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Chandra Nandini | |
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Genre | Historical drama |
Created by | Ekta Kapoor Shobha Kapoor |
Based on | Chandragupta Maurya |
Written by | R M Joshi Neha Singh |
Directed by | Ranjan Kumar Singh Mukesh Kumar Singh Deepak S Garg |
Creative directors | Sujata Rao Kadar kazi(kk) |
Starring | Rajat Tokas Shweta Basu Prasad Siddharth Nigam Ahmad Harhash |
Country of origin | India |
Original language | Hindi |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 286 |
Production | |
Producer | Ekta Kapoor |
Production locations | Mumbai, India |
Cinematography | Ravi Naidu |
Camera setup | Single-camera |
Running time | 22 minutes approx. |
Production company | Balaji Telefilms |
Original release | |
Network | StarPlus |
Release | 10 October 2016[1] – 10 November 2017 |
Chandra Nandini is an Indian Hindi-language historical drama television series that aired on StarPlus from 10 October 2016 until 10 November 2017. [2] It was produced by Ekta Kapoor under her banner Balaji Telefilms and directed by Ranjan Kumar Singh. [3] Starring Rajat Tokas as Chandragupta Maurya and Shweta Basu Prasad as a princess Nandni, the story is loosely based on the life of Chandragupta Maurya. [4] [5]
The show starts with a voice-over of mother India saying about Chandragupta Maurya and Nandini. A local king, Suryagupta Maurya rules the country with his pregnant wife, Moora. An invitation comes from Magadha for a festival. When they go there, the Queen of Magadha, Avantika is cheating her husband with a barber named Nanda. When Suryagupta finds it, Nanda kills the King of Magadha. Then, Nanda kills Suryagupta and becomes Mahapadma Nanda, the Emperor of Magadha. Moora escapes and delivers a boy. She hides her son in a cattle pound and is arrested by Nanda. A woman named Kanika finds Moora's son and adopts him as Chandra, unaware of his truth.
Chandra lives with his adopted parents. Moora is still in Nanda's prison and waits for her son. Nanda and Avantika had a daughter, Nandini after nine sons. Meanwhile, Chandra leaves home as Kanika suffers from her husband because of him. He reaches Magadha and meets Chanakya, who tries to save Magadh from Nanda. Chanakya sees Chandra's talents and realizes that Chandra is the future king. He keeps Chandra in his presence and teaches him.
Now, Chandra is grown up and becomes talented. He tries to attack Magadha and eventually succeeds with the help of small kings. Nandini marries Chandra to save her mother and kingdom. Eventually, love blossoms between them. Nandini's twin sister, Roopa tries to kill Nandini. Nanda stabs Nandini mistaking her to be Roopa, post which Nandini realizes about Nanda's reality. Nanda and Seleucus plan to attack Chandra. Chandra convinces Seleucus not to fight against him and decides to make Nicator's daughter, Helena as the chief queen of Magadha. Chandra's second wife, Durdhara, who is pregnant, becomes sick. Helena poisons Durdhara and kills her. Durdhara's son, Bindusara was taken out by surgery. Helena makes Chandra into believing that Nandini killed Durdhara. Believing her, Chandra banishes Nandini out of Magadha.
Chandra now lives with Helena and Bindusara. Nandini is teaching other royal kids at a Gurukul. Chandra brings Nandini back to Magadh and as Bindusara's nanny. Nanda and his minister, Amatya Rakshas send a Vishkanya (poisonous seductress) to Magadha to kill Chandra. She arrives in the Magadha as a princess Vishaka. Vishaka tries to seduce Chandra, and he pretends to fall in love with her to irritate Nandini.
Chandra decides to marry Vishaka, and he prepares for the grand wedding. Vishaka's plans to kill Chandra all go in vain every time because Nandini intervenes and saves him. Nandini exposes Vishaka, and the Vishkanya is imprisoned. Helena's mother, Apama slow poisons Nandini. Nandini is pushed into a very critical state and finally saved by Vishaka's poison. Chandra exposes Apama as Durdhara's murderer and apologises to Nandini for his mistakes.
Chandra and Nandini are leading a happy life with Bindusara. Nandini is pregnant with Chandra's child. Helena feels jealous and manipulates Bindusara into believing that Nandini had killed Durdhara in past. Blindly believing Helena, Bindusara starts to hate Nandini and decides to take revenge. In a hunting trip, Bindusara pushes Nandini from a cliff. He lies to everyone that Nandini had slipped from the cliff accidentally. Chandra grieves for Nandini's death and forgets his royal duties.
Chandra is living like an ascetic after Nandini's unexpected death. Magadha is now under Helena's rule. Bindusara, Malayketu and Chaaya's son, Bhadraketu, Helena's children, Alice and Adonis, are all grown up. Helena is still keeping Bindusara as her puppet and poisons his mind. On the other hand, Nandini is alive and is saved by an older man. She has lost her memory and lives as Prabha now. She shares a motherly bond with the older man's granddaughter, Dharma. Prabha and Dharma visit Magadh as servants in the royal palace. Dharma started to hold a grudge against Bindusara. Chandra also finds Prabha, and he makes her his queen again. However, Helena provokes Bindusara against Chandra, which results in a great misunderstanding. Bindusara marries a princess Charumati, who ill-treats Dharma. Alice falls in love with Prince Karthikey of Champanagar and wishes to marry him. She also informs her mother, Helena. Helena decides to make Chitralekha, Karthikey's sister to marry Bindusara so that Alice can marry Karthikeyan. She prepares for the wedding ceremony. On the wedding day, Chithraleka, who is already in love with Bhadraketu, runs away and asks Dharma to replace her in the marriage. Dharma unwillingly marries Bindusara. Later he thanks her for saving his dignity and promises that he will soon break the marriage. A new problem arises when Bhimdev claims Nandini to be his wife, Savitri, who enters the palace. Chandra and Nandini's relationship is put to the test.
It is then revealed that this man is a sorcerer, and he, along with his wife Mohini, put black magic on Chandra to separate him and Nandini. They are ordered by a mysterious person named Swanand to kill Chandra. But, Chanakya finds out about the secret of Bhimdev and Mohini. Both Chanakya and Nandini save Chandra from the effects of black magic. Nandini regains her memory and realizes her true identity.
Finally, the mysterious man, Swanand, attacks Magadh and tries to kill Chandra and takeover Magadh. But, Chandra and Bindusara overpower his army, and they kill him. Chandra and Nandini are reunited. Chandra forgives Helena on Nandini's request and sends her back to Greece with her children. Bindusara apologises to Nandini for his past mistakes. He starts to like Dharma, and they all live happily.
This is regarded as one of the costliest series produced by Ekta Kapoor under Balaji Telefilms. [15] On 21 September 2016, a press conference was held in Mumbai with the presence of Producer Ekta Kapoor and some actors including the leads Rajat Tokas and Shweta Basu Prasad. [16] Director Santram Verma who directed the pilot episode of the series opted out after it and was replaced by Ranjan Kumar Singh. [17]
In October 2016, about 300 horses were auditioned for a sequence for the lead Tokas. [18]
Speaking about his role male lead Rajat Tokas said, "I am really looking forward to portraying the mighty king, Chandragupta Maurya. His and Nandni’s story is very different from what we’ve seen on TV so far. Theirs is a love story written with hatred." [19] Female lead Shwetha Basu Prasad said, "This show marks my comeback on TV after quite some time. The character of Nandni is that of a strong princess, whose emotions and struggles, every woman would resonate with." [19]
In 2017, the storyline of the series took a leap. [20] During which Siddharth Nigam joined the cast as Bindusara, Avneet Kaur as Charumati. [21] [22] The series ended on 10 November 2017, due to fluctuations in its viewership, with Chandragupta becoming a Buddhist monk. [23] The shooting of the series was completed on 2 November 2017. [24]
I will be paying attention to some of the nuances of that era and that character with the body language of a warrior princess, which will soon require me to learn sword fighting and horse riding. I have been reading on Magadh and Mauryan history a lot these days.
The initial scenes of the series was shot in the ancient locations of Magadh and Pataliputra in Patna. [26] But, the series was mainly filmed in Mumbai. [27]
India Today quoted the series as more masala, less history and reviewed, "The creators of the show have taken generous amount of creative liberty with the original story or history. The actors are not that bad; in fact, they are pretty okay.The palace looks super-animated, like it has just been put on the screen as an afterthought." [28]
The Times of India stated, "Going by the trailer, Shweta Basu fits the role of Chandragupta's wife perfectly. When it comes to showcasing opulence, there is no one who does it better than Ekta Kapoor. Right from the costume to the setting, one can expect grand locations and beautifully decked men and women." [29]
The series was dubbed in Tamil aired on Star Vijay. [30] In Sri Lanka, the show is broadcast in Sinhala on the Swarnavahini network. In Hindi the series airs in Malaysia on TV3.
While the character of Chandragupta and some of the wars and conflicts shown are almost historically accurate, the character of Princess Nandni of Magadha itself along with her twin Roopa is considered completely fictional by many sources. [31] Most historians said, Chandragupta married only twice, first to Durdhara who died while giving birth to Bindusara and years after he was married to daughter of Seleucus I Nicator (Helena as per the show) in a war-peace treaty. [31] Chandragupta defeated Selecus and then arranged a peace treaty, Chandragupta didn't convince Selecus before the war. Queen Nandni as per the show is described as daughter of the real Mahapadma Nanda which is contradicted as there is no historical evidence. It has been said Nandni's characterization is based upon most of Durdhara character derived from historical texts, novelization and poetries. [31] However, there are several historical sources have been mentioned the existence of Queen Nandni, among them one evidence has found in 350 BC Greek Historian Megasthenes' book called Indika as he served as an Ambassador in Royal Court of Chandragupta Maurya. [32] According to this Book Queen Nidarus (presumably Greek accent of Nandni) was Mahapadma Nanda / Dhana Nanda's daughter who was given to Samrat Chandragupta as a war-peace treaty. [32] In that book, she is mentioned as a great warrior and a leader. [32]
Chandragupta Maurya was Emperor of Magadha from 322 BC to 297 BC and founder of the Maurya dynasty which ruled over a geographically-extensive empire based in Magadha. He reigned from 320 BCE to 298 BCE. The Magadha kingdom expanded to become an empire that reached its peak under the reign of his grandson, Ashoka the Great, from 268 BCE to 231 BCE. The nature of the political formation that existed in Chandragupta's time is not certain. The Mauryan empire was a loose-knit one with large autonomous regions within its limits.
Magadha also called the Magadha kingdom or the Magadha Empire, was a kingdom and empire, and one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas, 'Great Footholds of the People' during the Second Urbanization period, based in southern Bihar in the eastern Ganges Plain, in Ancient India. Magadha was ruled by the Brihadratha dynasty, the Pradyota dynasty, the Haryanka dynasty, the Shaishunaga dynasty, the Nanda dynasty, the Mauryan dynasty, the Shunga dynasty, the Kanva dynasty and the Gupta Empire. Kanva dynasty lost much of its territory after being defeated by the Satavahanas of Deccan in 28 BCE and was reduced to a small principality around Pataliputra. However, with the rule of Gupta Empire, The Gupta Empire regained the Glory of Magadh. Under the Mauryas, Magadha became a pan-Indian empire, covering large swaths of the Indian subcontinent and Afghanistan. The Magadh under the Gupta Empire emerged as the most prosperous kingdom in the history of Ancient India.
Chanakya was an ancient Indian polymath who was active as a teacher, author, strategist, philosopher, economist, jurist, and politician. He is traditionally identified as Kauṭilya or Viṣṇugupta, who authored the ancient Indian political treatise, the Arthashastra, a text dated to roughly between the fourth century BCE and the third century CE. As such, he is considered the pioneer of the field of political science and economics in India, and his work is thought of as an important precursor to classical economics. His works were lost near the end of the Gupta Empire in the sixth century CE and not rediscovered until the early 20th century. Around 321 BCE, Chanakya assisted the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta in his rise to power and is widely credited for having played an important role in the establishment of the Maurya Empire. Chanakya served as the chief advisor and Prime Minister of the both emperors Chandragupta Maurya and his son Bindusara.
Bindusara was the second Mauryan emperor of Magadha in Ancient India. The ancient Greco-Roman writers called him Amitrochates, a name likely derived from his Sanskrit title Amitraghāta.
The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in South Asia based in Magadha. It was the fourth ruling dynasty of Magadha. Founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE, it existed in loose-knit fashion until 185 BCE. The empire was centralized by the conquest of the Indo-Gangetic Plain; its capital city was located at Pataliputra. Outside this imperial centre, the empire's geographical extent was dependent on the loyalty of military commanders who controlled the armed cities scattered within it. During Ashoka's rule, the empire briefly controlled the major urban hubs and arteries of the Indian subcontinent excepting the deep south. It declined for about 50 years after Ashoka's rule, and dissolved in 185 BCE with the assassination of Brihadratha by Pushyamitra Shunga and foundation of the Shunga dynasty in Magadha.
The Shishunaga dynasty was the second ruling dynasty of Magadha, an empire in ancient India. According to the Hindu Puranas, this dynasty was the second ruling dynasty of Magadha, succeeding Nagadashaka of the Haryanka dynasty.
Dhana Nanda, according to the Buddhist text Mahabodhivamsa, was the last Nanda king of Magadha. He was the youngest son of Mahapadma Nanda.
Mahapadma Nanda, according to the Puranas, was the first Nanda king of Magadha. The Puranas describe him as a son of the last Shaishunaga king Mahanandin and a Shudra woman. These texts credit him with extensive conquests that expanded the Empire far beyond the Magadha region. The different Puranas variously give the length of his reign as 28 or 88 years, and state that his eight sons ruled in succession after him.
Rajat Tokas is an Indian television actor, he was born in a Jat family in Munirka Village. He appeared in television series like Dharam Veer, Tere Liye, Naagin and Chandra Nandini. He is widely recognised for playing the titular character of Prithviraj Chauhan in Dharti Ka Veer Yodha Prithviraj Chauhan and the role of Akbar in Jodha Akbar.
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Chanakya Chandragupta is a 1977 Indian Telugu-language historical drama film, produced and directed by N. T. Rama Rao under his Ramakrishna Cine Studios banner. It stars Rama Rao, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Sivaji Ganesan, Jayapradha and Manjula, with music composed by Pendyala Nageswara Rao. The film is based on the 3rd century BC Maurya Emperor Chandragupta Maurya and his mentor Chanakya.
Chandragupta Maurya is an Indian Historical drama series being broadcast on Dangal TV, based on the life of Chandragupta Maurya, an Indian emperor of ancient India and the founder of the Mauryan Empire. Chandragupta Maurya was first aired in March 2011 on Imagine TV. Ashish Sharma played the adult and Rushiraj Pawar played the young Chandragupta Maurya.
Durdhara was the empress of Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the 4th-century BCE Maurya Empire of ancient India, according to the 12th century CE Jain text Parishishtaparvan by Hemachandra. She is stated by this text to be the mother of the second Mauryan emperor, Bindusara also known as Amitraghāta.
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