Sony’s Peshwa Bajirao is one of the latest historical drama winning hearts since its start. The promos gave a clear hint to the viewers about the show being on the life chronicles of Bajirao. His journey since birth is seen. The period drama is believed to be very close to real history.
The story revolves around Bajirao, born to Balaji Vishwanath and Radhabai. Balaji gets to know that his child will be the one who will end the rule of Moghuls. Balaji and Radhabai get blessed by a son, whom they name Baji. Bajirao is predicted to be short-lived. Both Balaji and Radhabai train their son to become fearless, capable, fighter and a winner in life.
Main Characters:
Bajirao:
Bajirao is a deity-blessed son of Balaji Vishwanath and Radhai. He gets destined to end the Moghul rule in his kingdom and win Swaraj/ self-rule for the Marathis. Bajirao is given best teachings by his parents. If his father is his sword, then his mother is his shield. Thoroughly equipped by parents’ immense support, he has the best of warriorship skills. He is fearless, intelligent and a winner. Bajirao loves challenges and holds great potential to win always.
Balaji Vishwanath:
He is Bajirao’s father. He is a good hearted, just and fearless man, who was once a great warrior and then turned into a calm peaceful helper of Marathis. He is a promise-keeper and responsible person. He is a loving husband and a caring-mentoring father. As fate had it, Balaji always had to be a Shivay/warrior, holding qualities of Lord Shiv. Balaji never bends down to anyone’s cruelty and anguish. Balaji has lived all life by sustaining his ethics. He stays ready to shed his blood if his mother-land demands. He respects his wife Radhabai a lot and gives her equality rights.
Radhabai:
Radhabai is Bajirao’s doting mother. Radhabhai is her husband Balaji’s biggest support. Though she looks calm, she holds a great personality within. Radhabai is a very strong woman, who has never learnt to back off from any tough situation. Radhabai has seen many bad times in her life, but stayed much positive by her devotion in deity. She stands against old aged customs. She believes in making the most from life. She is blessed with three children. Radhabai is Bajirao’s first tutor. She teaches him all the good values, which makes him morally strong to take decisions.
Cast:
Rudra Soni as Bajirao
Manish Wadhwa as Balaji Vishwanath
Anuja Sathe as Radhabai
Pallavi Joshi as Tarabai
Raza Murad as Aurangzeb
Yuri Suri as Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asif Jah I
Ravindra Mankani as Brahmendra Swami
Sanjay Batra as Dhanaji Jadhav
Story So Far:
Balaji Vishwanath prays for his kingdom, recalling how Aurangzeb betrayed Maharaj Shivaji Rao and failed the latter to fulfill his promise. A pandit tells Balaji that fate has chosen his son to lead the kingdom and win independence. Radhabai sings a bhajan. Radhabai’s ethics are seen. Balaji comes home. He gets to know about her pregnancy and gets glad. He tells Radhabai that their son will bring independence and become a great ruler. They make a home. Days pass. Aurangzeb’s men burn the houses in neighborhood. Balaji burns his own house.
Radhabai asks him out about his impulsive step. Balaji says just we have to the right to burn our house, none can do that. Because of Moghul pressures, they are forced to leave the house. He tells Radhabai that they will soon find a new home and he did not wish to risk their child’s life by initiating a fight. Aurangzeb’s men catch them on the way and ask for her jewelry. Balaji gives them the jewelry to secure Radhabai. The men ask for her mangalsutra too. Balaji angrily kills them.
Meanwhile, Maharaj Chatrapati Shivaji is close to death. He makes his wife Tarabai promise him to make his nephew Shahuji the next king. Very soon, he dies. Tarabai announces her son to be the next king and goes against Maharaj’s wish. Tarabai reveals to Dhana ji that Shahuji and his mother are jailed by the Moghals, so she could not fulfill her promise to Maharaj. Dhana ji tells her that just one man can free Shahuji from Aurangzeb’s clutches, and that’s Balaji. Balaji and Radhabai take shelter in relative’s house. Dhana ji meets Balaji and asks him to free Shahuji. He pays him in advance. Balaji wants to seek Radhabai’s approval. Dhana ji asks him why does he want his wife’s approval.
Balaji praises Radhabai and shows true respect for her. Radhabai does not stop Balaji and asks him to do anything for their land. She asks Balaji to promise he will return. Balaji promises her and leaves. Rani Tarabai is asked whether she will crown Shahuji as king if he returns. She feels Shahuji would have changed under Aurangzeb’s influence. Dhana ji and Balaji find out if Shahuji is alive. Balaji proceeds with courage. Shahuji is shocked knowing of Maharaj’s death. Shahuji meets Aurangzeb and asks for his freedom.
Aurangzeb does not kill him. He makes Shahuji unconscious by a spiked drink. Aurangzeb wants to fail Maratha’s plan to rescue Shahuji. Balaji enters the Moghal’s place in soldier’s disguise. Balaji spots Shahuji. Qamaruddin catches Balaji and presents him in front of Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb asks Balaji to choose the death form. Balaji recalls the promise to Radhabai. He tricks Aurangzeb knowing the latter will surely betray him. Radhabai gives birth to Bajirao. Radhabai is informed that Balaji has died. She is asked to follow widow customs. Radhabai refuses.
She believes Balaji is alive and will definitely return to fulfill his promise. While she is forced to shave off her hairs, Balaji comes on time and stops them. Radhabai happily hugs him. She asks whim why did he come so late. Balaji takes their son in his lap and smiles. He tells Radhabai whatever happened, how he was thrown down the cliff and got saved by some forest people, he gained consciousness after many months and headed for home straight. Balaji informs Dhana ji that Shahuji is alive. Rani Tarabai is unsure about it. She takes her son for the Rajtilak.
Balaji and Radhabai take their son to temple for the naming ceremony. Pandit tells them that he earlier told that their son will write Maratha’s destiny. Pandit checks the kundi and tells them that their son will win every way, he will be the best warrior, he will win destiny, but he will be short-lived. Balaji and Radhabai get a shock. They take this positively and say our son will live 2.5 days in one day and have sleep of 2.5 nights in one night, he will achieve everything in his short life, which big emperors achieve in 100 years.
Balaji and Radhabai name the child Baji. They migrate to other city. After a leap of seven years, Baji is seen as a little boy, freeing the parrots and respecting independence. Balaji and Radhabai have two more children. Baji walks on hill top towards the waterfall. Radhabai gets informs about Baji’s mischief. Radhabai reaches Baji and asks him not to jump in water. Baji throws the coin in water and then jumps. He gets the coin from the river and emerges out. Radhabai scolds Baji. He apologizes to her.
Tarabai plans to get Maharaj’s wealth from the tomb, which is seized by Aurangzeb. She plans to teach a lesson to Aurangzeb. Baji is motivated by Radhabai. He feels everything around is challenging him. Balaji comes home. Radhabai complains about Baji. Balaji tells her that Baji is like air and can’t be stopped. Radhabai tells Baji that she does not have money to buy mangoes. Baji goes to get mangoes for Radhabai by following the honest way.
Baji is challenged to get the mangoes, and is stopped by a sharp archer. Baji makes a plan to get the mangoes. Dhana ji informs Tarabai about Aurangzeb sending a messenger. Baji uses jackfruit as shield and gets saved from the archer. He takes permission to take mangoes home. Baji gives the mangoes to Radhabai and tells her that he has worked hard to get the mangoes. Balaji tells Radhabai that Dhana ji gave him responsibility to welcome Qamaruddin. Radhabai encourages him. Radhabai makes mango juice and serves it to Balaji. She tells him about Baji’s honesty mangoes. Balaji is glad seeing Radhabai teaching self esteem to Baji.
Our Take:
The show started on a good note. Manish Wadhwa got brilliance in his acting, thanks to his earlier stints in mythological-historical genre shows. Anuja Sathe proves her acting calibre another time. Manish and Anuja present a subtle, yet surprising chemistry. They have amazing screen presence and deliver dialogues intensely. The actors put more than expected life in their characters of Balaji Vishwanath and Radhabai. The child actor Rudra Soni has been good so far in the first week episodes.
Rudra is very much promising as small screen’s Bajirao. Pallavi Joshi gives remarkable performance as Rani Tarabai. The supporting cast is apt and impressive. Costumes are not loud. Sets, costumes, accessories and props are as average as history would really have had. There can’t be any bigger attractions than the powerful storyline. Dialogues are much impactful. One would find dialogues so meaningful that it gets lining the period drama. Peshwa Bajirao is surely appealing.
Overall:
Good visuals, strong cast, powerful story and much promising tracks. Bajirao is a much watch for historical genre lovers. There is a filmi feel to it, which simple raises interest. One can just expect the show to get better with time.
Our Rating:
4.5 out of 5
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