Jodha Akbar

The grandeur of the past, a whiff of history, the reliving of legendary battles and epic romance comes to the viewer in the form of Jodha Akbar. Produced by UTV productions and Ashutosh Gowarikar productions, directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar, the film has a stellar star-cast with Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and a variety of talented actors playing pivotal roles.

After the blockbuster Lagaan and the simple but straight from the heart Swades, Ashutosh has tackled a fairly obscure story of the politically arranged marriage of the Moghul emperor Jalaluddin Mohammed and the Princess of Amer, Jodhabai. It is very clear that this story is predominantly aimed as a romantic tale set in historic times. The story by Haider Ali is interesting, especially when explaining the reasons for this unusual alliance between two people of different religions and cultures.

The film draws the viewer into the period and lives of the characters very effectively. The dramatic battle sequences, utilizing thousands of extras and animals, the palaces, the costumes and look of the actors provide ample entertainment.

The music and background score by A.R. Rahman creates the perfect mood and is exquisite. Each song grows on the viewer and seems tailor-made for the situation. The picturization of the song Khwaja mere Khwaja is eye-catching and the choreography by Rekha Prakash, Chinni Prakash and Raju Khan is minimalist and effective. Azeem-o-Shaan Shehenshah is dazzling and colorful!Technically, the cinematography (Kiran Deohans) is excellent especially in the crowded war scenes and the dance sequences.

I particularly enjoyed the dialogues which had perfect Urdu and pristine Hindi spoken by the Moghuls and Rajputs respectively. Instead of sounding disjointed, the effect was one of cohesion and elegance.

Costumes by Neeta Lulla are attractive but understated. Even the jewellery, which included some massive pieces did not overwhelm. The turban decorations and pearls favored by the male characters are charming.

Hrithik Roshan does a fine job as the young emperor. His appearance and expressions demonstrate a subtleness and poise that is remarkable. He deserves accolades for his efforts.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, in addition to looking gorgeous as usual, puts in a good performance as well. She is particularly impressive in the action scenes involving sword fighting.

Ila Arun, who plays Maham Anga, Akbar’s foster-mother is fantastic. She steals the show in every frame she appears in. Watching her face crumple, as Jalal disowns her is one example. Bravo! An award-worthy performance!

          A refreshing presence is Poonam Sinha (Mrs. Shatrughan Sinha) as Hamida Banu, Akbar’s mother. She is a revelation! Gentle, soft-spoken, radiant and charming, she is a treat to watch.

Yuri, who plays Bairam Khan and Sonu Sood who essays Sujamal are very good as well.

Okay, so what are the negatives? Well, for starters, the movie is inordinately long, especially in the second half.  The editing should have been crisper. The overall effect of the movie appears to be that of the mating dance between Akbar and Jodha with the usual trials and tribulations along the way. The chemistry between the romantic protagonists is effective especially in the sword-fight scene and the Rajput feast scene but fizzles off at the grand union. There are a few messages of religious unity, public service etc but they seem secondary to the main concept, which ends about an hour before the end of the film. I was particularly unimpressed with the one-on one combat between Akbar and his brother-in-law, which was long-drawn out.

Jodha Akbar has had its share of controversy with its basic premise of Jodha being Akbar’s wife being questioned. These issues may never be resolved, but there are many other proven historical facts (for e.g.; Akbar had a multitude of wives, he was apparently very unattractive etc) that have not been duplicated in this story. These issues don’t seem to have evoked the protestor’s ire.

I think Jodha-Akbar should be watched once to enjoy a beautiful experience, to live for a while in the microcosm of Akbar and Jodha’s world as they discovered each other, nothing more, and nothing less. 

I would like to thank my friends Maithili Rao, Uma Keshavan and Reshma Singh for their invaluable comments.

|