Jodhaa Akbar (2008)

Director:

Ashutosh Gowariker

Writers:

Haidar Ali (story)
Haidar Ali (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

15 February 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Biography | History | Musical | Romance

Plot:

A sixteenth century love story about a marriage of alliance that gave birth to true love between a great Mughal emperor, Akbar, and a Rajput princess, Jodha.

Plot Keywords:

Marriage | Rajput | Emperor | Princess | Hindu

Awards:

11 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

  (Credited cast)

Hrithik Roshan	...	Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar
Aishwarya Rai	...	Jodhaa Bai (as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan)
Sonu Sood	...	Sujamal
Poonam Sinha	...	Mallika Hamida Banu (as Mrs. Punam S. Sinha)
Suhasini Mulay	...	Rani Padmavati
Ila Arun	...	Maham Anga
Raza Murad	...	Shamsuddin Atka Khan
Kulbhushan Kharbanda	...	Raja Veer Bharmal
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Abeer Abrar	...	Bakshi Banu
Shehzor Ali	...	Raja Hemu
Amitabh Bachchan	...	Narrator
Vishwa S. Badola	...	Saadir Adaasi
Balraj	...	Raja Balraj Singh
Ulhas Barve	...	Raja Mankeshwar
Shaji Chaudhary	...	Adham Khan
Chetana Das		(as Chetana)
Parth Dave	...	Young Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar
Aman Dhaliwal	...	Rajkumar Rattan Singh
Nikitin Dheer	...	Sharifuddin Hussain
Sudhanshu Hakku	...	Raja Shimalgarh
Sayed Badrul Hasan	...	Mullah Do Pyaaza
Dilnaz Irani	...	Salima
Bharat Kumar	...	Raja Chauhan
Pramatesh Mehta	...	Chandrabhan Singh
Pramod Muthu	...	Todar Mal
Manava Naik	...	Neelakshi
Surendra Pal	...	Rana Uday Singh
Raju Pandit	...	Raja Bhaati
Digvijay Purohit	...	Rajkumar Bhagwan Das
Tejpal Singh Rawat	...	Ni'mat
Idrajit Sarkar	...	Mahesh Das / Birbal
Rajiv Sehgal	...	Raja Viraat
Pradeep Sharma	...	Sheikh Mubarak
Gurmeet Singh	...	Raja Shundi
Jassi Singh	...	Raja Bhadra
Yuri Suri	...	Bairam Khan
Rucha Vaidya	...	Young Jodhaa
Disha Vakani	...	Madhavi
Rajesh Vivek	...	Chughtai Khan

Runtime:

UK:213 min | India:213 min

Country:

India

Language:

Hindi | Urdu

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:12A | Singapore:PG | Australia:M | India:UA

Company:

Ashutosh Gowariker Productions Pvt. Ltd.

Trivia:

This film was originally scheduled for release around November 2007, but post production delay moved it to February 2008.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the scene where Jalal goes to Amer for the first time to take back Jodha, one of the subordinates of Jodha named Madhavi, while watching him through window, comments that "Mujhe to ab bhi vishwas nahi ho raha", meaning "I still can't believe this". This is clearly being spoken in Gujrati accent. It seems unlikely that a small kingdom of Amer (In present day Rajasthan) would have hired domestic help from Gujarat.

Soundtrack:

Mann Mohana

What Can Be Said? Except Excellent

Swades was released in December 2004 and since then, this project was said to be considered by the director, Ashutosh Gowariker. The director of movies such as "Laagan" and "Swades," has once again left no stones unturned and proved that he is also capable of directing a movie related the colossal personality - Akbar the Great, also known as "Jalaludin Mohammed Akbar." A young Akbar, sets out to conquer Kingdoms and those who don't join him, are brutally executed but after a while he begins to pardon them and that's when many of his opponents begin to realise that they had and have, misunderstood him. One particular Rajput Raja Bharmal, instead of facing the Moghul's mighty army, decides that it would be better that his daughter, Raj Kumari Jodhaa Bai, who is be throned to another Rajput Prince, marries Akbar. The couple do unite in marriage but only after Akbar agrees to the two conditions which the Rajput Princess has put forward. At the same time, he has to win her heart as well as to look after the interest of his public.

Jodhaa Akbar, which stars Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Khulbhushan Kharbanda, Suhasini Mulay, Digvijay Purchit and Punam S. Sinha, is a romantic, biographical and historical movie, which is set in a era of revolt, conspiracies and war. It also deals with intercaste marriage, which at the time was not heard off due to the fact that when the Mughals invaded India, the Rajput Princesses and Queens became Sati when their husbands, the Kings were killed in battle so as not to be captured and, or, forced to live with the Invaders.

Hrithik Roshan, son of the director and producer, Rakesh Roshan and nephew of the music director Rajesh Roshan, was offered this role as the director, Ashutosh Gowariker, who had seen him in "Koi Mil Gaya." believed that he was capable of doing justice to this part and also because of his physique. His natural choice for the lead of "Jodhaa Bai" was Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, not only just because of her beauty but talent as well. He has proved to be correct with the cast - brilliant as they have done justice to their respective parts.

This is a well written story by Haider Ali, and co written, directed and produced by Ashutosh Gowariker, which has gone into great details with research and choosing sites for filming. The cinematography, by Kiran Deohams, is excellent and some cases breath taking. The music, by A.R. Rehman, is pleasant and suits the genre movie and the songs, though a few, are good as well and especially the wedding night song. The costumes and jewellery, which I am sure that a lot of the members of the audience, will be looking out for, designed by the famous Neeta Lulla, is elegant. The stunts and the fight sequences, which are well timed, and though they look dangerous at times, are worthwhile watching. In one scene, where Akbar is seen fighting an elephant, actor Hrithik Roshan did get injured but continued with the filming. His injuries were related to those of when he was filming for "Krissh." But really pushes the fight and stunt sequences, is the special effects by Pankaj Khandpur, which are worth to watch.

Conclusion: This movie has all the ingredients to become a classic, epic movie in the future, even though it is three and a half hours in duration. It is worth it.

For those interested in a bit of gossip. Hrithik Roshan, who has been offered to work in some Hollywood movies, may not have to go over to in at least one of them. The reason being is that actress Penelope Cruz, may be working with him in a yet untitled Bollywood movie, which is said to be directed by his father, Rakesh Roshan. Could it be that this is just the beginning of a merger between Hollywood and Bollywood? I wonder! Elsewhere, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, is soon to be working in a movie with the "Mahatama," Ben Kingsley, with whom she has worked with before, in an English version of "Taj Mahal." It seems like that she can't keep away from the family.