Indian historical drama television series
Chandragupta Maurya is an Indian historical television show that aired on Sony TV from 14 November 2018 to 30 August 2019.[2] Written by Raj Routh, the show is based on the life of Chandragupta Maurya, the first Mauryan emperor and founder of the Maurya Empire.[3] The show is produced by Siddharth Kumar Tewary's One Life Studios.[4]
The show is a seamless continuation of One Life Studio's earlier show Porus.[5]
Plot
The show starts in 323 BCE, immediately after the deaths of the king of the Pauravas, Porus and the Emperor of Macedonia, Alexander the Great. Alexander's general Seleucus Nicator is still in India, having vassalised Ambhiraj (formerly Ambhikumar in the prequel Porus), the King of Takshashila has captured the Paurava Kingdom after assassinating Porus. Chanakya, a Takshashilan Brahmin scholar and the former prime minister of the Paurava Kingdom arrives in Magadha, ruled by the unjust and cruel Nanda emperor Dhana Nanda. He urges him to drive the Macedonians out of India and unite the Mahajanapadas (Indian kingdoms). However, Dhana Nanda openly humiliates Chanakya in the court, mocking his dream of a united India and informs him that it was he who financially helped Seleucus during the assassination of Puru, so that Seleucus will not attack Magadha. This prompts Chanakya to take a vow of eradicating the Nanda dynasty and putting a capable ruler on the throne of Magadha.
Chanakya finds Chandragupta (nicknamed Chandra), a slave who in reality is the crown prince of Piplivan, a kingdom which was destroyed by Dhana Nanda, and sees in him the talent to become a ruler. Meanwhile Dhana Nanda (unaware of Chandra's lineage), also recognises his aptitude and appoints him as the bodyguard of his beloved younger sister, Durdhara. Gradually, Durdhara develops a liking for Chandragupta. With the help of the former soldiers of Piplivan and the king of the janapada (Indian kingdom) Assaka, Vajrabahu, Chandra forms a small army. Chandragupta faces Dhana Nanda in a series of encounters and kills his elder brother Govishanka and commander-in-chief, Bhadrasaal. However, due to the betrayal of Vajrabahu (who later loses both his life and kingdom to Dhana Nanda) he is eventually badly defeated and forced to flee from Magadha. Before being defeated, Chandra managed to inform Durdhara that her father Mahapadma Nanda was killed by Dhana Nanda after the former urged the latter to give a part of his empire to each of his seven brothers. This totally estranges her from Dhana Nanda. Chandra and Chanakya arrive in Takshashila to seek the help of Seleucus. However, Ambhiraj manipulates Seleucus against them and they are thrown into a pit.
5 years later
To prove to Durdhara that he is a worthy successor to his father, Dhana Nanda conquers 13 Mahajanapadas, and now turns towards the last remaining janapada, Takshashila. Chandra comes out of the pit, along with Chanakya and other people who had been trapped in the pit earlier, including Porus' son Malayketu. Dhana Nanda faces the combined Macedonian and Takshashilan armies in an indecisive battle but eventually a peace treaty is signed according to which Dhana Nanda is promised the Paurava Kingdom. With the help of Chanakya and Malayketu, Chandra unites the Macedonian and Paurava armies which defeat the Magadhan and Takshashilan armies, killing Ambhiraj and forcing Dhana Nanda to flee to Magadha. Later he uses the Paurava and Takshashilan armies to force Seleucus to retreat as well, thus capturing Takshashila and the Paurava Kingdom (where Malayketu is enthroned). Durdhara and Chandra fall in love with each other and later marry.
Chandra faces Dhana Nanda (and later Seleucus who re-allies with Dhana Nanda to take revenge from Chandragupta) in a series of confrontations and eventually manages to kill Dhana Nanda and all his remaining brothers, thus eradicating the Nanda dynasty, and founding the Mauryan Empire. Seleucus is captured but later freed on the condition that his daughter Helena would marry Chandra and he would return all the wealth he stole from India. On the other hand, Chandra also faces heavy losses, with Malayketu (who passed on his kingdom to Chandra) being killed and Durdhara, who before dying gave birth to Chandra's son and successor, Bindusara after being mistakenly poisoned by Dhana Nanda. Dhana Nanda's former prime minister, the Brahmin Rakshasa is spared by Chandra due to the immense knowledge he possesses, and he becomes his prime minister while Chanakya goes on to finish his treatise Arthashastra.
Reception
Writing for Zoom, Anusha Iyengar praised Sourabh Raj Jain's portrayal of Dhana Nanda and, based on the first episode, wrote, "Chandragupta Maurya enjoys a good narration and a brilliant set design. The visuals are appealing and dialogues are even better."[18]
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