Bhaggmati - The Queen of Fortunes
There are some legendary stories that need to be told. If 'Mangal Pandey - The Rising' came and conquered everyone's imagination, there is yet another legendary tale to arrive soon, this time taking you more than 400 years back.
The legend in picture here is Bhaggmati. Her prince charming - Mohammad Quili Qutub Shah.
The movie - Bhaggmati The Queen of Fortunes.
In the making for last few years, it has been an ongoing struggle for its makers Zee Telefilms and the director Ashok Kaul. And that's because Bhaggmati - The Queen of Fortunes is no ordinary Bollywood movie. Instead it is the first ever of its kind to be created for Indian screens as it is a half live and half animated. This means that while there are actors like Tabu, Milind Soman and Hema Malini [special appearance] in the movie, they share frames with horde of animated characters. The animation carried out by Z.I.C.A. [Zee Institute of Creative Arts] forms the USP of this love story about which little has been heard before but needs to be known by a lot more.
Have you ever wondered what led to the construction of the city of Hyderabad and what gave the city its name? Well 'Bhaggmati' promises to revive the history in a cinematic experience of one of its kinds in a few days from now.
The movie begins in modern day with the introduction of Shivranjini [Tabu] who is a University topper and studies History. Her colleague is Asim [Milind Soman] who is in love with her. In one of her research programs, she hits upon the love story of Bhaggmati and King Mohammadd Quili Qutub Shah. This is where the past and the present times meet with Tabu enacting the character of Bhaggmati while Milind Soman plays the prince. To add to the fun, the characters alternate between live and animated.
While going through the chapters of history, the story about the lovers unfolds. While the prince had everything on a platter, Bhaggmati was a commoner, a dancer and Lord Shiva's devotee. As destiny would have it, the two come together face to face and fall in love.
There was everything that could go wrong in a positive culmination to the love story, be it the religion, the status or the background. But despite all oppositions, the prince perused his love for the charming lady. But the rules were strict even in that era and before the two love birds could unite together, the prince was disallowed from going anywhere near his love.
But as the saying goes, there is no stopping love, especially in diverse circumstances. The same held good even then with the prince challenging all the barriers, including the mighty river Moussi on a stormy night to meet his love. Proving his love and resolve to be united with Bhaggmati, the prince is finally able to convince the king about his feelings.
True love wins in the end with the king finally relenting to the wishes of his son and allowing him to marry Bhaggmati. In the meanwhile he also makes a provision for a bridge to be constructed across river for the safety of his son.
Later the prince built an entire city at the behest of his lady love and named it as Bhagyanagar, which is now known as Hyderabad. Just like Taj Mahal, here too a symbol of love was created in the form of the world famous Charminar.
An interesting journey into history, it would be interesting to see how Ashok Kaul's research joins the pieces of history together to recreate a story in an era about which nothing is documented and is known only through fables and myth.
A Zee Telefilms production, 'Bhaggmati - The Queen Of Fortunes' would be released in international territories including France and Russia besides US and the UK.