E5 Razia Sultan

U/A 13+ • History • Drama • 2020

At the turn of the 13th century, when the Delhi Sultanate was in power, the emergence of the only woman Muslim ruler of India proved to be an important milestone in the history. This woman making to the pages of history was Razia Sultan. She was the beloved daughter of Sultan Iltutmish who grew up to be an astute, heroic and an incredible combatant. Razia developed a wonderful capacity of leadership qualities, responsibilities and bravery as her characteristics. She was Iltutmishs choice as his successor since his other sons were incapable. His decision was opposed by Razias step mother Shah Turkan and a group of nobles, created by Iltutmish, called the TurkaneChhelgani or The Forty. A number of conspiracies were planned to eliminate Razia from the line of power but fate had some other plans and she was saved. Clad in a red dress, Razia addressed the public with a soul stirring speech and she was made the Sultan by public consent but the forty were not ready to be dictated by a woman. Razia proved herself to be an able ruler and dealt with all the politics happening against her. Resentment against her reached its peak when she promoted some non Turkish officers, Jamaluddin Yakut being the closest to her. A conspiracy to assassinate Razia was hatched by the forty and she was killed in 1240 AD.

Director: Shwetanjali Rai

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    E1 Sambhaji
    31 July 2020 | 21 min

    Sambhaji Bhosale was the eldest son of the great Maratha Emperor Shivaji and the second Chhatrapati of the Marathas. At the time of Shivajis death in 1680, there was news of an impending attack of Aurangzebs army on the Deccan and at such a crucial juncture, a strong leader like Sambhaji was the need of the hour. For more than nine years Sambhaji was successful in keeping Aurangzeb and his army away from the Deccan. In the summer of 1689 Sambhaji was resting in Sangameshwar and found himself the victim of a deceptive attack by a small army of Aurangzeb. Sambhaji was captured and brutally tortured for over a fortnight before he was executed by Aurangzeb on March 11th 1689.

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    E2 Bimbisar
    31 July 2020 | 21 min

    Ajatshatru and Bimbisaras story dates back to as early as 542 BC. Bimbisara was the king of the kingdom of Magadh which was one of the most grand and prominent kingdoms. Bimbisara was keen on having a child with Kosala Devi to be his heir and succeed to the throne. They had a child and named him Ajatshatru who grew up to be tall, handsome and talented but was also impatient. Influenced by Devdutta, Ajatshatru had his father imprisoned and decided to kill him by starving him. Though Bimbisaras death was delayed by Kosala Devis efforts, he finally met his fate when Ajatshatru sent a barber to his cell to cut his leg and put hot oil in his wound. Ajatshatru went on to successfully expand his empire and Magadha became one of the most powerful and vast kingdoms in India. However, he was tormented by guilt and turned to the path of Buddhism.

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    E3 Ashoka Sushumna
    31 July 2020 | 21 min

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    E4 Mohammad Gori
    31 July 2020 | 21 min

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    E6 Malik Kafur
    31 July 2020 | 21 min

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    E7 Akbar - Adham Khan
    31 July 2020 | 21 min

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    E8 Siraj Ud Dualah - Robert Clive
    31 July 2020 | 21 min

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    E9 Madan Lal Dhingra - William Hutt Curzon Wylie
    31 July 2020 | 22 min

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    E10 Udham Singh - Michael O'Dwyer
    31 July 2020 | 22 min

    In the year 1919, post WW 1, India was struggling to break free from the shackles of the 300 year long British rule. As protests among the Indians were growing stronger, the British took a drastic measure by passing the orders to open fire in Jalianwaala Baag where a non violent protest was taking place. Udham Singh who came from a poor family, had lost his parents at an early age, he was also present in Jalianwaala Baag during the massacre. Udham Singh was deeply disturbed by the incident and decided to kill the man behind this ruthless bloodbath – Michael O’Dwyer, the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab. He renamed himself Mohammad Singh Azad and headed to London and killed O’Dwyer in Caxton hall. Udham Singh was declared guilty and was hanged at Pentoville prison on July 31, 1940. This act of assassination was condemned initially but was later praised internationally, even by London’s own ‘The Times of London’ calling him a “fighter for freedom”.

Language

Hindi

Release Date

31 July 2020

Genre

History, Drama

Director

Shwetanjali Rai