Period dramasthat ruled TV screens:'Porus', 'Chandranandini' and more

While we can credit OTT for popularising period dramas (think Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 'Heermandi', Tom Verica’s 'Bridgerton'), television has mastered the genre for years. Over the years, Indian television has given us some amazing period dramas with magnificently curated setups, intricately designed costumes, and powerful storylines. Here's a brief account of period dramas that ruled TV screens:

Deemed as one of the costliest shows ever produced by Balaji Telefilms, 'Chandranandini' is loosely based on the life of the Mauryan king, Chandragupta. The show sheds light on themes of politics, conspiracy, succession, power, and war. The best part about the serial is that it shows females as powerful warriors rather than damsels in distress. They fight, plot, and even kill when necessary to stand for what they believe. The serial tells the story of two generations, one that of Chandragupta and the second his son Bindusara. The father and son are stark in contrast in their ideologies on kingship, governance, and people's welfare. This generational divide adds emotional weight and complexity to the historical drama, which makes it a worthy watch.

Set against the backdrop of the battle of Hydaspes, Porus tells the story of the Paurava King, Puru, and his rise to power. Puru’s rise to power was shown in parallel with the Greek invader Alexander, who was also slowly moving towards an inevitable clash. Puru was the classical underdog repeatedly tested by fate, while Alexander, on the other hand, was a privileged prince. The contrast in their lives is a personification of the modern-day debate of privilege vs struggle. As Puru and Alexander move closer with every passing episode, their dialogues raise important questions of privilege, power, governance, idealism, history and territorial expansion, giving the audience much to consider.

We have all read stories of Tenali Rama and his wit, which have left us in splits during our childhood days. Tenali Rama tells the life journey of Rama, the clever court jester of the king of Vijaynagara, Krishnadevaraya. Rama is a simpleton with ambitions of his own. He arrives at the kingdom in search of livelihood and ends up inviting the hawk eye of Tathacharya, the royal priest. As fate would have it, he finds himself in the darbar of the king. While Rama’s wit helps him win brownie points and emerge as the king’s favourite, it does him more harm than good as he invites jealousy of the royal priest, the courtiers and everyone around. Rama’s witty banter with Tathacharya, the courtiers and his ‘bandhu’ is sure to leave a smile on your face. The show deals with intense themes like succession, politics, power and war; it does so with a refreshing slice of humour.

This series shows the story of King Ashoka and his rise to power. The show gives us an insight into the then prevailing conditions of the kingdom of Magadha. Like any other historical drama, the show also has themes of conspiracy, succession and power, but this series also brings out the ugly side of war. As a power-hungry Ashoka transforms to a peace-loving king, we find ourselves questioning the reality of war, the loss it brings along, and its after effects to the human mind.

Although the series is centred around the valorous king Maharana Pratap, it also brings out the history of Mewar and the Rajput clan. The show details the journey of the Rajput king Rana Pratap and his rise to power. It also brings out unforeseen facts about the warrior's life like his equation with his half-brothers, his father, his step-mothers, his wives and his beloved horse Chetak. As Pratap battles forces within and outside his family to shield his kingdom and his ethics, we are irresistibly drawn towards his ideas on nationalism, courage and war. As the series draws to an end, the viewers understand as to why Maharana Pratap deserves a place in our history books.

This show is based on the life of Queen Ahilyabai Holkar, who reigned over the region of Malwa from 1767 to 1795. The series follows her reign as an empress, her conquests and how she gracefully resists tension within and outside her family. Along with giving an insight into medieval Maharashtra, it also talks about the state of women during that time. Ahilyabai advocating for women’s oppression and questioning patriarchy is way ahead of its time.

Set in a pre- independence era, the serial follows the life of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. It not only addresses the problem of discrimination based on caste and social status but also sheds light on the condition of women. Along with talking about the need for education, it also sheds light on cultural hierarchy, archaic systems and norms and Ahmedbhkar's role in defining the constitution of India.