Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani

Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani is set in the 1940s. In the year 1945, Ranaji returns to Ameerkot after six years of fighting the war against the British. Gayatriri is the daughter of a rich zameendar but she is considered manglik (inauspicious by birth). On the other hand, Rana Indravadhan Singh (Ranaji) is the king of Amerkot who has been traumatised after the death of his first wife, Rani Sulakshana. Ranaji's mother, Rajmata Priyamvada, has a debt to pay to Gayatri's father so she offers Ranaji's hand in marriage instead. Unwillingly, Ranaji marries Gayatri.

After marriage, Ranaji and Gayatri slowly form a bond. However, challenges are presented by family members like Badi Rani Maa, a woman pretending to be Sulakshana, Avdhesh, Rageshowri and so on.

Due to Badi Rani Maa and Rageshowri, Ranaji marries Rageshowri and loses his memory and forgets Gayatri. Gayatri disguises as Savitri to help Ranaji remember and finally succeeds, but the vengeful Badi Rani Maa brings Kaal, a jungle man, who kills Ranaji. Gayatri vows revenge but is killed by Badi Rani Maa after giving birth to a baby girl. Rajmata runs away with the baby girl. Ranaji and Gayatri reunite in heaven.

Gayatri's and Ranaji's daughter, Rani, grows up under Rajmata's care. She goes to the royal palace to work as a servant and befriends Raja, Jeevan and Bindu. Raja and Jeevan are Kaal's sons and Bindu is Swarnalekha and Lakhan's unaware daughter. Kaal has become the King. Raja and Rani are separated during their childhood. Rani leaves Amerkot along with Rajmata after the deaths of Lakhan and his love, Swarnalekha as planned by Badi Rani Maa.

Raja and Rani meet again in college. This time, when Raja meets Rani, he starts to create trouble for her as he believes that Rani was responsible for sending him to a boarding school. However, they gradually fall in love. On the day of their wedding, Raja finds out that Rani is Ranaji and Gayatri's daughter and they were murdered by Kaal and Badi Rani Maa, but they marry anyway. Raja imprisons Kaal and Badi Rani Maa dies while trying to kill Rani. Bindu is also arrested. Jeevan kills himself having lost the love of his life, Rani. Rani avenges her parents' murders.

Some months later, Nawaq Iqbal Khan enters their life bringing a new challenge for Raja and Rani. Iqbal falls for Rani and shoots Raja who falls down a cliff.

Raja returns, saved by Bindu. He sees Rani and Iqbal together. It is then revealed that Rani is pretending to love Iqbal to avenge Raja's death unknowing that Raja is actually alive. Meanwhile, Raja seeks revenge from Rani and Iqbal, disguising himself as Angad, Bindu's husband, but Rani recognizes him. Iqbal continues to plot against them and Raja starts to hate Rani. Iqbal takes Rani along with him in his car to see the weak "Raja" but she takes the opportunity to cause an accident. Iqbal dies and Rani dies in a hospital. Raja falls in bad company and becomes associated with criminals still believing Rani deceived him and unaware that she is dead.

Raja is now a don in Mumbai and starts to live with Laila, the daughter of another don. Naina, Rani's look-a-like, is a junior artist in films and lives with her mother and sister. Raja thinks that Naina is Rani and starts to hate her. On the other hand, Vijay, a police officer, likes Naina. Raja learns that Rani is dead and that Naina is her look-alike but still dislikes her as she reminds him of Rani.

Gradually, his attitude towards Naina normalises and a love triangle develops. On the day of his wedding to Laila, Raja calls it off. Laila blames Naina. Naina encounters Rani's spirit that helps her prove to Raja that Rani was innocent and sacrificed herself to avenge him. Vijay tries to rape Naina and breaks her legs. Laila uses this to try and defame Naina but Raja marries Naina to protect her. Laila attacks Naina on several occasions but finally dies.

Raja thinks he's getting a fresh start in life and starts to love Naina and takes her on a honeymoon to Goa. Here, he meets Rani's spirit who now becomes a ghost and has turned dark. Rani wants Raja to unite with her in the spirit world. Rani's spirit is revealed to be controlled by Badi Rani Maa's spirit.

All the inhabitants of the palace come to know of the return of Rani and Badi Rani Maa. Raja finally confesses his love to Rani's spirit and his selfless love causes her to attain salvation. Raja and Naina trick Badi Rani Maa into believing that she is powerless but she manages to kill both Raja and Naina before actually losing her powers.

A priest tells Rajmata that Raja and Rani are destined to return to prove that nothing is more powerful than true love.

Raja and Rani are reborn as Raj and Rani. Raj is appointed the security guard of Rani to her dislike. When her wedding is fixed to Kundan, she asks Raj to abduct her. Raj and Rani end up in Amerkot and Rani feels a strange connection to the place. She finds Rani Gayatri's diary and pursues Raj. Raj is then told to kill Rani to save his brother Dev who is being held captive by Rani's aunt, Anandi. Raj explains his situation to Rani but doesn't reveal Anandi's identity.

At home, Rani fakes her marriage to Raj and saves both Raj and Dev. Anandi is revealed to have killed Rani's father and is sent to prison. Rani agrees to marry Kundan who wants her money and plans to leave her behind after marriage to live in London. Anandi is released and also wants Rani's wealth.

Raj reveals Kundan's intentions to Rani and her mother who thank him. Rani and Raj fall in love but her mother gives him three months to prove his love. Rani convinces Raj to visit Amerkot where they find a painting of Raja and Rani and Badi Rani Maa. Rajmata reappears and tells them that this is their rebirth.

Badi Rani Maa (Queen Grandmother) returns to the palace once more. This time, she returns with darker magic. She engages in a faceoff against Raj, Rani and the priest that told Rajmata about Raj and Rani's rebirths. Everything goes well as the priest puts a shield around them to shield them from Badi Rani Maa's attacks. Rajmata stands next to Badi Rani Maa and watches everything.

But things take an unexpected turn when Badi Rani Maa disarms the shield protecting them. She then throws a knife at the priest and a spear at Raj. As she tries to throw a spear at Rani, the priest wakes up and the shield is established once more. Rajmata then sprinkles holy water on Badi Rani Maa and she disappears. The priest dies while Raj is taken for medical attention.

After Raj is fine, they fight Badi Rani Maa and cut her choti (plate), totally killing her. They return to the palace and later Rani gives birth to twins but one of the twin was kidnapped by the women who was enemy of raja and rani

Raj and Rani leave the surviving baby with Rani's mother and family and set out in their vehicle. Raj and Rani engage in an argument while Raja is driving and their vehicle hits a tree, then explodes, killing them.

Years later, Raj and Rani's surviving daughter, has become a teenager and is given a book with the title (ek tha raja ek thi rani) as a birthday gift from her grandmother (Rani's mother). Her coronation as the queen of Ameerkot then takes place in the palace. As the priest hands the staff to her, she rejects it and goes to her parents' pictures and offers prayers to them. She decides that Ameerkot no longer needs a queen. The serial ends with her in front of Raj and Rani's pictures.

• Mouni Roy, in a dance performance in the New Year Special (2016)
• Karan Wahi, in a dance performance (2016)
• Rashami Desai, in a dance performance (2016)
• Sonal Vengurlekar, Ranaji's friend and also to promote her show, Yeh Vaada Raha (TV series) in which she has retaken birth as Survi (dead)
• Ankush Arora, Ranaji's friend's lover and also to promote his show, Yeh Vaada Raha (TV series) along with Sonal Vergunlekar in which he rebirths as Karthik

The show premiered at 09:30 pm (IST) on Monday on 27 July 2015 on Zee TV and airs every Monday to Friday, moving the show Qubool Hai to 07:30 pm, fortifying the early primetime band.[8][9][10]

Talking about introducing a fresh concept on primetime, Zee TV's business head, Mr. Pradeep Hejmadi said,“Even when it comes to genres such as history and mythology, a most fascinating period that remains unexplored by Indian television is the pre-Independence era. This vibrant period of India’s history that saw a great upheaval also saw intense drama unfold in the lives of the royalty of the princely states. Behind empty walls of grandeur and fake displays of splendor was hidden the truth of erosion of wealth, insecurities, succumbing to British dominion, depression and bankruptcy. Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani is a story of love set against this most interesting canvas. It aims to give viewers an up close and personal view of the lifestyles and some of the most closely guarded secrets of the rich and royal of the 1940s. It is a work of fiction that draws inspiration from the lives of the royalty of that period."[11]

Producers Sunjoy and Comall Wadhwa of Sphere Origins further add, “The idea has been to look back at a glorious period of history for inspiration and churn out a timeless masterpiece that will entertain and enthrall TV audiences. The most daunting task at hand has been the re-creation of the pre-Independence era and the majestic lifestyles of the kings and queens of the princely states. Enormous research has gone to ensure authentic representation of the era and to create magic on screen. We have on board an ensemble of extremely impressive actors who beautifully fit the parts they are playing. The show will definitely turn out to be a clutter-breaker and hopefully, the biggest fiction show of the year.”

Popular TV Actress, Drashti Dhami was roped in the play the lead as Gayatri.[12] Speaking about her comeback to television post her last show Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon, she said “I do feel a little under pressure since ‘Madhubala’ was such a success. But I am also looking forward to seeing my fans’ reaction to my new show. Even my family and friends are very excited,” “It found it difficult to speak in the dialect which people spoke at that time. That was challenging. Other than that, I did not have any issues with the role,”[13]

Siddhant Karnick was roped to play the male lead opposite Drashti. The show also had other notable cast including Anita Raj, Moon Banerrjee, Priya Tandon and Surekha Sikri who was seen in Balika Vadhu, Ajay Arya. In December 2015, Abhinam Nain entered the show. Later Anjum Fakih entered as the Main Antagonist as Rageshwari.

In May 2016, Drashti and Sidhant left the show as the show was gearing up for a leap. After Eisha Singh and Sartaj Gill enterecas the new Rani-Raja.