The Maharaja

Title cards inform us that in the 1750's, the Durrani Empire of Afghanistan heavily persecuted the Sikh tribes of northwest India. By the 1780's, the Sikh tribes united to face the Afghans, but they mostly fought amongst themselves. It’s 1790. In the small village of Gujranwala, Punjab, a Sikh boy, RANJIT SINGH, 10, is dying of smallpox. His mother AMRIT and father MAHA, chief of the village, pray for his recovery and with the help of medicine, Ranjit barely recovers. However, he's left with severe smallpox scars and is blinded in his left eye. Once healthy, Maha trains Ranjit to become a warrior because of the never ending threat of Zaman and the Afghans. Later, Ranjit flees beside Maha from an Afghan attack led by ZAMAN. Maha’s friend SADHU helps them get away. They return after the battle has ended and view the slaughter of their troops, agreeing that if they hadn't been betrayed by their own fellow Sikhs, they may have had a chance against the Afghans. Seven years pass. Ranjit is now 19. He's at a Diwali celebration with Maha, Amrit and Maha. Maha tells Sadhu that the Bhangi Misl (tribe) is late paying their dues on land he lent them. Maha and Sadhu visit the Bhangi Misl, CHET and SIMRAN. Chet refuses to pay Maha. Maha fights Chet. Maha has him beat, but an unseen bowman shoots Maha with an arrow. Chaos ensues. Sadhu grabs Maha and they flee, but takes several arrows himself. Sadhu brings Maha home and tells Ranjit that the Misl is his now to lead. He warns him that the Bhangis are sure to attack while they're vulnerable. Sadhu dies. Chet and Simran are ambushed by Ranjit’s forces. They escape, but their troops surrender to Ranjit. Ranjit returns in time to see Maha who gives him his sword and dies. After they grieve Maha's death, Ranjit tells Amrit he plans to seek revenge. Amrit tells him she will lead them until he's ready and attacking now would be foolish. Ranjit reluctantly agrees. Time passes and we see Amrit lead their Misl while Ranjit observes, disinterested in the politics, and mostly focuses on his training to become a great warrior. Amrit has tea with SADA KAUR, the widowed leader of another misl, who implores Amrit to set aside their differences to unite against another impending Zaman invasion. They have a heated discussion hinting at a bitter history between them. We see Ranjit leading a life of hunting, drinking and training. He's self conscious about his appearance, especially around girls who ignore and scorn him. On one of his hunts, he meets HARI, a few years younger than Ranjit. During the hunt, a tiger is about to attack Ranjit, but Hari intercepts it, kills it, saving Ranjit's life and earning his friendship. Ranjit returns home to learn of Zaman's planned invasion. Amrit begs Ranjit to flee with her and the rest of the village, but Ranjit refuses. He says it's time they make a stand. A defiant Ranjit and his troops attack Zaman’s forces. Zamn has the edge, but Sada appears leading an army of Sikh nobles and helps Ranjit drive Zaman back to retreat. Later, after the victorious battle, Sada proposes to Amrit that they should form an alliance between their Misls by having Sada's daughter marry Ranjit. Amrit agrees, despite a hint that their two families possess a dark secret. In the city of Lahore, we see Chet and Simran now rule it. They live a debauched lifestyle, to the dismay of their adviser FAKIR and all of those they rule. Ranjit returns from a hunt, and faces Amrit, who is troubled by his easy going ways. Ranjit realizes that this concern is because he is to be wed to MEHTAB. Mehtab, furious at Ranjit’s family, is consoled by Sada. Sada tells her to birth an heir, and power will come. Chet and Simran are mad that they were not invited to the wedding, and have Fakir write a letter accepting invitation to Ranjit. At the wedding, the noble PRANAV approaches Sada, warning her of pending trouble from the Bhangis. That night, Mehtab refuses to lie with Ranjit, who wakes up in the morning to find himself alone. Ranjit and Amrit read Fakir’s letter, and Ranjit rides with Hari and some soldiers—including PHULA, a Sikh guerilla leader—to meet with the Bhangis. Phula leads Ranjit and Hari in a religious exercise. Fakir greets the party at the Bhangi court. Ranjit meets with Chet and Simran; they agree to have peace, but the conversation is contentious. Simran goes to the royal harem, where the concubines VANDANA and MORAN look on in disgust at Simran’s abusive behavior. Outside the city, Ranjit tells his group that he plans to invade Lahore, and sees villages outside the city, jointly populated by Sikhs, Muslims, and Hindus. Sada runs into Amrit’s quarters, furious that Ranjit brokered a peace with the Bhangis. After Mehtab coldly greets him upon returning home, Ranjit spends the night with a local prostitute. Ranjit tells Amrit about his issues with Mehtab, but refuses to let her tell Sada about them. A bloodied court accountant tells Fakir that he got his injuries because he refused Chet’s orders to increase taxes on the Muslims. Amrit storms into Sada’s home. They clash swords, but agree that if either of them dies, their Misls will go to war. Amrit leaves with the agreement that Sada will talk to Mehtab. Mehtab reveals her secret to Ranjit—that his father killed hers—and Ranjit tells her to leave. A flashback shows a young, scarred Ranjit fighting bullies. Maha stops him before he causes mortal damage. Back in the present, Ranjit tells Amrit that he wishes the news about Maha came from her, not Mehtab. Sada, furious at Mehtab, tells her that she needs to birth an heir and win Ranjit’s affection. Only then could Mehtab become the Maharani. Ranjit confides in Hari that he will march on the other Misls to bring them together, but Hari insists that he do that peacefully instead. Amrit and Ranjit are invited to meet Sada on their Misls’ border, who tells them that they should unite and take Lahore. Ranjit agrees, and begins strategizing with Sada. Before leaving for battle, Amrit reminds Ranjit to be wary of the power-hungry Sada. In Lahore, Vandana and Moran excitedly discuss the coming Sikh invasion that could save them from the Bhangis. Zaman, in his palace, learns of Ranjit’s plans. He tells his generals to wait until Lahore’s taken—then Zaman will entice the other Misls and go to war against Ranjit.