Jodha Akbar: Grand Effort at Creating Grandeur and That Only review
It seems as if the director doesn't know what he wants to concentrate on...is it a love story between Jodha and Akbar...is it Jalal-ud-din's transformation to Akbar or is it a saas-bahu rivalry, writes Smriti Mudgal
No, no, no...this is not how I want to be entertained. On a beautiful Sunday, almost 4 hours of Jodha Akbar is not what I want. A film that looks like I was watching Tipu Sultan on DD is not what I was waiting for so long. Agreed the production standards are extremely high, costumes believable, sets not completely unbelievable, Hritik looking every bit the emperor and Aishwarya looking like a beautiful princess...but where is the drama?To my understanding every film has to have a tension point and resolution, Jodha Akbar on the other hand leaves you dry, not high. A film cannot be only sets and costumes, there has to be a gripping screenplay which to my expectation was missing.
Yes, there are a couple of scenes which are beautiful, like Akbar leaving his throne behind to join the sufi singers in a dance. That sequence without putting it in words says a lot about the man Akbar was. The fight scene between Jodha and Akbar is beautiful, not because the screenplay asks for it but simply because both Hritik and Aishwarya are such fantastic, graceful dancers that their fight sequence is like a sword in poetic motion and that makes it beautiful.
The scene where Akbar rather Jalal-ud-din sets Bairam Khan right or Mahamanga losing her son-like Jalal to Aishwarya is also good. But then war scenes which were highly touted as the best to happen in Bollywood are a bit exaggerated. The war sequence in the beginning is better than any other later.
It seems as if the director doesn't know what he wants to concentrate on...is it a love story between Jodha and Akbar...is it Jalal-ud-din's transformation to Akbar or is it a saas-bahu rivalry coupled with brother misunderstanding...its a mix of it for sure.
I liked the film in bits and parts but then really it was not worth the wait.
Comments( 3 )
Movies which are aggressively
Movies which are aggressively advertised or rake up controversies makes me sick and I generally put these off my-would-be-viewing-list. I had never imagined that I will ever view Hrithik playing Akbar and Ash essaying the role of the Rajput princess called Jodha. Strangely, call it quirks of fate that on a Monday noon I found myself in a multiplex watching AG’s latest! And let me admit at the beginning that though a student of history I didn’t go to the cinema hall and paying Rs 180 to take lessons in medieval history. If you’re interested in history visit a library to pick up the English version of Ain-I Akbari but keep away from Jodha Akbar. But that doesn’t AG has falsified the facts. Staying closer to facts he has taken creative liberties as those who have attempted to make movies on epic characters.
Such movies are no made and that is what makes JA worth watching. You’re unlikely to get producers who are willing to put Rs 40 to make a movie, more so on a love story of a medieval emperor and a Rajput princess. It takes guts to make a movie on such a epic scale and pull it off successfully without members of the audience leaving either to pee or to pick up pop corn. Good movies are made only if you’ve a great script. Hyder Ali who acted in the hugely popular serial Nukkad is the scriptwriter of JA.
The movie belongs to Hrithik for he has been allotted more space compared to Ash whose screen time doesn’t last more than an hour at the most but Jodha being the central character she hangs like a pollen in the entire movie. I credit this due to the excellent script of Hyder.
Whoever said that the movie is grand but doesn’t a hall are trying to kill it because they don’t have anything to say. Like what journalist Khalid Mohammed said about Hrithik lacking the Urdu diction. Come on yaar, see the movie in the right spirit and enjoy it.
Though I enjoyed the movie two scenes I want to highlight, first Akbar moved by the soulful singing of the Sufi singers starts to dance, the way dervishes too. Second, where he asks for the food initially tasted by Jodha and eats it with relish.
The battle scenes are grand, the sets authentic but the music is a letdown. Go for the movie while it is still running in the cinema halls.
the movie is a master piece. the
the movie is a master piece. the performance of the cast, sets, direction evrything is very grand. its a true classic.. like ar rehman’s music this movie will also grow on you…. its beautiful movie ..which will be remembered down the years….. its unfortunate that you "missed" the beauty.
first of let me confess that i hardly
first of let me confess that i hardly watch a bollywood movie in theatre more than once.
jodha akbar is an exception. i was not sure when i read mixed responses..but better be the judge yourself than falling for other people’s opinions....so i went to watch the movie and i am glad that i decided to watch......it was something which we don’t get to see and admire often.
i saw it three times in a week....
reason...its one of those movies that make you want to stay with the mood of the movie even after you come out of the theatre....you will still be with akbar and jodha ...and admire their lives ...want to be part of it if you can help it. the direction is just brilliant ...ashtosh creatively weaved his imagination about what would have been the emotional side of moghal king emperor akbar ......
in those rigid times being princess was grand but one hardly had a personal choice ......what it is be like married to someone whom you don’t know at all...for some political reasons... walking into a place of totally different religion and culture... ..and are unsure what awaits you next ..but slowly discover certain ceautiful amazing passionate moments ..that you will cherish for ever....
we all only know that akbar was a great emperor and wanted to expand his kingdom...was a great ruler and warrior...but here akbar is portrayed not only as a political power icon but also as a young handsome royal moghal who is coming to the power and discovering india in his own terms.....he is all for any ideas that helps him expand the kingdom..be it marrying a hindu rajput princess or be it any other way.. and then quite amazingly we get to see his emotional side ..which is again beautiful......
for those who want to see detailed history ..... they can even read that in the books. this is a movie if you are curious about how akbar was as a person. all in all an amazing movie.
those who love masala stuff will not be impressed something as sensitive and subtle as this. most of the people who are restless and come to the theatre to just watch some bollywood dance numbers or obvious comedies or hardcore hollywood actions will not have the patience to enjoy grandeur and period romance...certain beautiful moments shown in jodha akbar...they can’t because most of the time they are busy checking there mobile phones ..or yawning...thats unfortunate for such people ..they miss the moments of splendour shown in the movie.....and the rest love it.