I love period dramas. And I watched a lot of it. It’s all started with “Ramayan” and “Mahabharat” tele-series in the 80s and 90s Doordarshan days. Later I was hooked to “Bharat Ek Khoj” based on JL Nehru’s book The Discovery of India, directed by none other than our favourite Mr Shyam Benegal. Mythological drama is good but I love drama’s based on Historical legends and facts. “Chanakya” was another great piece of period drama created in old Doordarshan days. We don’t create such magnificent period drama’s for our audience. Instead, we create hagiography with very little research to serve our nationalistic palate. These are programs with loads of melodrama and very little shelf life. A couple of more Indian period dramas with great value – production and artistic value. “Mirza Ghalib” by Gulzar and “The sword of Tipu Sultan” by Sanjay Khan.
Bharat ek Khoj – https://youtu.be/4f6vdW91hLA – The complete history of India
Chanakya – https://youtu.be/aog-gBESnsI – Maurya dynasty, Chandragupta Maurya
Mirza Ghalib – https://youtu.be/NfNOXyPVjxk – Late 19th century Old Delhi, Post 1857 Mutiny
The Sword of Tipu Sultan – https://youtu.be/kxsb8qVMc4U – Mid 18th century Southern India
Bahadur Shah Zafar – https://youtu.be/BMPqIUwCq6w – The last Mughal during 1857 Mutiny India
Tamas – https://youtu.be/dmC8q5NnNuM – 1947 India before and after partition
Please note that above URL’s are available in Youtube. I am not responsible for its completeness, quality and / or copyright. I shared here because its available in youtube for free viewing
Due to Streaming platform revolution, we can watch various International shows. In Period / Costume drama, British shows are the best. Most recently if you are a fan of Netflix show “The Crown“, here I can give you list of TV shows, mini-series and movies to watch to understand bit of English History. Lets start with The Crown and go downwards.
The Crown – the life of reigning Queen Elizabeth II – from 1947 till now
Other references are…
The Iron Lady (movie) – a Biopic on Margaret Thatcher, Political history of 1980s UK
The King’s Speech – Biopic on George IV’s life (Elizabeth II’s father)
Darkest Hour – on Churchil during 2nd world war
Victoria – iTV drama on 19th century Monarch, great Queen Victoria (3 seasons)
The Favorite – tragi-comedy on Queen Anne (late 18th and early 19th century England)
Gunpowder plot – during 1st Stuart rule in combined kingdom of England and Scotland, 1600 England
Gunpowder – 3 parts mini-series in BBC
Mary Queen of scots (Movie) – depicts tumultuous relationship between Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of scots
Elizabeth – Early reign of Queen Elizabeth I, directed by Shekhar Kapoor
Elizabeth: The Golden Age (movie) – last part of Queen Elizabeth
The Tudors – Henry VIII and his 6 wives
The Other Boleyn Girl (movie) – Anne Boleyn and her sister Mary Boleyn story
Wolf Hall – the story revolves around Thomas Cromwell and Henry VIII
A man for all season (1966 movie, won Oscar) – once again movie on Henry VIII, Thomas Moore and Thomas Cromwell
The Spanish Queen – the story of Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII first wife
The White Princess– The War of Roses series on Queen Elizabeth of York (married to Henry VII, the first Tudor)
The White Queen – The War of Roses series, the last Yorkist Queen Elizabeth Woodville
That’s it for now…. more to come on Period drama series.