Sony TV’s much publicized mega show PORUS has begun and with only a single episode telecast, it has made an impression that forces one to ask that, Is PORUS the much needed breakthrough Indian Television was awaiting for in terms of content and presentation?
Witnessing an hour long first episode, the answer seems to be positive but still nothing can be said with surety to be honest. Here is the description for the viewers who missed it waiting for the trade reports or the reviews.
As the name suggests, it’s about the King of Pauravas, Porus - who fought with Alexander the Great, when he tried to invade India underestimating the power and courage of Indian warriors. Set around the period of 350 BC when India was called ‘Sone Ki Chidiya’ – the land of wealth and the rich, this is a mega budget serial with an impressive cast ensemble and production values. In fact, its first episode only successfully makes the viewer stunned and excited with an unexpected grandeur, scale, visual effects and overall impact, nothing less than a big budget star-studded feature film.
Reportedly shot in Thailand and Gujarat, the sequences never give you the feel of a TV serial and its opening sequence of 'An Utsav' introducing the various characters among big groups of dancers does remind you of BAHUBALI - the biggest extravaganza of Indian Cinema without any doubt.
However, a comparison with BAHUBALI is nothing less than a big compliment for the makers, and they duly deserve it since this is certainly much ahead than anything seen on Indian television till date in terms of scale, frames, sets, costumes, locations, music, performances and exceptional VFX.
Shot lavishly generating a jaw-dropping impact, PORUS is supposed to be a series of 250 episodes that need to keep surprising the viewers in the coming weeks. In the first one hour episode, you get to see a great promise made by the team offering a sheer visual delight accompanied by all quality acts coming from the lead as well as a big number of supporting performers.
But giving them their deserving due, its opening episode completely belonged to three names in particular, the first being Aman Dhaliwal - the Maharaja’s brother enacting with an appreciative command, conviction and energy. In fact he is the one you actually have in mind after the episode is over along with Praneet Bhatt, brilliantly portraying the shrewd foreign businessman and Rati Pandey playing the brave and intelligent sister of the visiting King.
The other major attraction of PORUS I would like to mention here is its background score and the use of colours in its lavish sets and costumes that don’t bleed or pinch your eyes as seen in other historical or mythological serials in the recent past. At the same time, its title music along the credits seemed to be the weakest feature, which might start making an impact only after some repeated hearings.
In all, it was indeed a refreshing experience watching the first grand episode of PORUS created and directed by Siddharth Kumar Tewary and hope the excellence continues in its next episodes too becoming the talk of the town.
That said, a TV Serial especially has to take care of its energy level - which normally drops after 10-15 episodes getting into an unintentional, mechanical mode losing the grip. Hope PORUS doesn’t disappoint us in this regard and we have a good time watching it in the coming months, exactly like a ‘not to be missed’ foreign TV series followed by many.
(Note : This article was also featured in UC-News mobile app in Nov. 2017)
