Much has been said about “ Samrat Prithviraj, ” including the casting choices, literal inaccuracies, and controversial statements made during the film’s creation. It wouldn’t make sense to readdress any of that in what we want to be an honest analysis of the film. While its biggest promotional aspect is that it's grounded on a real-life figure, we're choosing to look at it as an independent story, devoid of connections to history. And when we turn to do that, what we find is a lackluster narrative that wastes the eventuality of a fantastic cast. It wasn't a bad movie, but it wasn't as good as it could be. Let us see what the story presented in the film is about.
Why Does Prithviraj Have A Battle With Muhammed Ghori?
“ Samrat Prithviraj ” is grounded on the grand lyric “ Prithviraj Raso, ” written by Chand Vardai. But it does diverge significantly from it. In the film, Prithviraj fights with Ghori to uphold the principles of the Kshatriyas. It all starts when Mir Hussain rushes to Prithviraj, seeking his protection from his family, as he has run down with Chitrarekha, the Sultan’s doxy. Prithviraj considers it his duty to cover anyone who asks for it and does so consequently, by going to war with Muhammed of Ghori. This act of his is met with strong disapprobation from Kaka Kanha, one of the members of his court, as well as a dear relative. Kaka Kanha is ordered by Prithviraj to always stay blindfolded, as he'd killed one of the King’s guests for being arrogant. He can only take off the blindfold for war and women. Kaka Kanha, played by Sanjay Dutt, is one of the further one- dimensional characters. His character is defined by his hot-headedness and his fidelity to Prithviraj, both veritably applaudable rates. But it starts to feel a little off when every scene of his opens with a dialogue about his love for Prithviraj. This gives the print that veritably little work went into erecting the characters for the film. Sanjay Dutt has larger-than-life ease of manner, and it should have been put to more use.
On the other hand, you have someone like Sonu Sood playing Chand Vardai, the minstrel who wrote Prithviraj Raso. According to the film, he was born on the same date and time as the King and failed at the same time too. The actor brings a subdued quality to the part of the minstrel who can read the future. Seeing him on screen makes us wonder what it would have been like if Sonu Sood had played Prithviraj. Akshay Kumar was a good fit for the part, but Sonu Sood would have been inconceivable, considering he's formerly no lower than an idol off-screen. If only Bollywood had been stalwart enough to make that casting choice. Coming back to the story, after being defeated at the hands of Prithviraj, Ghori returns to his motherland. Prithvi ascends to the throne of Delhi as the coming King, and that begins the alternate phase of the film.
How Did Prithvi And Sanyogita Fall In Love?
They were formerly in love when the movie began. Their love story unravels through the letters they wrote to each other, and since Prithviraj came the King of Delhi, Sanyogita tells him that it's time for them to get wedded. But this love story for the period wasn't without its fair share of challenges. Sanyogita’s father hates Prithvi since he wanted Delhi’s throne for himself. So he decides to conduct a swayamvar for Sanyogita — a practice where the bridegroom chooses her bachelor for herself. He does so because that would give him the support he needs to establish his supremacy. To malign Prithviraj further, he installs a golden statue of him as a doorkeeper to the palace.
Sanyogita is unfit to stand this. She confronts her father but is told that she has no choice in the matter. But the queen finds a way through her mama. The queen is apprehensive of the restrictions of traditions and abides by them, but she's also keenly apprehensive of their unjust nature. She gives Sanyogita a way out by telling her to follow her heart and fight for her rights. Sakshi Tanwar was a delight to watch in these scenes. Sanyogita takes her mama’s advice and establishes her right over her own life by putting the symposium around the golden statue’s neck, therefore declaring that she has chosen Prithviraj as her hubby. As her father turns red with rage, Prithviraj arrives on the scene and takes down Sanyogita with him. This is one of the grandest tales of love, one that warms the feminist corners of her heart, but alas, what follows makes us facepalm hard. There's a sub-plot of Prithviraj encouraging Sanyogita to hold court with him. Understandably, this is met with a lot of opposition from his courtiers and Sanyogita herself, who's a lot mistrustful. It makes sense. But what follows is “ token feminism ” at its stylish, with a particular dialogue of anteceding her rights by her own will, which is the same as fighting for her rights. ’ Make it make sense. This scene was lower about feminism and further about Prithviraj’s heroism. When will Bollywood understand what it means to fight for oneself?
As far as Manushi Chillar’s performance is concerned, she looks at the part, and she sounds the part. But her eyes warrant the fire you anticipate from a queen who defied her father and went against an entire court to marry the man of her dreams. This is her first movie, so perhaps we will see better from her in the future.
‘ Samrat Prithviraj ’ Ending Explained Did Prithviraj Defeat Muhammed Ghori?
According to the film, Ghori wins the alternate battle with Prithviraj by treacherously boggling his colors in the dark. Prithviraj, Chand Vardai, and the rest of his dogfaces are taken, hostage. The King is dazed by Ghori as a discipline. But before we talk further about the Sultan’s atrocity towards our idol, can we just say how admirably Manav Vij executes this part? Bollywood has always shown autocrats of a particular religion in a barbaric light, but the restraint and style that the actor brings to it make him the best-played character in the movie.
At the end of the film, Prithviraj challenges Ghori to a fight where he claims that he'd be suitable to kill Ghori and, in return, his fellow countrymen should be released. Having been sufficiently provoked, Ghori agrees. And as the grand goes, Prithviraj’s sense of hail and his combat chops were so sharp that he single-handedly brought down the Sultan Muhamed of Ghori. Prithviraj and Chand Vardai are shot dead by the Sultan’s army, but true to their word, they release the captured, and both the Rajput men get an idol’s farewell. And that’s how the story of Prithviraj, the last Hindu sovereign of Delhi, concludes.
Final studies What Doesn’t Work For ‘ Samrat Prithviraj ’?
We know that “ Samrat Prithviraj ” doesn't follow history or indeed the grand lyric it was grounded. It should have. Those were excellent stories. The movie is veritably superficial in its treatment of politics. We aren't sure of the reason for this. Hopefully, it’s not because the makers undervalued the intelligence of the followership, because in that case, they need to a flashback that pictures like Jodha Akbar, where the complex dynamics of the characters were one of the defining reasons for its success. The film was substantially about the valor of the King. We agree with that, but the limited representation of one of the most notorious lords in the history of the country gives us an uncomfortable feeling that the movie was further about the image of the actor than the character he portrayed. And we've seen enough of that. To epitomize our passions, Prithviraj Chauhan merited a better movie, and we hope that happens soon.
“ Samrat Prithviraj ” is a 2022 Indian Drama film directed by Chandra Prakash Dwivedi.