Jhansi Ki Rani (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Ek Veer Stree Ki Kahaani... Jhansi Ki Rani is a historical television series on Zee TV
Zee TV
Zee TV is an India-based satellite television channel owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, which broadcasts various programmes in Hindi and other regional languages of India. Broadcasting is also present in various nations of South Asia, Europe, the Middle East,...

 created by Contiloe Telefilms
Contiloe Telefilms
Contiloe Entertainment Private Ltd. is one of India’s leading producers of Factual and Non-factual Programming.With offices based in Mumbai and New Delhi India, Contiloe was founded in 1995 by Abhimanyu Singh to provide video production services to television stations, non-profit organizations and...

. As the title suggests, the story is based on the life of Rani Lakshmi Bai  of Jhansi
Jhansi
Jhansi Hindi:झाँसी, , Marathi: झाशी, is a historical city of India. Jhansi is the administrative headquarters of Jhansi District and Jhansi Division. The original walled city grew up around its stone fort, which crowns a neighboring rock. This district is on the bank of river Betwa.The National...

, one of the leading figures of the Central Indian rebellion of 1858
Central India Campaign (1858)
The Central India Campaign was one of the last series of actions in the Indian rebellion of 1857,...

 (which was one of the last series of actions in the Indian Rebellion of 1857
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...

). The series premiered on August 18, 2009.

Plot

It is a historical show that is about Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi. The show starts with a girl of 14 years old who plays the role of the younger version on Rani Lakshmi Bai as she marries Maharaj Ganghadar Rao.She is a threat to the British Officials and hates to see them rule India. The focus is initially on the childhood story of the Queen and continues until her death. After a leap, the story focuses on the elder Lakshmibai, played by Kratika Sengar.

Other Languages

This serial is currently dubbed into three languages: Tamil - Jhansi Rani, Telugu - Veera Naari Jhansi Lakshmi and Marathi - Jhansichi Rani. It is broadcastd by Zee Network's Zee Tamil (Monday - Friday;8.30 PM - IST), Zee Telugu (Monday to Friday; 6.00 PM - IST) and Zee Marathi (Monday to Saturday; 2.00 PM - IST). The Tamil and Telugu version of the seria are going parallel but whereas the Marathi version is lagging behind. The TRPs of Tamil and Telugu versions are very high.

Early life

Originally named Manikarnika and nicknamed Manu, she was born on 19 November 1835 at Kashi (Varanasi)[1] to Karhade Brahmin family, the daughter of Moropant Tambe and Bhagirathibai Tambe. She lost her mother at the age of four, and was educated at home. Her father, Moropant Tambe, worked at the court of Peshwa at Bithur, who brought her up like his own daughter, and called her "Chhabili" for her light-heartedness.

Because of her father's influence at court, Rani Lakshmi Bai had more independence than most women, who were normally restricted to the zenana. She studied self defence, horsemanship, archery, and even formed her own army out of her female friends at court. Tatya Tope who was considered as a nightmare by the British during the 'Great Revolt of 1857' was Lakshmi Bai's tutor. She was married to Raja Gangadhar Rao Newalkar, the Maharaja of Jhansi in 1842, and became the queen of Jhansi. After their marriage, she was given the name Lakshmi Bai.The Raja was very affectionate to her. She[2] gave birth to a son Damodar Rao in 1851. However, the child died when he was about four months old. After the death of their son, the Raja and Rani of Jhansi adopted Anand Rao. Anand Rao was the son of Gangadhar Rao's cousin.He was later renamed as Damodar Rao. However, it is said that the Raja of Jhansi never recovered from his son's death, and he died on 21 November 1853.

Because Anand Rao was adopted, the East India Company, under Governor-General Lord Dalhousie, had an excuse to apply the Doctrine of Lapse, rejecting Rao's claim to the throne. Dalhousie then annexed Jhansi, saying that the throne had "lapsed" and claimed the right to put Jhansi under his protection. In March 1854, she was given a pension of 60,000 rupees and ordered to leave the palace and the Jhansi fort.

The 1857 Revolution

Rani Lakshmibai in a 19th century Kalighat painting.

On May 10, 1857 the Indian Rebellion started in Meerut. This began after rumours that the new bullet casings for the Lee Enfield rifles were coated with pork and beef fat; British commanders insisted on their use and started to discipline anyone who disobeyed. During this rebellion sepoys killed many British soldiers and officers of the East India Company.

Unrest began to spread throughout India. During this chaotic time, the British were forced to focus their attentions elsewhere, and Lakshmi Bai was essentially left to rule Jhansi alone. During this time, she was able to lead her troops swiftly and efficiently to quell skirmishes breaking out in Jhansi. Through this leadership Lakshmi Bai was able to keep Jhansi relatively calm and peaceful in the midst of the Empire’s unrest. For example, she conducted the haldi-kumkum ceremony with great pomp and ceremony before all the women of Jhansi to provide assurance to her subjects and to convince them that Jhansi was under no threat of an attack.[3]

Up to this point, she had been hesitant to rebel against the British, and there is still some controversy over her role in the massacre of the British HEIC officials and their wives and children on the 8th June 1857 at Jokhan Bagh.[4] Her hesitation finally ended when British troops arrived under Sir Hugh Rose and laid siege to Jhansi on 23 March 1858. She rallied her troops around her and fought fiercely. An army of 20,000, headed by the rebel leader Tatya Tope, was sent to relieve Jhansi and to take Lakshmi Bai to freedom. However, the British, though numbering only 1,540 in the field so as not to break the siege, were better trained and disciplined than the raw recruits, and these inexperienced soldiers turned and fled shortly after the British began to attack on 31st March. Lakshmi Bai’s forces could not hold out and three days later the British were able to breach the city walls and capture the city. Lakshmi Bai escaped by jumping from the wall at night with her son and fled from her city, surrounded by her guards, many of them women.[4].
Statue of Rani Laxmi Bai in Agra

Along with the young Anand Rao, the Rani decamped to Kalpi along with her forces where she joined other rebel forces, including those of Tatya Tope. The Rani and Tatya Tope moved on to Gwalior, where the combined rebel forces defeated the army of the Maharaja of Gwalior after his armies deserted the rebel forces. They then occupied a strategic fort at Gwalior. However, on the 17th of June 1858[5], while battling in full warrior regalia against the 8th (King's Royal Irish) Hussars in Kotah-ki Serai near the Phool Bagh area of Gwalior, she died. The British captured Gwalior three days later. In the British report of the battle, General Hugh Rose commented that the Rani, "remarkable for her beauty, cleverness and perseverance", had been "the most dangerous of all the rebel leaders".[6]

However, the lack of a corpse to be convincingly identified as that of Lakshmibai convinced Captain Rheese that she had not actually perished in the battle for Gwalior, stating publicly that: "[the] Queen of Jhansi is alive!" [7]. It is believed her funeral was arranged on the same day near the spot where she was wounded.

Rani was memorialized in bronze statues at Jhansi and Gwalior, both of which portray her on horseback. Another equestrian statue can be seen in Agra, UP.

Her father, Moropant Tambey, was captured and hanged a few days after the fall of Jhansi. Her adopted son, Damodar Rao (formerly known as Anand Rao), fled with his mother's aides. Rao was later given a pension by the British Raj and cared for, although he never received his inheritance. Damodar Rao settled down in the city of Indore (Madhya Pradesh). He spent most of his life trying convince the British to restore some of his rights. He and his descendants took on the last name Jhansiwale. He died on May 28, 1906, at the age of 58

Partial fiction

Earlier this story was rejected in Maharashtra state because of the show does not reflect the real life of the Lakshmi Bai. For example, in one of its episodes a look-alike of Lakshmibai appears, which did not happen in reality.

Cast

Cast Character Historical or fictional
Young characters (before leap)
Ulka Gupta
Ulka Gupta
Ulka Gupta is an Indian television actress. She plays the role of Manu in the Zee TV soap Jhansi Ki Rani and later playing the role of Kaali in the same.-References:...

 
Rani Lakshmi Bai or Manu Bai Historical
Shaheer Sheikh  Nana Sahib
Nana Sahib
Nana Sahib , born as Dhondu Pant, was an Indian leader during the Rebellion of 1857. As the adopted son of the exiled Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao II, he sought to restore the Maratha confederacy and the Peshwa tradition....

 
Historical
Grown-up characters (after leap)
Kritika Singhal
Kritika Singhal
Kratika Sengar is an Indian television actress. Popularly known as P2 in the hit Indian soap opera Kasautii Zindagii Kay. She has also played a cameo in "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi" where she played the role of "Saanjhi".She also played Naina in Kya Dill Mein Hai, a show on channel 9x...

 
Rani Lakshmibai
Rani Lakshmibai
Lakshmi Bai, the Rani of Jhansi was the queen of the Maratha-ruled princely state of Jhansi, situated in the northern part of India...

/ KrantiGuru/ Rana Bakura
Historical
Sameer Dharmadhikari Maharaj Gangadar Rao Newalkar Historical
Damodar Historical
Shailesh Dattar Moropant Tambe Historical
Surbhi Tiwari Maina Bai
Ravindra Mankani
Ravindra Mankani
Ravindra Laxman Mankani is a veteran actor who is noted for his work in many a daily soaps, plays and films. Though a civil engineer by qualification, Ravindra's love for acting and media pursued him to give his time to the cultural field....

 
Peshwa Baji Rao
Baji Rao II
Baji Rao II was the last Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy, and governed from 1796 to 1818. His reign was marked by confrontations with the British.-Biography:...

 
Historical
Ishita Vyas Rana Bankura / Jhalkaribai  a) Fictional (?) / b) Historical
Aruna Irani
Aruna Irani
Aruna Irani is an Indian actress. An accomplished actress and dancer of her time, Aruna Irani has acted in about 300 movies, with many memorable acting performances to her credit...

 
Vahini Sahiba Fictional (?)
Jaya Bhattacharya
Jaya Bhattacharya
Jaya Battacharya is an Indian television actress. She has also done small roles in movies. She is of Bengali descent.-Acting career:In the Hindi movie Saathiya, she played a small role being the sister-in-law of the main character, Vivek Oberoi. She also played a small role in the 2002 Bollywood...

 
Sakku Bai
Garima Ajmani Moti Bai Historical
Amita Nangia
Amita Nangia
Amita Nangia is a TV actress and Character artist in Bollywood.Got popularity form her role as Sheena in TV Serial Tara telecasted on Zee TV in 1993.Worked in many A , B and c grade Bollywood Movies....

 
Lachchu Bai
Tarun Khanna Ali Bahadur
Satyajeet Dube Nana Sahib
Vishnu Sharma Vadrayan
Devv Khubnani Dhrupad
Trishikha Tiwari Vaaishali
Praneeta Sahu Juhi Historical?
Soni Singh
Soni Singh
Soni Singh is an Indian actress and model. She has starred in many Indian TV shows & commercials.-Filmography:Feature/Short feature:* Embrace - Simi* Rosy pinto ko gussa kyun aata hai? - Rosy pintoDaily Soap:...

 
Vishkanya
Minnal Kapoor Mandira
Dinesh Kaushik
Dinesh Kaushik
Dinesh Kaushik is an Indian actor born on May 27th . He is a post graduate in Indian theatre from the Punjab University, Chandigarh. He has worked with professional theatre groups in Mumbai. He has appeared in many Advertisements, Television shows and Movies. Currently playing Narsinghrao ...

 
Narsinghrao Historical?
Hemant Choudhary Raghunath Singh Historical
Eva Grover Bhagirathi Tambe Historical
Siddharth Vasudev Samar Singh
Puneet Vashist
Puneet Vashist
Puneet Vashist is an Indian actor working in Bollywood and Television industry. He mostly plays negative / antagonist roles. He worked in All The Best: Fun Begins with Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan's sidekick in Josh. He has acted in number of television soap operas.-Career:He got his first...

 
Karma
Amit Pachori Tatya Tope
Tatya Tope
Ramachandra Pandurang Tope , popularly known as Tatya Tope , was an Indian leader in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and one of its finest generals. He was a personal adherent of Nana Sahib of Kanpur. He progressed with the Gwalior contingent after the British reoccupation of Kanpur and forced...

 
Historical
Ashnoor Kaur Prachi
Tanya Indu
Benaf Dadachanji Ganga
Ashwini Kalsekar
Ashwini Kalsekar
Ashwini Kalsekar is an Indian soap opera actress. She is best known to television audiences for her role as the scheming aunt Jigyaasa in Ekta Kapoor's Kasamh Se.-Early life:...

 
Heera Bai
Arav Chowdharry Mangal Pandey
Mangal Pandey
Mangal Pandey was a sepoy in the 34th Regiment of the Bengal Native Infantry of the English East India Company. He is widely known in India as one of its first freedom fighters...

 
Historical
Achint Kaur
Achint Kaur
Achint Kaur is an Indian television actress who comes from a Punjabi background and is famous for working in some of the popular Hindi language drama series...

 
Larai Sarkar (Rani ki Orchha
Orchha
Orchha is a town in Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh state, India. The town was established by Maharaja Rudra Pratap Singh in 1501, as the seat of an eponymous former princely state of central India, in the Bundelkhand region. Orchha lies on the Betwa River , 80 km from Tikamgarh &...

)
Historical
Sudhanshu Pandey
Sudhanshu Pandey
Sudhanshu Pandey is an Indian model and Bollywood actor. He was born and raised in Uttar Pradesh. After a career in fashion modeling, he debuted in Bollywood in a 2000 movie Khiladi 420.-Filmography:- External links :* * * *...

 
Yuvraj (Prince ki Modh)
Jayajirao Scindia
Jayajirao Scindia
|Jayajirao Scindia of the Scindia dynasty was the ruling Maharajah of Gwalior from 1843 to 1886 under the British rule.-Early life:...

 (King ki Gwalior)
Historical
Raja Bahadur (Gwalior) Historical
Dinkar Rao
Dinkar Rao
Sir Dinkar Rao, K.C.S.I. was an Indian Statesman, born in Ratnagiri District, Bombay. He was a Chipavan Brahmin.At fifteen he entered the service of the Gwalior State, in which his ancestors had served...

 (Gwalior)
Historical
Rao Sahab Historical
Laddi Fictional
Ulka Gupta Kaali Fictional?
Sanjay Swaraj Rao Dulaju
Manoj Kumar Ghulam Ghaus Khan Historical
Mundar Historical
Malam Baba Fictional?
Ben Kaplan (model) John Lang (writer)
John Lang (writer)
John Lang was an Australian lawyer and was Australia's first native born novelist. Lang was born at Parramatta, Sydney, Australia, second and posthumous son of Walter Lang, merchant adventurer, and his wife Elizabeth, née Harris. Lang was educated at Sydney College under William Timothy Cape...

 
Historical
Britishers Company rule in India
Company rule in India
Company rule in India refers to the rule or dominion of the British East India Company on the Indian subcontinent...

Queen Victoria  Historical
Charles Canning, 1st Earl Canning
Charles Canning, 1st Earl Canning
Charles John Canning, 1st Earl Canning KG, GCB, PC , known as The Viscount Canning from 1837 to 1859, was an English statesman and Governor-General of India during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.-Background and education:...

 
Historical
Gary Richardson Lord Dalhousie  Historical
Hugh Rose
Hugh Rose, 1st Baron Strathnairn
Field Marshal Hugh Henry Rose, 1st Baron Strathnairn GCB, GCSI, PC was a British Army field-marshal.-Early life:...

 
Historical
Captain Mac
Edward Sonnenblick Captain James Manson / Captain John W. Nelson Historical
Rose Nelson Historical
Gall Historical
Vikas Verma Marshall / Captain Robert Hamilton a. Fictional? / b. Historical
Alexx ONell
Alexx ONell
Alexx O'Nell is an American actor and musician who is based in India and has appeared in numerous films and television programs in English and Indian languages....

 
Major Robert W. Ellis Historical
Captain Malcolm Historical
Samuel Brown Captain Ross Historical
Captain Martin Historical
Captain Fraser Historical
Glen David Short Commissioner Wilson Fictional?
Robin Pratt Sir Moreland (Commissioner of Kanpur) Historical
Suzanne Bernert Mrs. Moreland Fictional?

Awards

Year Award Category Cast Role
Technical Awards
2009 Indian Telly Awards
Indian Telly Awards
The Indian Telly Awards is an annual Indian television production award given in various technical and popular categories to Indian television channels....

 
Best Art Direction(Set Designing) Sandesh -
2009 Indian Telly Awards
Indian Telly Awards
The Indian Telly Awards is an annual Indian television production award given in various technical and popular categories to Indian television channels....

 
Best Stylist Neeru Shah -
2009 Indian Telly Awards
Indian Telly Awards
The Indian Telly Awards is an annual Indian television production award given in various technical and popular categories to Indian television channels....

 
Best Videography(Fiction) Deepak Pandey -
2010 Indian Telly Awards
Indian Telly Awards
The Indian Telly Awards is an annual Indian television production award given in various technical and popular categories to Indian television channels....

 
Best TV Lyricist Mairaj Zaidi -
2010 Indian Telly Awards
Indian Telly Awards
The Indian Telly Awards is an annual Indian television production award given in various technical and popular categories to Indian television channels....

 
Best Videography(Fiction) Deepak Pandey -
2010 Indian Telly Awards
Indian Telly Awards
The Indian Telly Awards is an annual Indian television production award given in various technical and popular categories to Indian television channels....

 
Best Costumes Nikhat, Mariyam & Neerushah -
2011 The Global Indian Film and Television Honours
The Global Indian Film and Television Honours
The Global Indian Film and Television Honours is an annual Indian television and film production award given in various technical and popular categories to Indian television and film fields....

 
Best Art Direction Sandesh Gondhalekar -
Popular Awards
2009 Indian Telly Awards
Indian Telly Awards
The Indian Telly Awards is an annual Indian television production award given in various technical and popular categories to Indian television channels....

 
Most Popular Child Artist Ulka Gupta
Ulka Gupta
Ulka Gupta is an Indian television actress. She plays the role of Manu in the Zee TV soap Jhansi Ki Rani and later playing the role of Kaali in the same.-References:...

Manubai/Rani Laxmibai
2009 Indian Telly Awards
Indian Telly Awards
The Indian Telly Awards is an annual Indian television production award given in various technical and popular categories to Indian television channels....

 
Most Popular Historical/Mythological Show Jhansi Ki Rani (TV series) -
2010 FICCI Award Best Entertainer of the Year Ulka Gupta
Ulka Gupta
Ulka Gupta is an Indian television actress. She plays the role of Manu in the Zee TV soap Jhansi Ki Rani and later playing the role of Kaali in the same.-References:...

Manubai/Rani Laxmibai
2010 Zee Rishtey Awards
Zee Rishtey Awards
Zee Rishtey Awards is a show in which Zee TV channel awards to shows broadcast on its station in the previous year.-History:Zee Rishtey Awards was first awarded in February 2010, and were later awarded again in December 2010. Zee TV intends to give the awards annually.-Impact:The first show in...

 
Special Award for Most Popular Character Ulka Gupta
Ulka Gupta
Ulka Gupta is an Indian television actress. She plays the role of Manu in the Zee TV soap Jhansi Ki Rani and later playing the role of Kaali in the same.-References:...

Manubai/Rani Laxmibai
2010 Zee Rishtey Awards
Zee Rishtey Awards
Zee Rishtey Awards is a show in which Zee TV channel awards to shows broadcast on its station in the previous year.-History:Zee Rishtey Awards was first awarded in February 2010, and were later awarded again in December 2010. Zee TV intends to give the awards annually.-Impact:The first show in...

 
Favourite Beti Kritika Singhal
Kritika Singhal
Kratika Sengar is an Indian television actress. Popularly known as P2 in the hit Indian soap opera Kasautii Zindagii Kay. She has also played a cameo in "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi" where she played the role of "Saanjhi".She also played Naina in Kya Dill Mein Hai, a show on channel 9x...

Rani Laxmibai
2010 Zee Rishtey Awards
Zee Rishtey Awards
Zee Rishtey Awards is a show in which Zee TV channel awards to shows broadcast on its station in the previous year.-History:Zee Rishtey Awards was first awarded in February 2010, and were later awarded again in December 2010. Zee TV intends to give the awards annually.-Impact:The first show in...

 
Favourite Serial Jhansi Ki Rani (TV series) -
2010 Indian Telly Awards
Indian Telly Awards
The Indian Telly Awards is an annual Indian television production award given in various technical and popular categories to Indian television channels....

Most Popular Child Artist Ulka Gupta
Ulka Gupta
Ulka Gupta is an Indian television actress. She plays the role of Manu in the Zee TV soap Jhansi Ki Rani and later playing the role of Kaali in the same.-References:...

Manubai/Rani Laxmibai
2010 Indian Telly Awards
Indian Telly Awards
The Indian Telly Awards is an annual Indian television production award given in various technical and popular categories to Indian television channels....

 
Most Popular Historical/Mythological Show Jhansi Ki Rani (TV series) -
2011 Indian Telly Awards
Indian Telly Awards
The Indian Telly Awards is an annual Indian television production award given in various technical and popular categories to Indian television channels....

 
Most Popular Historical/Mythological Show Jhansi Ki Rani (TV series) -
2010 Indian Television Academy Awards
Indian Television Academy Awards
The Indian Television Academy Awards, also known as the ' is an annual event organised by the Indian Television Academy. The awards are presented in various categories, including popular programming , best television channel in various categories, technical awards, and best performance...

 
Best Historical/Mythological Show Jhansi Ki Rani (TV series) -
2010 Zee Gold Awards
Zee Gold Awards
The Indian Telly Awards is an annual Indian television production award given in various technical and popular categories to Indian television channels.It is the first Indian Television Award to be awarded Globally....

 
Best Historical/Mythological Show Jhansi Ki Rani (TV series) -
2010 New Talent Awards
New Talent Awards
The New Talent Awards is an annual Indian television production award given in various technical and popular categories to Indian television channels....

 
Editor's Choice Most Popular New Historical/Mythological Show Jhansi Ki Rani (TV series) -
2011 The Global Indian Film and Television Honours
The Global Indian Film and Television Honours
The Global Indian Film and Television Honours is an annual Indian television and film production award given in various technical and popular categories to Indian television and film fields....

 
Best Fresh New Face(Female) Kritika Singhal
Kritika Singhal
Kratika Sengar is an Indian television actress. Popularly known as P2 in the hit Indian soap opera Kasautii Zindagii Kay. She has also played a cameo in "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi" where she played the role of "Saanjhi".She also played Naina in Kya Dill Mein Hai, a show on channel 9x...

Rani Laxmibai
2011 BIG Television Awards
BIG Television Awards
The BIG Television Awards also known as BIG TV Awards are presented annually by Reliance Broadcast Network Limited in association with Star India to honour personalities from the field of entertainment across television,.It is the award show where for the first time we will be seeing characteristic...

 
Veer Character Female (Fiction) Kritika Singhal
Kritika Singhal
Kratika Sengar is an Indian television actress. Popularly known as P2 in the hit Indian soap opera Kasautii Zindagii Kay. She has also played a cameo in "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi" where she played the role of "Saanjhi".She also played Naina in Kya Dill Mein Hai, a show on channel 9x...

Rani Lakshmi Bai
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