Not often we see such movies in bollywood. Not often we can be witness to such magnificant, splendid and opulant regalia on Indian silver screen. Not often we see such dream casting. Hollywood has graced us with Troy, Braveheart, etc. But barring Mughal-e-Azam and few other movies, we can not remember historical or period film which is so apart the league and above all the junk we are served regularly.
Jodha Akbar indeed is lavish royal fairytale.
The movie starts with mega bass voice of Big B zooming the India map in Mughal era (it started similarly in Lagaan). Big B narrates the spread of Mughal Empire and the aspiration of Mughal’s rulling all “Hindustan”. At a juncture, the emperorship is bestowed upon the teenage Jalaluddin by his loyals. He is closely guarded and handled by his loyals though he does not like their cruel and wrong decisions. He can not take control due to his age.
At the same time, a rajput princess, Jodha is being groomed by her cousin brother Sujamal. Sujamal teaches Jodha to fight with swords and has special brotherly bonding with her. Sujamal, the prince, is sidedened when his father is dead and when his uncle has to take over as King.
Both Jalaluddin And Jodha grow up as time pass by and blooms into beatifull prince and princes at their own places. Jodha is married in the childhood to the Ajabgarh Prince. However, as Sujamal grows he strives to get his self respect back and wants to be declared as offical prince and the future King of Ajabgarh. Jodha decides she won’t get married till Sujamal is declared the heir. Both of them are confident that he will be declared Prince but their hopes are vanished when happens otherwise.
In the meanwhile, Jalaluddin is on war spree and capturing the territories to spread Mughal Empire. However as he grows he retires his old loyals and send them to piligrimage and takes to do the things in his own human, soft manner. He declares not to make “Ghulam” out of defeated soldiers and not to kill the defeated Kings, if they agree to work under his banner.
Sujamal joins hand with Sharifuddin Hussain who is brother-in-law of Jalaluddin and care taker of some of his states. However, Sharifuddin has different plans and want to take over Delhi and Jalaluddin. He is ready to help Sujamal only if Sujamal helps him to get Delhi.
When Raja Balraj Singh, uncle of Sujamal gets to know about this, he decides to have alliance with Jalaluddin to save his citizens from the fire of the war. He also offers Jalaluddin to marry her daughter Jodha whose marriage is broken due to his decision of joining hands with Mughals (as the other Rajputs breaks relations with them).
The marriage of alliance happens only after Jalaluddin agrees 2 conditions of Jodha.
What are those conditions? how does Jalaluddin gets the name “Akbar”. Does Sujamal succeeds to get his honour back? How does Jalaluddin defeats Sharifuddin? Most of all, how a the love blossoms after the marriage of Jodha and Jalaluddin till he becomes “Akbar” (mind you, thats a long story) ?
You can get anwers to all these questions when you watch the movie.
Now let’s talk about the screenplay, direction and performances. Screenplay was complex to write as there could have been huge irrelevant information regarding this subject, however Haider Ali and Gowarikar does descent job. But I think it could have been shorter and taughter. After all 3.5 hr is huge time frame.
Ashutosh Gowarikar proves again that he is master of story telling. At many places, he takes the movie to altogether different levels. Many scenes are shot majestically and others leaves u spellbound. Again if he could have cut the movie and made it shorter, it would have been easier on the younger generation to swallow it.
On the Casting front, Ashutosh has hit the jackpot and got the never before Royal Pair of Hritik and Aishwarya. Hritik looks 110% the emperor, warrior and the lover. His eyes speaks, his body language enthrals viewers. He is aweinspring. What shall one write about Aishwarya Rai? She is such a beauty that we feel its unreal. She looks like a princess from fairytale. Never before her beauty was presented so well. She acts well too. Watch the movie for these two. All others support very well and deserve first grade ratings.
A. R. Rahman’s music is a character in itself and it keeps you bound to the movie. The picturization of Khwaja Mere Khwaja slowly builds of the spiritual vibes (at start people laugh at it) and in the end attains divine touch. Similarly Kahane Ko Jashne bahara paints the love of the couple very beautifully. The most famous is Ajimoshaan Shahensha which is even after having urdu verbiage, is very popular with audience and is spendidly shot.
All praises for the cinematographer and the art director. Without them this movie could have not been possible. Not to forget, the costumes and jewellery is awesome and seen never before. The texture of the movies is real even though its costume drama and thats where Gowarikar scores the most.
Government shall not at all ban it but shall make it TAXFREE as it spreads the message of secularism, togetherness, humanity, respect for other religions. All this is so relevant to todays world. Bush, Al Kayada, Raj Thakare, Abu Azami, and all political people shall watch it to learn how to rule the hearts of the citizens of the nation rather than firing differences between them for their own selfishness.
So to sum it up, everyone must watch this movie even if its too big and bores at some places. After all, we can’t have such movies often. Best is to watch it in multiplexes, but its not released there. Lovers, married couples, aging couples, everyone shall watch is as its a love story in a Royal Fairytale.
BR Rating : **** (3.5 for the movie and 0.5 extra for Hritik and Ash)
BR Verdict : Very Good!
BR Advise: Have patience! Seat through the 3.5 hr long movie. You won’t regret. Don’t expect it to be run off the mill. Keep your head and heart with you. Its a movie with a Royal Body and Spiritual Soul.
— Reviewed By: Prashen H. Kyawal
