Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai, Sonu Sood, Kulbushan, Ila Arun, Nikitin Dheer,
Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker
Music by A R Rahman
MoviemagiK rates it 3/ 5
The period that boasts of epic battle, betrayals, emperors is excellent fodder for some great historical action movies. However in India, it has always the romance that finds a place on celluloid. And if Ashutosh Gowariker’s opening sequence is any indication, we realize why we do so –for our war sequences are extremely amateurish inspite of all the production values. So yes, if they cannot do it right might as well not venture into there.
So Ashutosh Gowariker’s magum opus, Jodhaa Akbar, thankfully is not a war movie, for if it was, it would have had me squirming in my seats.
What instead Gowariker decides to do is give us a glorified TV soap of the 16th century that kicks off with Amitabh Bachchan’s voiceover, briefly updating on the current historical scenario. Two minutes later it leaves us confused and then a battle of Panipat later, we are left amused.
By then we are introduced to the emperor Jalaludhin Mohammed (Hrithik Roshan), who from a very young age is learning the ropes to run his empire. He decides it is time that he takes the decisions himself rather than following the ones set by his ‘well wishers’ and relatives. He goes on to dream of a united Hindustan and hopes that he can get several of the smaller kingdoms and provinces to align with the Mughal empire without bloodshed.
And in what is said to be a turning point in history, he marries the Rajput princess Jodhaa (Aishwarya Rai) , to form an alliance between the Mughal empire and the Rajputs. However the new bride is a tough nut to crack and soon the emperor decides that if he can tame wild animals, a woman should not be a tough one.
But the elements from history books are thrown in, a scheming wet nurse Maham Anga (Ila Arun), her traitor son Adham Khan, disapproving muslim clerymen and ofcourse a power hungry brother in law Mirza Shiraffudheen.
So Ashutosh Gowariker’s magum opus, Jodhaa Akbar, thankfully is not a war movie, for if it was, it would have had me squirming in my seats.
What instead Gowariker decides to do is give us a glorified TV soap of the 16th century that kicks off with Amitabh Bachchan’s voiceover, briefly updating on the current historical scenario. Two minutes later it leaves us confused and then a battle of Panipat later, we are left amused.
By then we are introduced to the emperor Jalaludhin Mohammed (Hrithik Roshan), who from a very young age is learning the ropes to run his empire. He decides it is time that he takes the decisions himself rather than following the ones set by his ‘well wishers’ and relatives. He goes on to dream of a united Hindustan and hopes that he can get several of the smaller kingdoms and provinces to align with the Mughal empire without bloodshed.
And in what is said to be a turning point in history, he marries the Rajput princess Jodhaa (Aishwarya Rai) , to form an alliance between the Mughal empire and the Rajputs. However the new bride is a tough nut to crack and soon the emperor decides that if he can tame wild animals, a woman should not be a tough one.
But the elements from history books are thrown in, a scheming wet nurse Maham Anga (Ila Arun), her traitor son Adham Khan, disapproving muslim clerymen and ofcourse a power hungry brother in law Mirza Shiraffudheen.
Essentially a tale of an emperor who might win battles but struggles to win the heart of his new bride. Well that is what it seems, or what Ashutosh Gowariker would like us to believe. But the truth is that we just scratched the surface here. The film is much more multi layered than that. It is look at the marriage of cultures and religious tolerance, the one that expresses the virtues that brought India together and what would be required to keep it that way. It shows at all those aspects that did make Akbar a unique rule in Indian history, while being wrapped up in the excuse of a love story.
Though Gowariker’s well intentioned messages scores, his pacing leaves a lot to be desired. He repeats several of the same flaws that made his ‘calling of the motherland’ tale Swades a disappointment. The lethargic pace at which things unfold is not going to help the film’s cause.
But thankfully some of the key sequences like the young emperor taming the elephant, the kitchen sequence where Ila Arun’s character has a go at the new bride, the emperor’s visit to the markets or even the sword fight between Mr and Mrs Akbar has the sparkling elements to revive the interest of the viewers. And I guess it is too demanding to expect the same intensity to maintain throughout its long running time. So to give credit where it is due Gowariker and writer Haider Ali manages to weave a screenplay that does hold your interest to a great deal.
The first thirty minutes or so is a drag. Till the marriage, the film tests your patience. However with Khwaja Khwaja song and everything that follows, things turn a lot better. So the catch is to survive the initial bumpy ride. Even after that it is not like the film takes off for great cinematic moments, but atleast it is a much much smoother ride.
For a film of such mammoth proportions, the technical department is so-so. Cinematography from Kiran Deohans varies from breathtaking to amateurish. Equally disappointing is the editing, with the editor who seem to have gone on an emergency leave. Probably why we are left with those sloppy work and silly scene transitions.
While the music from Rahman graciously take centre stage, the background score lacks the magic and spark one expects from Rahman. At times I had to keep reminding myself that Rahman did score the background, because the actual score did not have those moments. But the songs do stand out, especially Jashn e Bahara and Yeh Lamhon.
So is Akbar winning the love of Jodhaa a case of taming the shrew! Nah, Jodhaa is not exactly that much of a challenge, nor is the relationship even a slice of the love-hate kind that Scarlett-Rhett had in their epic love tale. This one is simpler in approach and the viewer knows where exactly this is headed. It is only the question of how long will Gowariker take to get there!
Performances….Hrithik dazzles and actually gives us a sincere performance as the young lad lost in all the politics and dynasty talk. An astounding performances when you realise how well he got into the skin of the character and not make the character like the star that plays it. (Ahem, ‘Asoka’ Ahem).
And surprisingly Aishwarya Rai too performs. This is one of the finest performances from this lady I have seen over the years. So what would the industry that showered her awards for that horrendous performance in Dhoom 2 be giving her for this noteworthy show.
From the supporting cast Ila Arun comes up with a commendable act. Also Nikitin Dheer stands out in his negative outing. However barring these two, the rest of the cast is a perfect example of bad acting , straight from school plays with equally bad beards and moustaches. Even the usually dependable Sonu Sood fails to impress thanks to a badly written role.
Yes, it might have taken time and money to get a product like this, but it falls short of the mesmerizing and breathtaking cinema that we were expecting. Instead it gives us an important chapter in history without exactly putting us off to sleep. However in cinematic lingo, it still leaves ample scope for improvement. Hailing it as a remarkable achievement for Indian cinema is like barking up the wrong tree. Jodhaa Akbar is sincere but certainly not remarkable!
PANEL ROOM
rates it 3.5/5
The reviews have poured in much before the release for this one, and on the whole it has been on a better note. Surely there are people not so impresses (me included) but it seems that the majority of the critics believe that what Gowariker has delivered is a masterpiece. The real test though now is what the audiences think of it, afterall the length factor really would play havoc right there. So the coming weeks will tell if the audiences shall survive the running time and crown the film as the new emperor at the box office!
JODHAA AKBAR is, without a shred of doubt, a brilliant film in all respects. This historical has all it takes to prove the first blockbuster of 2008 INDIAFM 4/5
two thumbs up for Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodhaa Akbar, it's a modern masterpiece that will be celebrated for years to come. IBN Live 4/5
To sum it up Ashutosh has taken great care and pain in bringing us an epic Indiaglitz 4/5
All in all, it's an okay film. There is a very nice love story somewhere under all the blockbustery bluster, and its characters work brilliantly together. Rediff 2.5/5
Still, like it or not Gowariker – normally a fine, conscientious director – has miscalculated the technical logistics and emotional content of a period piece. Hindustantimes 2/5
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