Saturday, 16 August 2008

Jodhaa Akbar

A very authentically crafted historical drama after a long time on Indian Screen. Before watching this movie when you think of Hrithik Roshan as Akbar and Aishwarya Rai as Jodhaa it sounds too incongrous. The roles that have been immortalised by PrithviRaj Kapoor and Durga Khote in the Bollywood Classic Mughal-e-Azam have been done fullest justice by these 2 good looking, modern looking actors.

While Hrithik Roshan's bare chested muscular and tall frame tames elephants and does martial art practice, Aishwarya's ethereal beauty and grace conquers not just Akbar's but audiences heart too. Amazingly both actors have given good account of emoting just with their light colored eyes.

IlaArun as the jealous nanny is brilliant and Sonu Sood as Sujaamal the wronged brother of Jodhaa is really impressive.

Sword sequences even the ones featuring Aishwarya have been interestingly shot and color coordinated. Some scenes particularly the climax duel of Akbar with his rebel brother-in-law are inspired by Hollywood movie Troy's scene of the Trojan princes' duels with the king of Sparta.

The historic atmosphere has been recreated with elaborate sets, greatly authentic costumes and above all very good use of both Hindi and Urdu languages. Actors have stuck to the right diction and intonation and that makes even these modern actors sound very true to life. An epsiode where the Queen of India Jodhaa prepares food for an entire feast depicts the details that have been taken care of in scene settings.

Music of Rahman is haunting in its mystic sufi and devotional numbers as well as in the soft romantic and sensuous numbers.

Whether the storyline is authentic and entirely true becomes irrelevent because Jodhaa Akbar both look so good together.....and seems to suggest how a powerful monarch became great because of the positive influence of his beautiful wife.

A must Watch at least once - it is one of the modern day classics of India.

Rating : * * * * *