Tenali Rama (TV series)


Tenali Rama is an Indian historical comedy drama based on the life of the legendary Telugu poet Tenali Ramakrishna, one of the Ashtadiggajas poets at the court of Vijayanagara Emperor Krishnadevaraya, who is often cited as the greatest Vijayanagara emperor. The series premiered on SAB TV on 11 July 2017.
The show took a 9 months leap in July 2018, a 5 years leap followed by 20 years leap in August 2019 and then a 4 months leap in February 2020. The series is produced by Abhimanyu Singh under the banner of Contiloe Entertainment.
The telecast of the new episodes was stalled in the last week of March 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic and it has resumed the telecast of fresh episodes from 13th July 2020.

Premise

The show traces the journey of a 20-year-old boy, Tenali Rama who dreams of becoming rich and famous but is too lazy to pursue his dreams. When Tenali gets forced into marriage and is compelled to earn a living, a revered saint asks him to go to the temple of the village and recite a specific mantra. Tenali does as he is told and Goddess Kali appears in front of Rama with a bowl of milk and bowl of curd asking him to pick one but Tenali ends up tasting both leaving Kali furious. Later, Tenali reasons out by explaining that what is the use of one without the other. Goddess Kali gets impressed by his wit and says he will become a Vaikatavi, a jesting poet in Krishnadevarayas court. Tenali Rama leaves for Hampi with a desire to become a part of Rayas court.
This popular series narrates the journey of Tenali who solves cases with his timely wit and intelligence due to which he becomes very popular in the Kings court.

Plot

Tenali Rama is the story of legendary poet and royal advisor Pandit Ramakrishna in Krishnadevaraya's Vijayanagara court who uses his timely wit and intelligence to solve even the trickiest of problems. His arch rival Tathacharya who wants to humiliate him is often stumped by Ramakrishna's intelligence. Rama is very close to King Krishnadeva Raya.
6 Years Later
Bhaskar, Pandit Ramakrishna's son, is a naughty child and causes his father to be humiliated in the court of Krishnadeva Raya multiple times, to which Rama starts punishing Bhaskar for his naughtyness. He stops spoiling Bhaskar like he used to. Later, Bhaskara stops being naughty. Then, Prince Balakumaran arrives. Balakumaran is Krishnadeva's second wife, Tirumalamba's, brother. Balakumaran is a spoiled prince who cares a lot about his hair. Bhaskar is in Tathacharya's home to get Tathacharya to forgive him on his father's orders. Bhaskara has to glue together a broken vase. Balakumaran, who is at Tathacharya's home to learn from him, puts on the broken vase as a crown. The vase has glue on it, which causes it to be stuck to Balakumaran's hair. Balakumaran's hair must be pulled off his head to remove the vase. Balakumaran never gets his hair back, and is forever angry at Bhaskara, who is blamed for Balakumaran's mistake. Bhaskara is then sent to Gurukul for 20 years.
3 Months Later
Krishnadeva Raya and Pandit Ramakrishna have a debate about whether Vijayanagara will end. This is foreshadowing to the future.
20 Years Later
Bhaskara returns from Gurukul. He finds from the reformed Tathacharya that Balakumaran has become king after King Krishnadeva Raya left the kingdom for an unknown cause. Kaikala, Balakumaran's uncle and Minister, is the new main antagonist. Bhaskara's family is gone, and Bhaskara tries to find then. He eventually finds his mother, Sharda. He then pretends to be his father, Pandit Rama Krishna, to give justice to people in Vijayanagara. He gives Tathacharya his position, which he lost for many years, back which causes Tathacharya to become evil again. Kaikala keeps trying to get Bhaskara, in the costume of Pandit Ramakrishna, put in jail. Eventually, Kaikala is caught trying to kill Balakumaran, which causes the former to be put in jail for life. Balakumaran's wife and Kaikala's assistant, Sulakshana Devi is the new main antagonist. She eventually gets Balakumaran banished from Vijayanagara. She assumes the role of ruler.
Four Months later
Pandit Ramakrishna returns to the TV show. He returns to the position he had before. He stops Sulakshana Devi from being crowned Empress, and instead makes it so that in 4 years, Sulakshana Devi's adopted son, Swami, will be crowned Emperor of Vijayanagara. Now, Sulakshana Devi, the new Minister Pralayankar, Sulakshana Devi's brother Bharkam, and Sulakshana Devi's sister Charulata try to beat Pandit Ramakrishna.

Cast

Main

Regarding the series Tenali Rama, Neeraj Vyas, Senior EVP & Head, Channel SAB and MAX cluster of channels, said, "India has a compelling tradition of both written and oral folklore. Our epics are treasures that teach life lessons via stories. Tenali Rama was a legendary poet of the 15th century. He is immortal, his wit being admired even in today's times. With Tenali Rama's adaptation on SAB, we intend to offer a restored and renewed version of this classic chronicle."

Casting

Krishna Bharadwaj was chosen to play the titular role of Tenali Rama and went bald for it. Speaking on how he got the role, he said, "I have been waiting for something good to come my way".When I received a call for Tenali Rama, I was shocked to be informed that I would have to go bald. But then I decided to give it a try, and it all fell into places. I feel there has been a divine force blessing me for I have managed to sink my teeth into the character so well. I did not do any research nor read about it but I can assure I am doing a good job, even though I do not consider myself so capable. As for the baldness, the first day, I was really upset but now I see Tenali in the mirror and not Krishna, and that takes away the blues."
It was reported in June 2017 that Manav Gohil had been cast to play the pivotal role of Emperor Krishnadevraya. Gohil, who worked with SAB TV on Yam Hain Hum, where he played the titular role, said, "This time it's Krishnadevaraya, a very powerful king that I am portraying. It's a comedy show and I am looking forward to working with a new set of people. The show is "Tenali Rama" and I am so ready to get rolling with this one."
Veteran actor Pankaj Berry was cast to play the series' antagonist and Tenali Rama's foe frenemy, Tathacharya, who is the royal priest in the court room of Emperor Krishnadevraya, and always makes Tenali Rama in trouble in cases with his fellow servants, Dhani and Mani, in which he totally dislikes them. Berry said, "I am very excited to play Tathacharya. It is a very different kind of challenging role, there are different layers to the character even though it's a negative character." It was reported in July 2017 that Sonia Sharma and Priyanka Singh had been cast to play the roles of Krishnadevraya's wives, Chinna Devi and Tirumalamba, respectively.

Awards and nominations

Historical inaccuracies

Shweta Keshri of India Today gave the series a positive review, praising Krishna Bharadwaj's portrayal of Tenali Rama, the VFX and special effects of the series, the colourful sets and comic content which "can easily lure viewers to the show and takes you back to the 15th century."

Adaptations

Tenali Rama aired on Zee Tamil under the title Tenali Raman and was dubbed in Tamil.
It was dubbed and aired in Telugu on Zee Telugu as Thenali Ramakrishna.
The series was also aired on Zee Keralam as Tennali Raman, dubbed in Malayalam.
It is dubbed and aired in Sinhala on TV Derana as Panditha Rama.