http://www.thetimes.co.za/Entertainment/Article.aspx?id=712472
Sumptuous Mughal epic puts love and religion to the test Published:Feb 24, 2008 ------------------------------ LARGER THAN LIFE: Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan play the leads in "Jodhaa Akbar", Ashutosh Gowarikar's epic which suggests that love and worship are intricately linked JODHAA AKBAR (8/10): A fine line separates a good filmmaker from an exceptional one. The exceptional one understands the value of paucity, realising that too much of a good thing doesn't necessarily equate to a good thing. For all of Ashutosh Go- warikar's successes, this remains his single big- gest failing. Had he lopped an hour off this film, it would have been sensational. It is very watchable, but too much time is spent fleshing out characters that have little say in the eventual outcome. The battle scenes at the start are also overdone. By the time Gowarikar gets to the relationship between Mughal Emperor Akbar (Hrithik Roshan) and Rajput princess Jodhaa (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), valuable time has frittered away. From then on, the pace lifts, resulting in some inspired moments as the narrative becomes more thought-provoking and entertaining. Although this is not a chest-thumpingly brilliant film, it has been sumptuously assembled, magnificently shot and presented on a larger-than-life scale that makes for grand cinema. Full marks to Gowarikar for having the courage to tackle the epic genre, and while the historical accuracy of the events is open to debate, one never doubts his intentions. It is in the psychology of the film that there is so much to admire. National unity has always been a big driver for Gowarikar, and he addresses it with sincerity. In Lagaan, in which a group of villagers whip the British at their own game of cricket, he dismantled class and religious barriers. In Swades, a more modern group of villagers were empowered to fend for themselves. The relationship between Akbar and Jodhaa is used to explain what inspired him to adopt the concept of a universal religion, Deen-e-elahi, whereby one set of beliefs does not carry more weight than another . One thing about this film that is beyond question is that its heart is in the right place. It suggests that love and worship are intricately linked and that love for the pleasure of God is in itself an act of worship. Akbar's love for Jodhaa makes him more tolerant and more aware of his subjects' needs. As a result, he becomes a more just and more beloved ruler. The narrative does not deny his political astuteness or that he manoeuvred situations for his benefit, but it shows him as a man of great vision and greater empathy. In last week's Business Times, branding guru Simon Barrow said successful companies had staff that loved them, and 400 years ago Akbar employed the same approach. His people loved him so much that they bestowed the title of "Akbar", meaning "great", on him. Jodhaa is credited with bringing it about. With his kingdom expanding , the young emperor encounters resistance from the Rajputs, a proud people who would not succumb without a fight. War appears imminent, but to avoid it, one of the Rajput kings (Kulbushan Kharbanda) goes against the wishes of his colleagues and agrees to cede his territory to Akbar, provided he takes Jodhaa's hand in marriage. She's a remarkable woman, incredibly good-looking and of great integrity. The proposal does not please her, but she agrees on two conditions: that she will not change her faith and that she'll be allowed to practise her rituals in the palace grounds. Akbar realises that acceding to her request will have serious repercussions, but a thirst for success and a growing admiration for this feisty woman lead him to agree. Love isn't packaged into an arranged marriage and needs time to develop, so Akbar must exercise patience before she warms to him. But just as that begins to happen, some of his advisers conspire to drive a wedge between them. Roshan gets under the skin of his character and is an extremely convincing Akbar. He is at the soul of the film, while Aish is its heart. She has the regal presence of a princess in a role that combines her scorching good looks with a steely determination, making her character easy to fall in love with . Ila Arun as Akbar's wet-mother, Maham Anga, is the other stand-out performance. AR Rehman's music is given a presentation befit- ting it. The emperor's song, Azeem o Shaan, is magnificent, while the two romantic songs are sumptuous. But the most stirring tune is the quawali Maula mere Maula, which shows a great understanding of the Sufi dance attributed to Maulana Rumi. It's superb. The cocktail of spirituality, romance and Mughal politics combine to make a marvellous statement on national unity that is relevant in a world where religion is abused to drive wedges between communities. For that reason, and for advocating love as a means of winning over the hearts and minds of people, Gowarikar's film gets my wholesome recommendation. -- regards, Vithur AIMING TO BE A TRUE RAHMANIAC
