Several things have been said about Samrat Prithviraj, such as the casting decisions, historical errors, and contentious claims made during the movie’s promotion. In what we hope to be an objective appraisal of the movie, it wouldn’t make sense to go through any of that again. Although the fact that it is based on a real-life person is its main selling point, we are opting to see it as a stand-alone narrative without any historical context. And when we turn to do that, we discover a dreadful story that squanders the talent of a brilliant ensemble. Although it wasn’t a poor movie, it fell short of its potential. Let’s find out what the movie’s narrative is all about.
Spoilers upcoming
Why Does Prithviraj Have A Battle With Muhammed Ghori?
The epic poem Prithviraj Raso by Chand Vardai served as the inspiration for the film Samrat Prithviraj. Although it does stray from it quite a bit. In the movie, Prithviraj battles alongside Ghori to defend the Kshatriyas’ ideals. It begins when Mir Hussain rushes to Prithviraj for refuge from his brother after fleeing with the Sultan’s concubine Chitrarekha. Prithviraj declares war against Muhammad of Ghori because he believes it is his duty to defend anybody who requests it. Both Kaka Kanha, a member of his court, and a close relative strongly disapprove of this deed of his. Prithviraj commands Kaka Kanha to constantly wear a blindfold because the latter killed one of the King’s guests for being conceited. Only for war and women is he able to remove the blindfold. Sanjay Dutt’s portrayal of Kaka Kanha makes him one of the less complex characters. His stubbornness and devotion to Prithviraj—both great traits—define his character. But, it starts to feel strange when each of his scenes begins with a dialogue expressing his love for Prithviraj. This provides the sense that the characters for the movie were only lightly developed. Sanjay Dutt possesses a larger-than-life demeanour, which should have been used more effectively.
On the other hand, Chand Vardai, the poet who authored Prithviraj Raso, is played by a person like Sonu Sood. He was reportedly born on the same day and hour as the King and passed away at the same time, according to the movie. The actor plays the poet with the ability to predict the future with a subdued dignity. We ponder what it could have been like if Sonu Sood had played Prithviraj after seeing him on film. Sonu Sood would have been amazing because he is already no less than a hero off-screen, but Akshay Kumar was an excellent choice for the part. If only Bollywood’s casting decision had been bold enough. According to the plot, Ghori leaves his own country after suffering defeat at the hands of Prithviraj. The second section of the movie starts when Prithvi becomes the new king of Delhi.
How Did Prithvi And Sanyogita Fall In Love?
When the movie started, they were already in love. With the letters they exchanged, their love story comes to light, and now that Prithviraj is the ruler of Delhi, Sanyogita advises him that it is time for them to wed. This legendary love story, however, was not without its share of difficulties. The father of Sanyogita despises Prithvi since he wants the throne of Delhi for himself. Thus, he decides to hold a swayamvar for Sanyogita, a custom in which the bride choose her own spouse. He does this because it will provide him with the backing he needs to cement his dominance. He places a golden statue of Prithviraj as the palace’s gatekeeper just to make him feel even worse about himself.
Sanyogita finds this intolerable. When she confronts her father, he informs her that she has no other option. Yet, the princess manages to get by using her mother. The queen is conscious of the limitations imposed by customs and abides by them, but she is also acutely aware of how unfair they are. By advising Sanyogita to follow her heart and stand up for her rights, she offers her a path out. It was a pleasure to witness Sakshi Tanwar in these situations. By placing the garland around the golden statue’s neck and announcing her choice of Prithviraj as her spouse, Sanyogita follows her mother’s counsel and asserts her authority over her own life. Sanyogita is taken away by Prithviraj as her father reacts angrily and gets scarlet. Although what comes next makes us facepalm severely, this is one of the most epic stories of love and warms the feminist corners of her heart. A side story has Prithviraj pressuring Sanyogita to court him. Unsurprisingly, his courtiers and Sanyogita herself, who is very uncertain, oppose this strongly. It is logical. Yet what comes next is the epitome of token feminism, with a discussion about how giving up one’s rights voluntarily is the same as fighting for one’s rights. Make sense of it. This moment focused more on Prithviraj’s bravery than on feminism. When will the film industry in Bollywood realise what it means to stand up for oneself?
Regarding her performance, Manushi Chillar fits the bill both in terms of appearance and voice. She may have disobeyed her father and gone against the wishes of the entire court to wed the man of her dreams, but her eyes lack the fire you would expect from a princess. As this is her debut film, perhaps future efforts from her will be more impressive.
Samrat Prithviraj Ending Explained: Did Prithviraj Defeat Muhammed Ghori?
The movie claims that Ghori defeats Prithviraj in the second fight by treacherously killing his soldiers in the dark. The remainder of Prithviraj’s troops, including Chand Vardai, are taken hostage. As retribution, Ghori blinds the King. But first, let’s just acknowledge how beautifully Manav Vij plays this part before we continue to discuss the Sultan’s brutal treatment of our hero. Bollywood has a history of portraying religious leaders in a brutal light, but the actor’s moderation and manner make him the best-played character in the picture.
Towards the film’s conclusion, Prithviraj challenges Ghori to a duel, saying that if he wins, his fellow citizens should be freed in exchange for his killing Ghori. Ghori concurs, having been sufficiently aroused. According to the epic, Prithviraj defeated the Sultan Muhamed of Ghori by himself thanks to his keen hearing and military prowess. The Sultan’s army shoots Prithviraj and Chand Vardai to death, but they keep their word and free the prisoners, giving both Rajput soldiers a hero’s send-off. And with that, the tale of Prithviraj, the final Hindu king of Delhi, comes to an end.
Final Thoughts- What Doesn t Work For Samrat Prithviraj ?
We are aware that Samrat Prithviraj does not adhere to historical facts or even the epic poem upon which it was built. It ought to have. Those narrations were excellent. The movie’s depiction of politics is incredibly cursory. The cause of this is unclear to us. In that case, they should keep in mind that films like Jodha Akbar, where the complex dynamics of the characters were one of the main reasons for its success, should be remembered. Surely, it’s not because the creators misjudged the intellect of the audience. The King’s bravery was the main theme of the movie. We concur, but the film’s scant depiction of one of the nation’s most illustrious kings leaves us with the uneasy impression that the actor’s image was more important than the role he played. And that’s enough of what we’ve seen. In order to sum up our sentiments, we would like to express our wish that Prithviraj Chauhan would soon receive a better film.
Chandra Prakash Dwivedi is the director of the 2022 Indian drama film Samrat Prithviraj.
