Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur yesterday launched first season of ‘Swaraj’ on OTT platform Amazon Prime in Mumbai.

According to a press release issued by Prime Video, the Minister appreciated the role being played by Doordarshan and Akashvani in mobilizing and channelizing the emotions and spirit of the citizens in the right direction from time to time through various memorable programmes like ‘Swaraj’.

The Minister informed the gathering that a new 52-episode serial, ‘Sardar: The Game Changer’, has been launched by Doordarshan on March 10, 2024, to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Speaking on the occasion, Thakur further said, “Today is a moment of pride for us and a true tribute to all those unsung great heroes of our independence who sacrificed everything for the country”.

He informed that this serial was commissioned by taking inspiration from the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” national campaign of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“These are the wars which got lost somewhere in the pages of history”, Thakur said while dwelling on the events depicted in the series ‘Swaraj’, adding that it’s the story of countless unsung heroes and their indomitable courage.

He further said, in the past, the history of India was written by foreign invaders and rulers according to their political, ideological and economic interests. In this landmark serial, historical events are presented in a broader context to illustrate the concept of ‘Swaraj’ (self-governance), he stated.

He added that this will help the national and international audience to understand the spirit of the country and India’s 500-year long relentless struggle to gain independence from colonial rulers.

Speaking further on the importance of being proud of one’s own rich history, Thakur said, those who do not take pride in their rich historical legacy can never create a great future.

Thankur stated that the government was focussed on being an enabler to help the media and entertainment sector thrive and achieve greater heights on an international scale.

He highlighted initiatives like Ease of Doing Business for film industry, schemes like ‘Single window clearance’ for film-shooting In India and various other incentives. He urged all to create good content in Indian languages and stated that language is not a barrier for a global audience in today’s hyperconnected world.

He added that regional Indian cinema has transcended geographies and reached out to a global audience based on good content. He urged the M&E sector stakeholders to make India the ‘Content Hub of the World’.

Also addressing the audience on the occasion, Sushant Sreeram, Country Director, Prime Video, India stated, “This endeavor echoes the essence of our commitment to showcasing and celebrating India’s unique culture and history, and strengthening India’s creative ecosystem, as envisioned in the Letter of Engagement signed between Amazon India and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting last year”.

Producer of ‘Swaraj’, Abhimanyu Singh stated that the serial shows the journey of India from the arrival of Vasco Da Gama in 1498 to the attainment of independence in 1947.

A colourful programme organized on the occasion showcased India’s rich art and culture and varied dance forms.

Previously, ‘Swaraj’ telecasted on August 14, 2022 in Hindi on DD National and subsequently in nine regional languages (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Odia, and Assamese) on the regional networks of Doordarshan.

‘Swaraj’ is now available on Amazon Prime Video and the first season will consist of 10 episodes also in seven regional languages — Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali and Gujarati. Subtitles have also been made available in Hindi and English language for the convenience of the viewers.