In the long line of historical/mythological television serials has arrived a new entry – Prithvi Vallabh. Written by Anirudh Pathak who has been at the helm of other series like Siya ke Ram and Devon ke Dev Mahadev, the series started Sony Entertainment Television this past weekend. From the days of Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana in 1980s the genre has come a long way in terms of technological polish but in terms of content there is still a lot of scope for improvement. However, such serials do provide a break from saas-bahu sagas.
Laying stress on the subtitle of the show Itihaas bhi Rahasya bhi, Pathak says, “We have tried to portray history as it is, but to make it entertaining and cohesive we have taken some creative liberty that explains the mystery element in the subtitle.”
Fascinated by the pacifist and non-expansionist outlook of the king Prithvi Vallabh whose lineage can be traced to the 10th Century Bhoj dynasty in Madhya Pradesh, Pathak avers,“An Indian hero is being pitted against the western superhero who has been a symbol of war and crude masculinity.”
Talking about the obstacles, Pathak says there is Princess Mrinal who is seeking vengeance against Prithvi Vallabh to avenge her father’s death. Ashish Sharma and Sonarika Bhadoria are playing the lead roles of Prithvi and Mrinal.
Asked about his fascination with mythological and historical characters, Ashish, who has also played the role of Mahadev and Chandragupta Maurya in his previous stint, says, “Male actors do not get to do much in saas-bahu serials apart from being somebody’s husband or father. On the other hand, these shows provide an opportunity to establish myself as an actor.”
Interesting contrast
Reflecting on his character in the series, he explains, “A hugely built man who loves dance and music suddenly turns into a fierce warrior, when it comes to defending his kingdom. This contrast makes this character unique. He is a pacifist who only fights for self-defence.”
Dwelling upon the comparisons being made with the American television series Game of Thrones , Ashish says, “We have tried to showcase an Indian desi hero, who unlike a Greek hero, is hefty, beefy and does not flaunt his six-pack abs. I was asked to gain weight and lose my abs. Having said that if people are comparing it with GoT , then half the battle is won (laughs).”
If dilution and conversion of vengeance into love would render the female protagonist docile and submissive as the show progresses, Sonarika remarked, “Incorporation of love in the story is not going to make her docile; not at all.”
Talking about the tendency of producers to make it a never ending saga, Pathak said, “As of now we have planned two seasons having 40 episodes each. The show is not a minting machine which could be unnecessarily expanded.”
Looking at the digital age and online platforms like Netflix and Amazon, Pathak said, “Middle class people, particularly in small cities, still want free content on television. Having said that we are in talks with one of the digital platforms.”
