
            RudhramadeviDuring the13th century A. D, a world traveler by name, "Marco Polo" concludes his tour and returns to his home in an Italian province. The provincial ruler there was faced with a problem of succession. Knowing well about the knowledge and wisdom of Marco Polo, the ruler calls for him and seeks his advise. After hearing about the problem in detail, the latter is both intrigued and delighted. He now got the opportunity to talk about an empress who he came across in the Indian sub-continent by name Rudhramadevi. To offer a solution to their problem he starts narrating the story of Rudhramadevi.In the southern part of the Indian sub-continent, there was a vast Kakatheeya kingdom extending all across from Maharashtra (current Indian state) border till Orissa (another current Indian state) border. It was being ruled by the emperor Ganapathideva. Not just his enemy rulers but also the Sub-kings (Saamantha kings - the internal princely state rulers and vassals) were quite eager to capture it.Even as the queen of the emperor Ganapathidheva is about to deliver a baby, all plans were set to attack the Kakatheeya kingdom. Just in case she delivers a female baby once again, leaving the kingdom without a male heir.Ganapathidheva's fears turn into harsh reality when the queen gives birth to a girl child. The kingdom once again lost the chance of having a male heir. He reckons, "Even if I temporarily succeed in stopping the Saamantha kings from attacking the heirless kingdom, how will I stop the ever lasting desire of the Saamantha kings to break the Kakatheeya empire into pieces and how will I safeguard its citizens from them? How will I secure the comfort and happiness that the citizens are enjoying in my reign? What about the Kakatheeya lineage? Is it doomed to become extinct?!" Even as the king is overwhelmed with these worrisome thoughts, his prime minister Sivadevayya comes up with a political scheme which lays the basis for something unprecedented and and unheard of, in the history till then.They make the whole world believe that the queen gave birth to a baby boy, and the just-born princess "Rudhramadevi" is introduced as "Prince Rudhradeva" to the people! The Prince, would be the future emperor and perpetuate the Kakatheeya lineage! Amidst tight security in an island and a monastery-like school (Gurukul), Rudhramadevi is transformed into a brave and courageous warrior.The secret of her feminine sexuality is carefully safeguarded not just from the whole world but even from herself... Until her teenage, she grows up oblivious to the truth that she is a girl. As time passes by, Rudhramadevi realises both her feminine sexuality as well as the reason behind her being raised as a boy. She chooses to remain a prince to the outside world and further intensifies her training to meet the challenges that lay ahead. Eventually, she succeeds in creating an atmosphere wherein the enemies do not even dare to set their sight on the Kakatheeya empire.To keep the belligerent, old-time enemies in the neighbourhood at bay, she constructs seven different types of indestructible fort-walls. She also tries to rein-in and capture a bandit named 'Gona Ganna Reddy'. The bandit frequently looted government treasures and ran a sort of parallel government becoming a messiah among the citizens. His goodwill among the people made it impossible for the Saamantha kings to capture him.Rudhramadevi starts ruling the kingdom by proxy with her ageing father Ganapathideva as the nominal head. She strives hard for the welfare of the people and for the betterment of their lives. She treats her people as would a mother her own children. She implements schemes for digging numerous wells so there is abundant supply of water for cultivation. She opens up trade channels with the neighbouring kingdoms and removes unnecessary taxes raising the overall standards of living for the people.She always donned a body armour which generally kings wear. This helped in concealing her feminine identity. Nobody, not even the Saamantha kings ever suspected her sexual identity. She starts to realise that it's rather easier to keep others under illusion (the illusion that she is a male) than one's own self.One day, a Saamantha prince named "Chalukyudu" happens to see Rudhramadevi alone in her original female form, and instantly gets mesmerised by her beauty. Chalukyudu, unaware of the truth and with much excitement goes to his friend, Prince Rudhradeva (who is none other than Rudhramadevi) and explains how he fell in love with a mysterious beautiful lady. Rudhramadevi, in the disguise of Rudhradeva is now torn with conflict. On one side, living the life of a brave and courageous man and defeating the enemies. On the other side, the prince Chalukudu constantly reminding her of her womanhood. Her natural womanly feelings surface intensely.While she struggles with having to maintain dual personalities........as part of a plan to remove whatever minor suspicions arising in the minds of her enemies, that "Rudhradeva" might be a female, Rudhradeva who is actually Rudhramadevi is married to a girl by name Mummadamma. However, she soon informs Mummadamma that she has chosen to abstain from sexual life until she fulfils some major duties as a prince. With this, the truth which could have surfaced by having to maintain the normal relationship of a married couple, is temporarily protected.Eventually, feeling confident and believing it to be high time to reveal the truth and thereby face any kind of consequences, Rudhramadevi reveals her true identity. Having newly learned the fact that the person who was ruling in the name of prince Rudhradeva is actually a female, all the Saamantha kings revolt. They also incite the citizens of the Kakatheeya kingdom saying, " A female is our king! We have to stand with folded hands in front of a woman!". With a male chauvinistic point of view that a female must only be confined to the kitchen and the bed, they decide that she is not eligible to rule the kingdom. She is dethroned in a very public manner.Whatever she had achieved thus far, had just evaporated merely due to the fact that she was a "female". Her pleads asserting that all her deeds were only for the welfare of the people, go in vain and no one sympathises. She is humiliated even as the general public support the act. She is helpless and gets banished from the fort-palace and the capital.The very reason for projecting Rudhramadevi as a male heir was to avert chaos in the kingdom. A non-existent heir was created so that the Kakatheeya people are protected and the empire remains intact. Now that the truth is revealed, hell breaks loose and chaos prevails. From one side the Saamantha kings, and from another side the enemies start attacking. In-fighting among the Saamantha Kings leads to civil unrest. The lives of the common people are severely disturbed. Enemies start dividing the hamlets and regions among themselves. They plunder and loot villages committing all sorts of atrocities. Common people are enslaved and harassed. The very same people who earlier considered her ineligible to rule the kingdom now went running to her to be rescued. They plead her to take control once again. Rudhramadevi is enraged when she comes to know about the state of affairs. For the sake of her people she fights back storming the fort-walls. She marches all alone and collides head on with the huge army of the neighbouring enemy ruler Mahadevanayak. She valiantly fights thousands of enemy soldiers near the 7 fort-walls and makes them flee for their lives.During the battle, all are surprised when they come to know that Gona Ganna Reddy is actually not a bandit but a protector of Rudhramadevi. Projecting him as a bandit was part of her strategy to counter the ever-scheming Saamantha kings. She was systematically and clandestinely taking on her political detractors with the his help.A woman who was once brushed off as a weakling and incapable of anything tangible let alone ruling an empire, had now proved to be a formidable force. She not only turned out to be a supreme power, but also a woman with extraordinary intellect and political intelligence who rescued the Kakatheeya Kingdom and restored equilibrium. Having witnessed her capabilities and prowess, people hail her and restore her with the kingdom and the throne.Rudhramadhevi annuls her marriage with Mummidamma and gets the latter married to the brother of Prince Chalukyudu. Even after her marriage with prince Chalukyudu, Rudhramadevi continues to rule the kingdom.For the first time in the world history Rudhramadevi, a female ruler, unanimously ruled the Kakatheeya kingdom for about 40 years and lived a glorified life of an Empress. She laid the basis and a precedence for female leadership and rule.After hearing from Marcopolo, the incredible story of Rudhramadevi, the provincial ruler is both amazed and inspired. He realises, it is the qualities such as leadership and benevolence that decide the eligibility of a ruler and not the gender. He takes a decision and crowns his 8 year old daughter as his successor. Marco Polo witnesses the coronation of the girl child with wonderment and much satisfaction. He is extremely happy and elated that his travels and knowledge have served a noble purpose.
    

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Rudhramadevi is currently streaming on the following OTT platforms in USA

Your region:
USA