Samrat Chandragupt (1958 film)
Samrat Chandragupt is a 1958 Indian historical fiction movie, produced by Mukti Films and directed by Shubash Desai. It is based on D. L. Roy's play Chandragupta, and centers itself on the later life of Chandragupta Maurya, the first Indian emperor.
Plot[edit]
[1]The story begins when Chanakya, also known as Vishnugupta, meets the minister of King Dhana Nanda of Magadha. After watching the minister's slow death, Chanakya enters King Nanda's palace to advocate for the big trouble Magadha has engaged. When King Nanda hears Chanakya's words, he orders his arrest. However, Chanakya avoids capture, and says that he will not comb his hair unless it has Nanda's blood.
Then, Chandragupta, Nanda's half-brother, reunites a relatively colossal army from all of India after being exiled from Magadha. Chandragupta, along with his mother Moora, promises to expell the Greek invaders from the West. That night, Chandragupta secretly appears in the Seleucid Greek camp. The Greeks were watching a battle between Seleucus and Antigonus, commanders-in-chief of the Greek army. After the fight, a tall war elephant suddenly runs through the Greek camp. Helena, the daughter of Seleucus, leaves her tent, but is grabbed by the elephant's tromp. Although Antigonus tries to save the princess, the elephant doesn't stop running until Chandragupta rides the animal and saves Helena. Later, Seleucus receives Chandragupta, and both have a small talk.
Some days later, Seleucus organizes typical Greek games; Chandragupta and Helena participated. However, in the night, Chandragupta finds himself surrounded with Greek soldiers, commanded by Antigonus. After being sent to Alexander III's tent, Alexander (known by Indians as Sikandar Shah) makes a scenario for a fight between Chandragupta and Antigonus.
Some days later, Helena and her father, Seleucus, leave Chandragupta and aboard a ship across the Indian Ocean. Before that, Chanakya warns Nanda about his fall. Chandragupta then decides to return to Chanakya, his mentor, and attack the Nanda Dynasty of Magadha. Along with him appears Malayketu, king of Paurava. Both went to Pataliputra and defeated king Dhana Nanda. Malayketu's sister Chhaya falls in love with Chandragupta.
Meanwhile, after Alexander III's death, Seleucus returns to India. At the Seleucid camp, Antigonus tries to engage with Helena, but she refuses. After Helena slaps Antigonus, the young commander grabs the princess by the hand. Seleucus comes with several troops to arrest Antigonus. Later, Chandragupta comes to the Seleucid Greek camp, now dressed as an hoplite. Chandragupta quits off his helmet and tells Seleucus he wants Helena as his wife. Seleucus then is defeated in a duel. When the Greek hoplites try to arrest Chandragupta, Helena tries to stop them. After an old Greek priest helps Chandragupta to escape from the Seleucid camp, Chandragupta reunites with Malayketu and the Indian army. Both Indians and Greeks have a deadly duel, and Malayketu falls in a sword duel against Seleucus. Chanakya then meets Chandragupta and Moora, wondering how could the future be.
After a while, Chandragupta becomes Emperor of India, and enters the palace. Meanwhile, Seleucus and his army firm an alliance with a former advisor of Dhana Nanda. The Greek army then prepares to invade Pataliputra. Eventually, Chandragupta encounters Helena in his palace, dressed in a wedding wardrobe. Later, Chhaya and Chanakya appear, ready to prepare the wedding. However, Nanda's advisor shoots an arrow, wounding Chhaya. Along with him come the Seleucid soldiers. The Indians finally start a fight, and before her last breath, Chhaya wounds Nanda's advisor, who had a fight with Chandragupta. Eventually, Chhaya dies, and Moora begins to cry. Chandragupta helps Helena in a fight against Seleucus, then. But before Chandragupta could kill Seleucus, Antigonus appears, telling that he's Helena's half brother by Seleucus. After the Indians and Greeks stop fighting, Seleucus allows Helena to marry Chandragupta.
Cast[edit]
- Bharat Bhushan - Chandragupta
- Ulhas - Seleucus Nikator
- Anwar Hussein - Alexander III
- Nirupa Roy - Helena
- Lalita Pawar - Moora
- B. M. Vyas - Chanakya
- Krishna Kumari - Chhaya
References[edit]
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