The most expensive television series produced in India is titled "Porus". Porus was an Indian ruler who was defeated by Alexander the Great in the Battle of Hydaspes in 326 BC, and the series focuses on the conflict between these two historical figures.
The series has won several television awards in India and other Asian countries, and is the most expensive production in the history of Indian television, as the filming took place in Malaysia and the budget was around 5 billion Indian rupees, which is about 70 million dollars...! The production company is called "Swastik", but this word is a sacred symbol of the sun for Indians and brings good luck and prosperity. It was also performed in many countries, such as America.
In the series, sometimes we follow the events closely, sometimes they are pure fiction, but they are superbly filmed, have impressive effects and beautiful actors, reminiscent of Bollywood films.
According to the script, M. Alexander's mother is a priestess and witch, and she gives him the idea of founding a great empire. She also reveals to him that his father is Zeus. Together with his mother they murder Philip, Alexander becomes king of Macedonia and then shows military genius and expands his empire.
However, there are also many inaccuracies about Porus, as the creators of the series try to arouse the interest of Indian patriots by portraying him as the first "nationalist" leader, when in fact Porus was only a king of the Pauravas, one of the peoples of the Punjab, and there is no mention in the historical sources that he had the ambition to unite all Indians. In the end, Alexander the Great defeated Porus in the Battle of Hydaspes in 326 B.C and released him because of his bravery.
However, it cannot be overlooked that the director and scriptwriter of the series, Siddharth Tewari, has brought the series closer to the historical reality as recorded in the ancient literary sources, despite the fictional and fantastic elements. The roles are played by famous artists both from Indian TV and Bollywood.
Watch the trailer of the series released online in Indian language:
