Being a huge period movie fan, I had awaited the release of ‘Jodha Akbar’ with some trepidation. The Indian movie industry does not generate period based cinema as frequently and as well as Hollywood. Such movies are low on content and loosely based on factual information. ‘Jodha Akbar’ was keeping up to the cliché as several controversies cropped up prerelease around the veracity of the ‘love’ affair around the political betrothal of Mughal Emperor Akbar and the Rajput Princess Jodha Bai.
The Plot
However, Ashutosh Gowariker does not let history interfere with good story telling. ‘Jodha Akbar’ traces the rise of Akbar as the emperor of India with the focus on the time when the Rajput states were forced to give in to the Mughal reign. As a political move and to avoid unnecessary war, Akbar decided that marrying Hindu princesses would help make Mughal inroads into the Hindu heartlands.
Jodha Akbar Movie Stills
The movie, not being a lesson in history, focuses on how a young and haughty King who is accustomed to getting anything at will falters and fumbles like an ordinary man when he has to win the respect and affections of his own wife, who his equal in the strength of mind.
Their love develops from an initial fraction of egos, pride and culture (with betrayal and jealousy thrown in for good measure) to a begrudging respect and admiration for each other.
The Review
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who plays Jodha, has done a decent job of portraying a self-assured and confident woman with a sense of reserve and dignity expected of a Rajput princess.
Hrithik Roshan, looking and playing the part of Akbar, does a brilliant job of reflecting the vulnerability of a young king with the weight of the nation on his shoulder and that of a confused lover, trying in every which way to win the affections of his partner.
The movie is pure eye candy in terms of sets, costumes and fight choreography. Use of computer graphics is a little obvious sometimes and takes away a little class from the movie. The music is pleasant but not extraordinary. ‘Khwaja-mere-khwaja’ and ‘Jashne Baharan’ are the highlights of the collection.
What makes the movie a memorable experience for me is the simplicity of the manner in which the two protagonists fall in love. Emotions are subtle and suppressed, behavior guarded, but love bubbles away in the undercurrents.
It may not be a great or a timeless movie, but it is highly watchable for its performances, attention to period detail and the subtle love story.
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