Madhuvanthi is one of the two secondary antagonists of the miniseries Sharpe's Challenge, along with Shadrach Bickerstaff.
She was portrayed by Padma Lakshmi.
Biography[]
Madhuvanthi served as the regent to the young rajah Khande Rao, having been his father's favourite concubine. She and her lover General William Dodd, the commander-in-chief of Khande Rao's army, held the true power in the fortress of Farraghur and were the main driving force behind a rebellion against the British. They planned to crush the British army, then kill Khande Rao and seize power in the region.
Madhuvanthi oversaw the capture of Celia Burroughs, daughter of the British general, and the execution of her escort Captain Lawrence. She encountered Colonel Richard Sharpe when he and his friend Patrick Harper came to the fort posing as deserters and witnessed Sharpe duelling Dodd, suspecting he was holding back. She met with Sharpe in private and attempted to seduce him, suggesting he could take Dodd's place if something were to happen to him. After showing indifference to her advances, Sharpe roughly kissed her and then asked if Dodd was listening in to see how loyal he was, before walking away from her.
When Celia begged Khande Rao to spare the British sepoy troops captured during a night battle, Madhuvanthi encouraged him to order their deaths, saying his father would not have avoided the decision. She ordered Princess Lalima flogged when she attempted to warn the British of the trap Dodd had prepared for them, with the princess having realised her brother would be killed if Madhuvanthi and Dodd won.
Madhuvanthi and Dodd watched the subsequent battle from the ramparts but Sharpe and Harper foiled Dodd's plan by prematurely detonating the mine he had intended to kill the British attackers, blowing the way into the castle for them. As the British and their allies stormed the fort, Dodd planned to flee with the royal treasure. Madhuvanthi begged him to take him with her but he mocked her, calling her a whore. Enraged, Madhuvanthi lunged at him with a knife but he easily overpowered her and ran her through with his sword, killing her.
