off-beat' solutions that could define its future on the world stage. This isn't just history; it's a masterclass in how power is built, challenged, and reinvented.