Abhimanyu Singh, the producer of Bharat Ka Veer Putra-Maharana Pratap, tells D Kaushik that the warrior's life has interesting aspects that need to be told in an engaging story
What most of us know about Maharana Pratap is his horse, Chetak, and battle of Haldighati, says Abhimanyu Singh, adding that the life of “one of the first freedom fighters of India” has more interesting facts to be told. And that was the reason that he chose him as a subject for his next period drama on TV. Bharat Ka Veer Putra-Maharana Pratap will go on air today on Sony. The series, explains Singh, will feature the early days of Maharana, his childhood and family. “love for freedom was in Rana’s blood as he was the grandson of Rana Sangha and the son of Maharana Udai Singh, the ruler after whose name Udaipur was named. Rana faced hardships but he never gave up his love for freedom. We are telling a story of one of the bravest families in the Indian story and the reason why I chose Maharana Paratap was because I feel people really know less about him and his story is an inspiration for every generation,” adds Singh.
The producer says that there wasn’t much that required to be done to make the series relevant to the modern times. “It is a relatable story and can be of any era. Through the serial we won’t be just projecting the historical facts, giving an account of the battles he fought, we will bring out the personality of the warrior who fought for dignity. Most of us have heard about his stories, so he is not an alien character, but what people have heard or read about him is less or repetitive. If you see the previous historical dramas — like Veer Shivaji or Jhansi Ki Rani, you will notice that I have always chosen popular characters as subjects, as people are interested in knowing their stories. I am packaging the story as per contemporary demands,” shares Singh.
The serial is already in news for its grand sets, royal costumes and jewellery designs. Designer Neerushaa has designed the costumes and jewellery for the show. Some light-weight dresses have been designed for Faisal Khan, who will be playing young Maharana in the show. “But the sets, jewellery and costumes are only a part of the packaging. I have always maintained that content is the king,” says Singh.
While Sony has launched Maharana Pratap, there will be Jodha Akbar on Zee TV and Mahabharat on Star Plus airing soon. “History has always been in demand, but how you present the history matters a lot,” adds Singh.