Legend Has It

Timing: Monday – Thursday,10pm

Rating: **1/2

FOR the first 20 minutes of Sony’s Bharat Ka Veer Putra: Maharana Pratap,we felt like we were under a moral police scanner. More than lessons from history,this one’s a lesson in moral science. A glorious description and introduction to the all-rounder Pratap would be,an obedient loving son,a loyal patriot,a courageous soul,an intelligent being and best friend. A young Maharana (played by Faisal Khan) is the epitome of perfection,and essayed brilliantly by Khan. Inspired by the life of this legendary ruler of Sisodia clan of Suryavanshi Rajputs who ruled Mewar,Bharat Ka Veer Putra: Maharana Pratap is a historical drama that narrates the awe-inspiring story of Pratap Singh,the valiant ruler. Produced by Contiloe Telefilms,the show is a fictional account of Pratap’s life and times. The first episode,that aired on May 27 grabbed eyeballs with Amitabh Bachchan’s impressive voice,introducing the characters and giving a brief background to the show – the three queens,the eldest and most sorted,Jaivantha Bai,played by Rajshree Thakur; the mysterious and sugary sweet Aashka Goradia as the youngest Rani Bhatiyani; and the playful Divyaalakshmi as middle Rani Sajja Bai. Then there is the revenge and honour seeking Maharana Uday Singh (Shakti Anand is seen after a long time) who plays Pratap’s father.

The beginning of the show was grand and spectacular,with lavish sets,baubles and yards of silk and brocade. This is something that Indian television gets bang on. But whether it will manage to engage the audience with a story that promises action,twists and turns instead of pregnant pauses and painfully heavy duty dialogues,remains to be seen. We are particularly interested in how characters shape up considering that this piece of history is volatile and replete with stories of manipulation and betrayal. In the meantime,from what we absorbed,Khan as a young Maharana Pratap dodges the crocodiles for a lotus flower (a plastic one),listens like a good boy to his mother,fulfills everyone’s wishes,acts like a valiant brother and fast friend and shows glimpses of patriotism,perseverance and chivalry. Although it’s still at a character-building phase,the Afghan Mughal villainy can be toned down. For instance,Shams Khan is more of a caricature and clichéd than menacing. This is where HBO’s Game of Thrones can act as the perfect reference point. But like we mentioned,there is more to come in shades of grey. We’ll be patient with it and see how the story unfolds.