Leopard Dynasty – The Rise of Rana

Synopsis

3.1 million people live in Jaipur, the royal pink city of India. Amidst the buildings and traffic lies a refuge, ruled by wild leopards. The forests of Jhalana used to be the hunting grounds for the Kings of Jaipur and a human footprint still stands in the form of a hunting lodge built by the Rajput rulers.

But now this territory belongs to the leopards and Bahadur is their king. He has ruled Jhalana for 6 years, which is a remarkable achievement for a leopard king. His harem of females live within his domain. Rana and his sister are two of his cubs. The two boisterous youngsters are over a year old and almost ready to venture out on their own. Rana is the lazy one of the duo. He depends on his mother for everything. But when destiny severs the apron strings, he is forced to grow up quickly. To begin with, he raids his father’s larder, but soon he learns to hunt.

As the months pass, Rana grows stronger. He has honed his hunting skills and transformed into a formidable young adult. There is a marked difference in his gait as he confidently travels through the forest. Now Rana is focused on more than just dinner. The once lazy prince has become ambitious, and hungers to control his father’s kingdom. At three years old, Rana is ready to claim a territory of his own, but he doesn’t want to leave home, even though it means war with Bahadur.

He targets one of his father’s mates – Flora. Within Bahadur’s realm, Flora controls the best territories. If Rana’s desire to reign over the kingdom is to be fulfilled, then his bloodline needs to be cemented and Flora is the ideal mate! He pursues her relentlessly and wins her, forming a formidable year-long partnership with her, a behaviour unseen in the wild. Soon enough, the couple is blessed with a single male cub.

For the Kingdom to bow now before Rana, he needs to display his strength. And if the young prince can bring down an Indian blue bull, there can be no disputing his strength and cunning. His plans pay off and he successfully brings down a female adult blue bull, more than twice his size.

The prince’s show of power hasn’t gone unnoticed. Bahadur is aware of the growing unrest in the kingdom. And reigning kings do not surrender easily. He decides to eliminate Flora’s cub. A confrontation ensues, injuring Flora. The time has come for Rana to challenge his father. Bahadur is powerful and experienced but Rana has youth and agility on his side. This will not be a peaceful passation of power. If  Rana’s coup succeeds, it would begin in bloodshed and violence. Life in the kingdom is about to change for everyone!