''Swarajya Rakshak Sambhaji'' is an Indian
historical drama
A historical drama (also period drama, costume drama, and period piece) is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television. Historical drama includes historical fiction and romance film, romances, adventure f ...
based on the life of warrior king
Sambhaji
Sambhaji Bhosale (14 May 1657 – 11 March 1689) was the second Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire, ruling from 1681 to 1689. He was the eldest son of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire. Sambhaji's rule was largely shaped by the ongoing ...
. The series is directed by Vivek Deshpande and Kartik Rajaram Kendhe and is written by Pratap Gangavane. It is produced by
Amol Kolhe
Amol Ramsing Kolhe is an Indian actor turned politician who is the current Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from Shirur and member of the Nationalist Congress Party.
Early life
Kolhe was born in the town of Narayangaon in Pune district. ...
, Vilas Sawant and Sonali Ghanashyam Rao under the banner of Jagadamb Creations.
Plot
Sambhaji
Sambhaji Bhosale (14 May 1657 – 11 March 1689) was the second Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire, ruling from 1681 to 1689. He was the eldest son of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire. Sambhaji's rule was largely shaped by the ongoing ...
, son of
Shivaji
Shivaji Bhonsale I (; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adils ...
is a warrior who fights for Swarajya self rule and becomes a
Maratha
The Marathi people (Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as a M ...
Chhatrapati
Chhatrapati is a royal title from Sanskrit language.The word ‘Chhatrapati’ is a Sanskrit language compound word (tatpurusha in Sanskrit) of ''Chatra (umbrella), chhatra'' (''parasol'' or ''umbrella'') and ''pati'' (''master/lord/ruler''). Th ...
. Sambhaji loses his mother at the age of two and grows up under the influence of his grandmother
Jijabai
Jijabai Bhonsle (or Bhonsale, Bhosale, Bhosle) or Jadhav (12 January 1598 – 17 June 1674), referred to as Rajmata, Rastramata, Jijabai or Jijau, was the mother of Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire. She was a daughter of Lakhujirao Ja ...
. His battle for self-rule begins when he meets Mirza Raje and a nine-year-old. After escaping from Agra, he travels from
Mathura
Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately north of Agra, and south-east of Delhi; about from the town of Vrindavan, and from Govardhan. ...
to
Raigad Fort
Raigad is a hill fort situated in Mahad, Raigad district of Maharashtra, India. It is one of the strongest fortresses on the Deccan Plateau. It was previously known as Rairee or Rairy fort.
Many constructions and structures on Raigad were b ...
, the Marathi capital, on his own. He is then married to Jivubai; per Maratha custom, she takes the name Yesubai.
Six or seven years later, Sambhaji becomes the prince of Swarajya. He proves himself an excellent general by defeating Kayum Khan's army in his first battle and is widely praised. Foreign powers take note of his intelligence and skills, which include writing four books in Sanskrit. After the birth of
Rajaram I
Rajaram Bhosle I (Pronunciation: aːd͡ʒaɾaːm – 3 March 1700) was the third ''Chhatrapati'' of Maratha Empire, who ruled from 1689 to his death in 1700. He was the second son of the Shivaji, the founder of the empire and younger half- ...
, family disputes begin to rise within the empire. Corrupt ministers led by Annaji Datto (who holds a grudge against Sambhaji, who has called him out for his corruption) rekindle
Rajmata Soyarabai's ambition to make her son Rajaram, the younger son of Shivaji, the next Chatrapati. Sambhaji's life is filled with accusations and insults. While Sambhaji is stationed at
Shringarpur
Shringarpur is a small village in Ratnagiri district, Konkan, Maharashtra state, India. It is one of the base villages for the trek to Prachitgad.
The jagir of Shringarpur was originally held by a family belonging to the Surve clan. Accordin ...
as the governor of Prabhanvalli, poet, warrior, and old acquaintance
Kavi Kalash
Kavi Kalash (died March 1689 CE, Tulapur) was a poet, a close friend and advisor to Maratha king (Chatrapati) Sambhaji who reigned 1680-1689.
Early life
A Kanyakubja Brahmin by birth , Kalash dev was an able administrator as well as a warrior ...
becomes his closest friend. Sambhaji handles the responsibility well and raises a new army of recruits in Shringarpur. When Shivaji sets out on his southern conquest, he sends Sambhaji into the Mughal camp of Diler Khan, faking a rebellion by Sambhaji. This keeps the Mughals away from Swarajya for two years, while Shivaji completes his Southern conquest. Soon after, Shivaji dies at Raigad.
After the death of Shivaji,
Annaji Datto Sachiv
Annaji Datto Sachiv was the Sachiv (Chief Secretary) in the Ashta Pradhan (Council of 8) mandal of the Maratha Empire during the rule of Shivaji.
Early life
Before joining the services of Shivaji, Annaji Datto was a Kulkarni of Sangameshwar. H ...
and other key ministers, supported by Rajmata Soyarabai, conspire against Sambhaji to prevent his accession. They crown the 10-year-old Rajaram without informing Sambhaji of his father's demise. However,
Hambirrao Mohite
Hambirrao Mohite was the chief military commander of Chattrapati Shivaji's army. An able military general, he executed several campaigns for Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj and later served under Chattrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
Early life
Hambirra ...
(the brother of Soyrabai and uncle of Rajaram), the commander-in-chief of the Maratha army supports Sambhaji. With his help, Sambhaji captures the conspirators and takes the control of Raigad Fort. He spends a few months reforming the administration of Swarajya. He solves the problems of poor people. Sambhaji then crowns himself second Chatrapati of the Maratha Empire. At his coronation, Sambhaji pardons all the conspirators and reinstates their posts in consideration of their contribution to the Swarajya.
Mughal Emperor
Aurangzeb
Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...
is bent on destroying the Swarajya. Sambhaji anticipates a Mughal invasion and deals a severe blow to the Mughal Empire by
plundering the rich city of Burhanpur. The audacity and military genius of Sambhaji shocks even Aurangzeb. He decides to invade the Maratha Empire immediately. He is further enraged when one of his rebel sons, Akbar, joins hands with Sambhaji. Aurangzeb, hell bent on finishing the Maratha Kingdom invades the Swarajya with a massive army of 500,000 soldiers. Sambhaji has only 60,000-70,000 men at his disposal. An unequal clash begins. Aurangzeb tries to attack the Swarajya from all directions but a skilled Sambhaji and his generals foil all his attempts through the strategy of 'Ganimi kava' (Guirella Warfare). Aurangzeb joins hands with other enemies of the Maratha Empire such as the Siddis of Janjira, Portuguese of Goa and Chikkadevaraja of Mysore in order to Encircle the small Maratha Kingdom from all directions.
Sambhaji defeats all of these rulers in successive and brilliant campaigns. Sambhaji almost captured the fort of Janjira in his famous
Siege of Janjira (1682)
The siege of Janjira (1682) was a military conflict fought between Maratha and Siddis of Janjira,the allies of Mughal Empire.Maratha Emperor Sambhaji personally besieged the fort of Murud-Janjira to stop Siddi's intrusions into Maratha Territorie ...
. Later he defeats the powerful king of Mysore
Chikka Devaraja
Devaraja Wodeyar II (22 September 1645 – 16 November 1704) was the fourteenth maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore from 1673 to 1704. During this time, Mysore saw further significant expansion after his predecessors. During his rule, centralise ...
a superb campaign in southern India (
Maratha-Mysore War (1682)). Then he proceeds to defeat the Portuguese and almost captured the entire region of Goa in his victorious campaign of
Maratha invasion of Goa (1683). Aurangzeb is frustrated, and he uses every possible trick for defeating Sambhaji but he is not able to do so. Aurangzeb's generals attack the fort of Ramsej (
Siege of Ramsej
Siege of Ramsej (1682 – 1688) was a series of military confrontations between the Maratha Empire and the Mughal Empire regarding the control of Ramsej Fort in the Nashik region. Aurangzeb arrived in the Deccan in late 1681 with a strong arm ...
) but they are not able to win the fort due to a gallant defence from the Fort's commander. Aurangzeb's generals are defeated everywhere in the Maratha region. Aurangzeb's frustration increases, so he tries to entice some of Sambhaji's relatives to join his side. Some of Sambhaji's relatives join Aurangzeb's forces. Aurangzeb attacks and finishes off Sambhaji's allies, namely the Adilshahi of Bijapur and Qutb Shahi of Golconda. Later, Aurangzeb invades the Maratha territories with renewed vigor. In a crucial battle at Wai, Sambhaji's main general
Hambirrao Mohite
Hambirrao Mohite was the chief military commander of Chattrapati Shivaji's army. An able military general, he executed several campaigns for Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj and later served under Chattrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
Early life
Hambirra ...
is killed despite a Maratha Victory. After this Aurangzeb uses treachery to entice greedy maratha sardars to his side. Sambhaji loses some of his support as some sardars desert him to join Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb tries to capture the fort of Panhala through treachery but Sambhaji arrives in time and foils the attempt.
In the midst of this family issues outsiders such as Siddi,
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
,
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
; all of them became kingdom's fierce enemies. Despite that Sambhaji shows his brilliance and attacks Aurangzeb's camp to distract him. Aurangzeb is on the verge of losing the war. Finally the Mughal General Muqarrab Khan captures Sambhaji Raje and
Kavi Kalash
Kavi Kalash (died March 1689 CE, Tulapur) was a poet, a close friend and advisor to Maratha king (Chatrapati) Sambhaji who reigned 1680-1689.
Early life
A Kanyakubja Brahmin by birth , Kalash dev was an able administrator as well as a warrior ...
with the help of Sambhaji's brother in law Ganoji Shirke.The King who is captured by Aurangzeb is taken to
Bahadurgad
Bahadurgarh is a city, nearby Jhajjar, is located in Jhajjar district in the Indian state of Haryana. The city comprises 31 wards and is approximately 21 km from National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi and 31 km from Jhajjar, the district headq ...
, where Aurangzeb humiliates them by parading them wearing clown's clothes and they were subjected to insults by Mughal soldiers. After that, Aurangzeb ordered Sambhaji Raje and Kavi Kalash to be tortured to death; the process took over a fortnight and included plucking out their eyes and tongue, pulling out their nails and removing their skin. After being brutally tortured, Sambhaji Raje was finally killed on 11 March 1689. Aurangzeb thinks that he has ended the Maratha state once and for all, however he is proved wrong. The Marathas regroup under the leadership of Chhatrapati Rajaram and later by Rani Tarabai. They badly defeat the Mughals and make Aurangzeb's last years his worst years. The Mughals are defeated and the Marathas now start expanding. It wouldn't have been possible without Sambhaji.
Cast
*
Amol Kolhe
Amol Ramsing Kolhe is an Indian actor turned politician who is the current Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from Shirur and member of the Nationalist Congress Party.
Early life
Kolhe was born in the town of Narayangaon in Pune district. ...
as
Chhatrapati Sambhaji
* Shantanu Moghe as
Chhatrapati Shivaji
Shivaji Bhonsale I (; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adilsh ...
*
Prateeksha Lonkar
Prateeksha Lonkar is an Indian actress who mostly appeared in Hindi and Marathi films and television series. She is best known for playing the lead title role in the Marathi TV serial ''Damini'', that aired on DD Sahyadri.
Early life
Lonkar's ...
as
Rajmata Jijabai
* Prajakta Gaikwad as
Yesubai
Chhatrapati Shahu Bhosale I (Pronunciation: aːɦuː CE) was the fifth Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire founded by his grandfather, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Born into the Bhonsle family, he was the son of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Mahar ...
* Rahul Mehendale as
Kavi Kalash
Kavi Kalash (died March 1689 CE, Tulapur) was a poet, a close friend and advisor to Maratha king (Chatrapati) Sambhaji who reigned 1680-1689.
Early life
A Kanyakubja Brahmin by birth , Kalash dev was an able administrator as well as a warrior ...
* Dinesh Kanande as Pant
* Anil Gavas as Sarsenapati
Hambirrao Mohite
Hambirrao Mohite was the chief military commander of Chattrapati Shivaji's army. An able military general, he executed several campaigns for Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj and later served under Chattrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
Early life
Hambirra ...
* Mahesh Kokate as
Annaji Datto Sachiv
Annaji Datto Sachiv was the Sachiv (Chief Secretary) in the Ashta Pradhan (Council of 8) mandal of the Maratha Empire during the rule of Shivaji.
Early life
Before joining the services of Shivaji, Annaji Datto was a Kulkarni of Sangameshwar. H ...
* Satish Salagare as Somaji Datto
* Nasir Khan as Balaji Chitre
*
Amit Behl
Amit Behl is an Indian theatre, television and film actor. Behl began his career in 1994 with a role in India's first daily soap opera '' Shanti''. He later went on to do almost 100 TV serials in Hindi, English, Marathi, Punjabi and Urdu. He ha ...
as
Aurangzeb
Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...
* Anand Kale as Kondaji Farzand
*
Poorva Gokhale
Poorva Gokhale (born 20 January 1978) is a Marathi TV actress known for her role as Anupriya in Zee TV's Tujhse Hai Raabta.
Personal life
Born as Poorva Gupte and then married to a businessman named Kedar Gokhale, she is the daughter of a th ...
as
Saibai
* Pallavi Vaidya as
Putalabai
Putalabai Bhosale was the third queen of the Maratha king Shivaji. She was from Palkar Family and married Shivaji in 1653. Putalabai was the oldest of the surviving wives of Shivaji, and had no children. She committed Sati after the death of Shi ...
* Snehlata Tawade-Vasaikar as
Rajmata Soyarabai
* Sharvari Jamenis as
Sakvarbai Sakvarbai was a wife of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha empire in the Indian subcontinent and She was daughter of Nandaji Rao Gaikwad.
Sakvarbai Gaikwad married Shivaji in January 1656 and later gave birth to a daughter Kamlabai . After Shivaji ...
* Tanvi Kulkarni as Sagunabai
* Latika Sawant as Dharau
* Ashwini Mahangade as Ranubai
* Pradnesh Tari as
Rajaram
* Divesh Medge as child
Sambhaji
Sambhaji Bhosale (14 May 1657 – 11 March 1689) was the second Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire, ruling from 1681 to 1689. He was the eldest son of Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire. Sambhaji's rule was largely shaped by the ongoing ...
* Aabha Bodas as Child
Yesubai
Chhatrapati Shahu Bhosale I (Pronunciation: aːɦuː CE) was the fifth Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire founded by his grandfather, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Born into the Bhonsle family, he was the son of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Mahar ...
* Mruga Bodas as
Tarabai
Tarabai Bhosale (Pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, ̪aːɾabaːi ''née'' Mohite) was the regent of the Maratha Empire of India from 1700 until 1708. She was the queen of Rajaram Chhatrapati, Rajaram Bhonsale, and daughter-in-law of the emp ...
*
Priya Marathe
Priya Marathe Moghe is an Indian actress. She is best known for her roles as Varsha in the television series '' Pavitra Rishta'' and as Bhavani Rathod on ''Saath Nibhaana Saathiya''. Currently she is playing role of Monica Kamat in Star Pravah ...
as Godavari
* Nandkumar Patil as
Moropant Pingale
* Sumeet Pusavale as Harjiraje Mahadik
* Ramesh Rokade as Hiroji Farzand
* Ajay Tapkire as
Bahirji Naik Bahirji Naik, (original name Bhairavnath Jadhav), was a 17th century Indian spy and military commander in the army of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at a time when the Maratha Empire and Mughal Empire were at war. He was honoured by Shivaji maharaj wit ...
* Ravindra Kulkarni as Niraji Raavji
* Vijay Andalkar as Krishnaji Jadhav
* Kishor Mahabole as Firangoji Narsale
* Swarangi Marathe as Lavangibai
* Amit Bhanushali as
Akbar
Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...
* Amruta Malwadkar as Ambika Raje Mahadik
* Kaushik Kulkarni as Nilopant
Production
The lead actor
Amol Kolhe
Amol Ramsing Kolhe is an Indian actor turned politician who is the current Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha from Shirur and member of the Nationalist Congress Party.
Early life
Kolhe was born in the town of Narayangaon in Pune district. ...
who played the role of
Sambhaji Raje won the special best actor award in Zee Marathi Awards 2018.
Special episode
1 hour
* 15 April 2018
* 22 July 2018
* 9 December 2018
* 19 May 2019
* 27 October 2019
2 hours
* 24 September 2017 (Starting Episode)
* 17 December 2017 (Elder Sambhaji)
Reception
The series premiered on 24 September 2017 from Monday to Saturday at 9 pm by replacing ''
Kahe Diya Pardes
Kahe Diya Pardes () is an Indian bilingual Marathi and Hindi television series broadcast on Zee Marathi.
Plot
Shiv Shukla, is a kind-hearted North Indian, comes to Mumbai post his promotion. He becomes neighbor to Gauri, a sweet Maharashtrian ...
''.
Ratings
References
External links
* {{IMDb title, tt8725390
''Swarajyarakshak Sambhaji''at
ZEE5
ZEE5 is an Indian subscription video on-demand and over-the-top streaming service, run by Zee Entertainment Enterprises. It was launched in India on 14 February 2018 with content in 12 languages. The ZEE5 mobile app is available on Web, Androi ...
Indian historical television series
Indian period television series
Television series set in the 17th century
Zee Marathi original programming
Marathi-language television shows
2017 Indian television series debuts
2020 Indian television series endings