Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani


Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani is an Indian television period drama that officially aired on Zee TV. It premiered on 27 July 2015. The show initially focussed on the love story of Rani Gayatri and Ranaji . However, due to the deaths of their characters, the show focussed on Rani, their daughter and their son-in law, Raja. However, the character of Rani also died and her look alike was introduced as Naina. But again the main characters were killed. But the show retained its main lead as it was shown that Raja and Rani has re-taken births as Raj and Rani respectively.The show went off air on 4 July 2017. The show previously took a seven leap, followed by a 12 years leap, followed by a 4 months leap, followed by 10 years leap and ended by several years leap

Plot(Season 1)

Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani is set in the 1940s. Gayatri is the daughter of a rich zameendar but she is considered manglik. On the other hand, Rana Indravadhan Singh is the king of Amerkot who has been traumatised after the death of his first wife, Rani Sulakshana. Ranaji's mother, Rajmata Priyamvada, has a debt to pay to Gayatri's father so she offers Ranaji's hand in marriage instead. Unwillingly, Ranaji marries Gayatri.
After marriage, Ranaji and Gayatri slowly form a bond. However, challenges are presented by family members like Badi Rani Maa, a woman pretending to be Sulakshana, Avdhesh, Rageshowri and so on.
Due to Badi Rani Maa & Rageshowri, Ranaji marries Rageshowri and loses his memory and forgets Gayatri. Gayatri disguises as Savitri to help Ranaji remember and finally succeeds but the vengeful Badi Rani Maa brings Kaal, a jungle man, who kills Ranaji. Gayatri vows revenge but is killed by Badi Rani Maa after giving birth to a baby girl. Rajmata runs away with the baby girl. Ranaji and Gayatri are united in heaven.

Season 2

7 Years Later

Gayatri's and Ranaji's daughter, Rani, grows up under Rajmata's care. She goes to the royal palace to work as a servant and befriends Raja, Jeevan and Bindu. Raja and Jeevan are Kaal's sons and Bindu is Swarnalekha and Lakhan's unaware daughter. Kaal has become the King. Raja and Rani get separated during their childhood. Rani leaves Amerkot along with Rajmata after the deaths of Lakhan and his love, Swarnalekha as planned by Badi Rani Maa.

12 Years later

Raja and Rani meet again in college. This time, when Raja meets Rani, he starts to create trouble for her as he believes that Rani was responsible for sending him to a boarding school. However, they gradually fall in love. On the day of their wedding, Raja finds out that Rani is Ranaji and Gayatri's daughter and they were murdered by Kaal and Badi Rani Maa. They still get married. Raja imprisons Kaal and Badi Rani Maa dies while trying to kill Rani. Bindu is also arrested. Jeevan commits suicide having lost the love of his life, Rani. Rani avenges her parents' murders.

Several days later

Now, Nawaq Iqbal Khan has entered their life bringing a new challenge for Raja and Rani. Iqbal falls for Rani and shoots Raja who falls down a cliff.

4 Months later

Raja returns saved by Bindu. He sees Rani and Iqbal together. It is then revealed that Rani is pretending to love Iqbal to avenge Raja's death unknowing that Raja is actually alive. Meanwhile, Raja plans to seek revenge from Rani and Iqbal and decides to disguise himself as Angad, Bindu's husband. Rani soon recognizes him. Iqbal continues to plot against them and Raja starts hating Rani. Iqbal takes Rani along with him in his car to see the weak "Raja" but she takes the opportunity to cause an accident. Iqbal dies and Rani too dies in a hospital. Raja falls in bad company and becomes associated with criminals still believing Rani deceived him and unaware that she is dead.

10 Years later

Raja is now a don in Mumbai and starts living with Laila, the daughter of another don. Naina, Rani's look-a-like, is a junior artist in films and lives with her mother and sister. Raja thinks that Naina is Rani and starts to hate her. Naina, on the other hand, is liked by Vijay, a police officer. Raja comes to know that Rani is dead and that Naina is her look-alike but still dislikes her as she reminds him of Rani.
Gradually, his attitude becomes normal towards Naina and a love triangle develops. On the day of his wedding to Laila, Raja calls it off. Laila blames Naina. Naina encounters Rani's spirit that helps her prove to Raja that Rani was innocent and sacrificed herself to avenge him. Vijay tries to rape Naina and breaks her legs. Laila uses this to try and defame Naina but Raja marries Naina to protect her. Laila attacks Naina on several occasions but finally dies.
Raja thinks he's getting a fresh start in life and starts loving Naina and takes her on a honeymoon to Goa. Here, he meets Rani's spirit who now becomes a ghost and has turned dark. Rani wants Raja to unite with her in the spirit world. Rani's spirit is revealed to be controlled by Badi Rani Maa's spirit.
All the inhabitants of the palace come to know of the return of Rani and Badi Rani Maa. Raja finally confesses his love to Rani's spirit and his selfless love causes her to attain salvation. Raja and Naina trick Badi Rani Maa into believing that she is powerless but she manages to kill both Raja and Naina before actually losing her powers.
A priest tells Rajmata that Raja and Rani are destined to return to prove that nothing is more powerful than true love.

Season 3

20 Years later

Raja and Naina are reborn as Raj and Rani. Raj is appointed the security guard of Rani much to her dislike. When her wedding is fixed to Kundan, she asks Raj to abduct her. Raj and Rani end up in Amerkot and Rani feels a strange connection to the place. She finds Rani Gayatri's diary and pursues Raj. Raj is then told to kill Rani to save his brother Dev who is being held captive by Rani's aunt, Anandi. Raj explains his situation to Rani but doesn't reveal Anandi's identity.
At home, Rani fakes her marriage to Raj and saves both Raj and Dev. Anandi is revealed to have killed Rani's father and is sent to prison. Rani agrees to marry Kundan who wants her money and plans to leave her behind after marriage to go live in London. Anandi is released and also wants Rani's wealth.
Raj reveals Kundan's intentions to Rani and her mother who thank him. Rani and Raj fall in love but her mother gives him 3 months to prove his love. Rani convinces Raj to visit Amerkot where they find a painting of Raja and Rani and Badi Rani Maa. Rajmata reappears and tells them that this is their rebirth.
But after some consequenses with Badi Rani Maa still being a ghost. Confront Raj and Rani. Raj gets unconscious and Rani goes to Badi Rani Maa to save him.
After Raj is fine they fight Badi Rani Maa and cuts her choti in totally killing her.
Later they enter to their palace and the story ends.

Cast

The show is produced by Sunjoy Wadhwa, Sphere Origins.

Development and premiere

The show premiered at 09:30 pm on Monday on 27 July 2015 on Zee TV and airs every Monday to Friday, moving the show Qubool Hai to 07:30 pm, fortifying the early primetime band.
Talking about introducing a fresh concept on primetime, Zee TV's business head, Mr. Pradeep Hejmadi said,“Even when it comes to genres such as history and mythology, a most fascinating period that remains unexplored by Indian television is the pre-Independence era. This vibrant period of India’s history that saw a great upheaval also saw intense drama unfold in the lives of the royalty of the princely states. Behind empty walls of grandeur and fake displays of splendor was hidden the truth of erosion of wealth, insecurities, succumbing to British dominion, depression and bankruptcy. Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani is a story of love set against this most interesting canvas. It aims to give viewers an up close and personal view of the lifestyles and some of the most closely guarded secrets of the rich and royal of the 1940s. It is a work of fiction that draws inspiration from the lives of the royalty of that period."
Producers Sunjoy and Comall Wadhwa of Sphere Origins further add, “The idea has been to look back at a glorious period of history for inspiration and churn out a timeless masterpiece that will entertain and enthrall TV audiences. The most daunting task at hand has been the re-creation of the pre-Independence era and the majestic lifestyles of the kings and queens of the princely states. Enormous research has gone to ensure authentic representation of the era and to create magic on screen. We have on board an ensemble of extremely impressive actors who beautifully fit the parts they are playing. The show will definitely turn out to be a clutter-breaker and hopefully, the biggest fiction show of the year.”

Casting

Popular TV Actress, Drashti Dhami was roped in the play the lead as Gayatri. Speaking about her comeback to television post her last show Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon, she said “I do feel a little under pressure since ‘Madhubala’ was such a success. But I am also looking forward to seeing my fans’ reaction to my new show. Even my family and friends are very excited,” “It found it difficult to speak in the dialect which people spoke at that time. That was challenging. Other than that, I did not have any issues with the role,”
Siddhant Karnick was roped to play the male lead opposite Drashti. The show also had other notable cast including Anita Raj, Moon Banerjee, Priya Tandon and Surekha Sikri who was seen in Balika Vadhu, Ajay Arya. In December 2015, Abhinam Nain entered the show. Later Anjum Fakih entered as the Main Antagonist as Rageshwari.
In May 2016, Drashti and Sidhant left the show as the show was gearing up for a leap. After Eisha Singh and Sartaj Gill enterecas the new Rani-Raja.

Reception

The show began with good ratings and became one of the most watched shows across all GEC's and was one of the top ten serials of 2015. Later due to poor repetitive tracks the TRPs dropped and it was scheduled to go off air. These were the rumours by people that the show will be go to off air. The track of both leading pair Drashti Dhami and Siddhant Karnick will be ending in serial and both decided to quit the show because of the leap is taken. Then the season 2 started with good TRPS and the show's highlights was the main lead chemistry.
The show was confirmed to go off air in April 2017 but got a 2-month extension and ended on 4 July.

Accolades

In Pakistan, it airs on Geo Kahkashkouani.
In Mauritius, it airs on MBC Digital 4.
In South Africa it airs on Zee World.
In the Arab world, it airs on Zee Alwan.
In Germany it airs on Zee.One.
The series is broadcast in Indonesia by ANTV since 23 July 2018.
In Sri Lanka It aired on Hiru TV as Heenayakda Me.