Samrat Prithviraj

In the scorching desert landscape of Ghazni, Afghanistan in 1192 CE, a legendary warrior-king named Prithviraj (Akshay Kumar) finds himself in a precarious predicament. Muhammad Ghori (Manav Vij), a formidable foe, captures Prithviraj and forces him to confront his mortality by battling three mighty lions. Despite being blinded, Prithviraj's unyielding determination enables him to vanquish the beasts, but the sheer exertion leaves him weakened and fainting.

As the narrative shifts back in time to the lush city of Kannauj, we are introduced to Sanyogita (Manushi Chhillar), a beautiful princess with a heart full of love for Prithviraj Chauhan. In Ajmer, Prithviraj, now ruling over his kingdom, is approached by Mir Hossain (Ashutosh Rana), the brother of Ghori, who harbors a deep-seated grudge against his sibling due to a long-forgotten affair with a captivating dancer named Chitralekha. The once-loyal brothers have become bitter rivals, and Prithviraj's unwavering support for Hossain only serves to further enrage Ghori.

Prithviraj's noble gesture of sheltering Hossain in his kingdom sparks a chain reaction of events that ultimately leads to the destruction of a sacred Shiv temple at the hands of Ghori. The desecrated temple becomes a symbol of Ghori's disdain for all things holy, and Prithviraj is left seething with righteous indignation.

As tensions escalate, Ghori sends his trusted general, Qutb Al-Din Aibak, to Ajmer, demanding that Prithviraj hand over Hossain. Prithviraj refuses, opting instead to challenge Ghori's forces in the First Battle of Tarain. With the valiant assistance of Kaka Kanha (Sanjay Dutt), Chand Bardai (Sonu Sood), and his loyal men, Prithviraj emerges victorious, but not before Hossain falls in battle.

Ghori himself is captured by Prithviraj, but after a few days of captivity, he is released on the condition that he will regret sparing his life. Ghori's eventual release serves as a stark reminder of Prithviraj's ego and the consequences of his mercy.

As the stakes continue to rise, Prithviraj is chosen by the elders of Delhi to rule over the city, a position previously held by his maternal grandfather. Jayachand, Sanyogita's father and a man consumed by ambition, grows increasingly resentful of Prithviraj's ascendancy and vows to take drastic measures to claim the throne for himself.

To further his goals, Jayachand decides to organize a grand Svayamvara ceremony for Sanyogita, accompanied by a lavish Rajasuya Yagya. He extends an invitation to Prithviraj, requesting a share of Delhi's taxes in exchange for his participation. However, Prithviraj rejects this offer, determined to maintain his independence and the integrity of his kingdom.

As the imperial gates of Jayachand's empire bore witness to a monumental gesture, a statue of Prithviraj was erected, a testament to the warrior's unyielding spirit. The ritualistic significance behind this decision was rooted in the notion that by honoring Prithviraj's rejection, Jayachand would be filling the void left by his absence. Meanwhile, the Svayamvara ceremony commenced, and Sanyogita's unexpected devotion to the statue of her would-be suitor sparked a maelstrom of emotions within Jayachand. His ire was ignited when Sanyogita chose to adorn Prithviraj's effigy with the sacred Varmala, leading him to exact punishment on his daughter. However, before he could enact his wrath, Prithviraj arrived on the scene, accompanied by his formidable army, and claimed Sanyogita as his own. Jayachand's anger was short-lived, however, as he was cautioned by his advisors against attacking Prithviraj.

In the days that followed, Prithviraj and Sanyogita formalized their union in a ritualistic ceremony, amidst the whispers of an impending storm on the horizon. The winds of war began to howl when Jayachand dispatched his forces to capture the other forts under Prithviraj's control. Gaudpur Fort fell to his armies, but before the dust could settle, Kaka Kanha and a contingent of brave warriors from the Chauhan clan hatched a daring plan to recapture the lost stronghold. Their bravery was matched only by their sacrifice, as they fought valiantly, laying down their lives in the process. Prithviraj's resolve wavered momentarily, but he ultimately chose to forgive Jayachand, honoring Kaka Kanha's dying wish.

As the tides of war ebbed and flowed, Prithviraj made a groundbreaking decision: he granted Sanyogita an equal position at his side, defying the conventions that sought to marginalize her. This bold move was met with resistance from his advisors, but Prithviraj's persuasive arguments about the vital role women played in society eventually won them over.

Meanwhile, Jayachand secretly conspired with a merchant (Manoj Joshi) to solicit the aid of Muhammad Ghori, offering him anything he desired in exchange for the conqueror's assistance. Ghori dispatched Aibak to Delhi, who presented Prithviraj with an ultimatum: submit to Ghori's rule or prepare for another brutal conflict. Prithviraj chose the latter, setting the stage for a second, even more devastating battle at Tarain.

As the fates conspired against him, Prithviraj found himself facing off against Ghori once again. The outcome was far from certain, but it became clear that only one of them would emerge victorious. In the end, Ghori's forces emerged triumphant, capturing Prithviraj and hauling him away to the distant lands of Ghazni. As Ghori's armies approached Delhi, Sanyogita and a band of Rajput women chose to perform the ultimate act of devotion: Jauhar, a mass suicide by immolation that would forever seal their honor. In his darkest moment, Jayachand was left to confront the consequences of his actions, his empire reduced to ashes and his daughter lost to him forever.

As Ghori's dominion over Delhi reaches its peak, the once-proud Prithviraj (Prithviraj) is reduced to a mere specter of his former self. Captive and blinded by Ghori's cruelty, Prithviraj is forced into a gruesome spectacle: battling lions with no sight, but ultimately emerging victorious. He then issues a bold ultimatum to Ghori: allow Chand Bardai (Chand Bardai) to chronicle his tale through poetry and music, and promise him a fair fight against any would-be assassin. The next day, Prithviraj's resilience is put to the ultimate test as he is presented with seven chances to prove his worth, each accompanied by the threat of death if he fails. Defiantly rejecting the terms, Prithviraj demands a solitary confrontation with Ghori himself, with only one arrow and no quarter asked or given. The battle-hardened emperor accepts this challenge, and as Ghori approaches Prithviraj on the battlefield, Chand Bardai's stirring recitation of a poem serves as the catalyst for Prithviraj's decisive action: with unwavering focus, he launches an arrow that finds its mark in Muhammad Ghori's neck, silencing the usurper forever. As the dust settles, Chand Bardai rushes to embrace his fallen friend, only to fall victim to the relentless barrage of arrows fired by Ghori's loyalists. In a poignant finale, Prithviraj's warriors claim their freedom as promised, solemnly transporting the lifeless bodies of their leader and his trusted chronicler for the final rites.

The film concludes with a historical note that echoes through time: Prithviraj Chauhan was indeed the last Hindu ruler to hold sway over Delhi before the Islamic Conquest of Hindustan. It is this very legacy that finds justification in India's independence, secured in 1947, when the shackles of colonialism were broken and a nation rediscovered its sovereignty.