Feb 16, 2008 08:41 PM
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Bollywood’s tryst with the Mughal emperor Akbar dates back to the classic Mughal-E-Azam. The legendary Prithviraj Kapoor portrayed the emperor of Hindustan as a cold, powerful but at the same time secular person, concentrating more on his troubled relationship with his son Salim(later to be known as Jahangir). Jodhaa Akbar, however, portrays a different Akbar, the Akbar very few of us know, the indecisive, sometimes weak and highly emotional emperor who gets thrust into the mughal post at the age of 13. Starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai, this movie is directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, the director who gave us spectacular movies like Lagaan and Swades in the past.
The movie starts out with Amitabh Bachchan’s powerful baritone wherein he introduces the Mughal sultanate. Jalaluddin Mohammed(Hrithik Roshan) who becomes the emperor of India at the age of 13 and with the help of his able general Bairam Khan, goes out to conquer the entire land. In time most states come under him, except for the proud Rajput states. Raja Baramal(Kulbhushan Kharbanda), the king of the rajput state of Amer decides to give away his daughter Jodhaa(Aishwarya Rai) to the emperor in order to enter into a strategic alliance, much against the wishes of the feisty Rajput princess. The movie tracks the journey of true love which the royal couple discovers in the times of war, politics and betrayal. Simultaneously, one sees the growth of Jalaluddin into Akbar the great.
In its essence, Jodhaa Akbar is a typical Hindu-Muslim love story and how their love wins against all odds. However, the real difference lies in the times the story is set in and the various situations that surround the royal couple. Considering that one is handling a chapter of history, it is imperative that the director does full justice to the various characters and incidents. Ashutosh Gowariker succeeds in this attempt, but some might question the historical veracity of some the sub-plots which he has portrayed. The many sub-plots increase the length of the movie considerably, taking it close to 3 and half hours. This is bound to detract some of the movie-going public who are used to seeing shorter movies. In fact, the only grouse with Jodhaa-Akbar has to be its length. The director beautifully weaves in the various plots and sub-plots which makes it an enlightening movie experience. The director uses various tools like the lighting, the sets, the music and of course the actors to transport the viewer into a completely different era.
The movie comes alive with the opulent sets and the beautiful costumes. The brilliant cinematography and lighting leaves you breathless. However, the battle sequences are strictly okay. One must say that this is possibly the biggest disappointment in the movie, considering that the movie has a lot to do with war. The various sword fights are good, largely due to Hrithik’s skill and agility. The background score is again wonderful, but sometimes gets repetitive.
The music by A.R. Rahman consists of some of the finest and most different tracks from the maestro after a long time. Scoring for a period film is never easy as one has to capture the essence of those times and at the same time makes sure that the songs aren’t too archaic and classical that the mass is bored. Rahman walks this tightrope with ease. Azeem-O-Shan Shahenshah stands out for its wonderful use of instruments and excellent lyrics praising the Mughal emperor. Jashn-E-Bahara and In Lamhon Ke Daaman stand out for their ethereal simplicity.
A period drama is incomplete without good actors, and Jodhaa-Akbar assembles an ensemble cast. Sonu Sood as Jodhaa’s brother, Nikitin Dheer as Akbar’s scheming brother-in-law and Ila Arun as the nefarious Mahan Agha stand out for their spectacular portrayals of their respective characters.
Finally, the movie belongs to the royal couple, Jodhaa and Akbar. Aishwarya Rai puts in her what could be called as the best performance in her entire career. She plays the proud Rajput Princess, the loving sister and the dutiful wife with ease. Hrithik Roshan as Akbar is simply unbelievable as he shows the various hues as he transforms from a somewhat indecisive king to the Shahenshah of Hindustan. Comparisons are bound to be raised with Prithviraj Kapoor’s portrayal, but one must consider that Hrithik’s character is far more complex and far more real as compared to Prithviraj Kapoor’s by the book, caricatured portrayal. Both the lead players are sure to grab a few awards at the end of this year.
Jodhaa-Akbar is a highly relevant film in today’s troubled times of religious fundamentalism. In essence, the movie talks about being together, despite our various differences and that is its biggest message to today’s society. Entertainment isn’t a guarantee with this film, but enlightenment is sure.
