Long Live the King

In town to talk about the same,the actor-director-producer shares how he had approached private channels,before eventually knocking on DD’s doors. “Private channels refused to telecast it,calling it too regional and Punjab-centric. Ironically,the regional theme has turned out to be a rage,” he says,citing examples of several successful TV series that have regional themes and dialect-based dialogue.

As luck would have it,DD reacted enthusiastically to the idea,while Babbar navigated the challenges— logistic,financial and historical. “History is subjective and is not always delivered with accuracy. This is a dramatised version,and we have used actors from the National School of Drama and real Sikh characters to lend an aura of authenticity,” he adds. While the mega series has been produced by Nadira Babbar and Kuku Babbar,it has been directed by Chitraarth and Sikandar Bharti of Chann Pardesi fame. Surjit Patar has composed the lyrics while the music has been rendered by Jagjit Singh.

Babbar chose Maharaja Ranjit Singh because he believes that the latter had a big role to play in bringing peace to Punjab. “He was an achiever,a great warrior,an astute statesman and a secular,global visionary. His rules and philosophies transcend time,class,caste and creed,and are very contemporary in nature. Plus,being a Sikh,and a Punjabi,I owe this to him and his people.”

From hiring French and Italian generals to training his men in modern warfare,from becoming the first Indian king to have a regular paid army to providing a tough opposition to the British,Babbar’s serial will utilise stories,myths,facts,anecdotes and folklore about Maharaja Ranjit Singh. “We have completed work on two of the three phases— from becoming the king of Suker-Chakkhias at age 12 to fighting the Britishers,winning wars and conquering Lahore,” says Babbar. “Who knows,in the third phase,I might play the king,” he signs off,keeping us guessing.