Movie Review:Jodha Akbar

After just about tolerating all the semi comical and amateurish stuff on television I had been expectantly waiting for a long time for an Indian movie maker to do justice to a historical/period movie. Jodha Akbar was a trifle disappointing but not a total disaster either. In today’s times when the attention span of the audience is progressively on the descendent holding interest for three and a half hours is no mean feat.

My disappointment as usual lies in the lack of direction of the story. The director is clearly confused on what he wants to present. It’s Akbar the conqueror at first and the reluctant lover next. Suddenly the statesman in him manifests amongst the angst of the ruled and secular dialogues are spewed forth. Where does that leave the pretty Jodha? Her character development is a little better. From a bride made out of political compulsions of her father to the Empress of Hindustan having an unbending will of her own, Aishwarya has conducted herself with élan. Her eyes flash a million expressions. The supposed love story and the impact it had on the Indian polity (as we are reminded at the end) remains half baked but interesting in patches.

It is inevitable that comparison with movies of similar genre be made and well, the good old ones like Mughal-e-Azam, Anarkali score higher in a lot many areas. For once the music of A R Rehman did not sound fetching except the song “Khwaza mere khwaza” which is a masterpiece of flawless performance and execution. Hritik’s sway to the beats of this song was synonymous with the devotion with which it has been sung by Rehman. One of his best, I reckon. Although Hritik looked fetching to the moony eyed girls in the hall, he lacks the gravitas and regal demeanor expected of a scion of the Mughal dynasty. But since he and Prithvi Raj Kapur potrayed different ages of Akbar a comparison would be unfair. However JA has been eminently successful in recreating the feel of the times it talks about. The photography is superb. The forts, desert, costumes and the princely splendor of Rajasthan has been captured with an expert’s eye for detail. Reportedly Neeta Lulla designed more than three thousand costumes for the movie. Her hard work shows and beautifully so. The battle scenes are good and gory but again no match for those of Mughal-e Azam. Gowariker missed a trick here. K Asif had hired the services of 63rd(or is it 61st) Cavalry for the war scenes. Computer graphics could have been a good substitute but they are atrociously expensive. However for the sheer scale of production and for the spectacle value I would rate the movie pretty high. Some of the scenes are unbelievably real especially where Hritik tames a wild elephant. The single combat at the climax, although a-la Troy is pretty engrossing and full of energy.

Some howlers are there but they are inevitable I guess. Just imagine, a full house “Deewane-e Aam” is adjourned because Aishwarya decides to sing a bhajan to Lord Krishna in a voice loud enough to reverberate in the corridors where state business is being transacted. My wife, however, was pretty charitable saying “Bhai, who Raja hai. Kuchh bhi kar sakta hai”. Agreed but I cannot forgive the next. The king is seriously wounded and unconscious with the medicine men pronouncing the worst possible prognosis. The queen instead of holding his hand or assisting in medication goes in for divine intervention and sure enough the next morning he opens his eyes. Sigh, it will take some time for us to come out with a Benhur or a Cleopatra. But till then the likes of Jodha Akbar will do.