When I went to watch Jodha Akbar yesterday I was riding on two sets of opinions: One came from many reviews which termed it to be a path breaking product coming out of Indian cinema and the other which remain indifferent to the movie giving it average rating. To be fair I generally keep the rating factor out of my consideration when I watch a movie but it becomes difficult to remain unbiased when you have read so much about a movie. So I kept on looking for scenes mentioned in the reviews and evaluating them on my scales. This becomes quite tough and sometimes I was left wondering whether the evaluation of the movie is completely mine or guided by my presumptions.
Before I start with my evaluation of the movie let me make some clarifications. First the film has a massive sweep. Second this movie is not a historical and instead a love story. So if you are planning to watch this as a genuine historical it is most likely that you will come out disappointed. The start of the movie has put me off when the Amitabh baritone announced that the Mughals came to the country in 1450 AD whereas I have always known that Mughal rule began in India in 1526 AD. Keeping all this aside let me now put forth what I think of this movie.
How often have you been a part of a cinematic experience where you were awed, felt elated, smiled, enjoyed, yawned, checked time again and again, cringed at the screenplay and sometimes stereotypes, marveled at the performances and chemistry shared by the lead pair and finally left the hall with a sense of loss? Not often I believe. At least it had not happened with me for a long time where I have to go through all this (e)motions in one go. This sums up the entire Jodha Akbar extravaganza. As I mentioned before I even started out with the review that the film has a massive sweep. Ashutosh Gowariker shows the glimpse of being one of the finest directors from India. But his skills could not save the film. I think there is a flaw in the narration. The film is marred by slow pace and at times faulty screenplay. Plus the movie is too long. He has given us a classic in the form of Lagaan and a heart warming experience in Swades but he is yet to learn time management when it comes to screenplay. Talking of screenplay it champions many stereotypes which further lets you down. So is the movie that bad that I am panning it from the word go? The answer is no and this is the most lamentable part. It could have been much more and may be our answer to Hollywood period dramas in foreign markets. When in the morning I read the collections the movie has taken in the International market and the euphoria surrounding it I almost winced. There is much more to a movie than just collections.
To be fair Jodha Akbar is an honest attempt to tell a love story. The protagonists here are Akbar and Jodha but it could have been any one. Any fictional characters would have fit the bill. The story starts about 40 minutes into the film (I didn’t check my watch around that time!) when the ‘treaty’ of Jodha-Akbar is sealed in the form of marriage. The brewing romance between the protagonists coming from different cultures and religions made the film watchable. It is the tension, anxiety and the longings which have been captured brilliantly by the director. The scenes where Jodha puts forth her demands to Akbar, where Akbar watches longingly at her, where Jodha is caught by him watching his bare torso while he practices his sword fighting, where he salvages her pride by eating in the same plates in which she had eaten moments before, the sword duel between the couple could warm any heart. It is the sheer chemistry between the lead pair which hooks you to the screen. Alas there are many elements which do not quite match this magic. There are some sub plots which were not needed. Further the film boasts of many stereotypes and you cringe every time they come across. Some of the characters are too loud. That was not required. Also some of the scenes and dialogues would have been more suitable to a stage drama rather than being a part of the movie of this scale. Gowariker in a way falters in the screenplay and characterization part.
The war scenes are opulent by Indian standards but how I wished it was better choreographed. The first battle scene at the beginning is shot well but does not have the charisma. Also the way the archer moved and shot left a lot to be desired. It could have been more engaging. Ditto with the second battle scene. One of my friends pointed out this morning that the cannons explosions were not producing the damage we are accustomed to see in other movies and serials. The Troy inspired final duel was also not upto the mark. My other friend was so disappointed that he said either they should not have been inspired by Troy or they should have at least maintained that standard.
Technically the film is brilliant. Production design by Nitin Chandrakant Desai suits the mood of the movie and never overshadows the narrative. The camera work by Kiran Deohans is of international standards. Neeta Lulla’s costume design is good but can any one explain me what was the need for making Ash show that much flesh? I am quite sure that in the medieval traditional Rajasthan that exposure was not allowed (As far as my history knowledge goes). The dialogues by K P Saxena reflect the era but are sometimes incomprehensible and sometimes full of clichés. The sour point is editing. It is a loosely edited film and that even the makers would accept after recognizing the fault with the final product.
AR Rahman’s music is soulful and choreography is good. The ‘Marhaba’ song is choreographed so well that you feel half the ticket’s value is retrieved there. But it is the background score which elevates the movie. Hrithik puts in a sincere and brave effort. However there were times when he could easily be seen in Krissh avatar. I liked Aishwarya’s performance after a long time. I think this role could only have been enacted by her. Supporting cast ranges from good to passable. Sonu Sood is a revelation. Ila Arun puts a commendable performance. Raza Murad is okay while Punam Sinha is just passable. Kulbhushan Kharbanda by now has attained mastery in becoming distressed ruler.
In the end this movie could not deliver what it had promised. I was not able to carry movie with me as I left the hall. It could have been a modern day classic but alas it is not. It has its own set of poignant moments. Cherish those and there is a high probability that you may leave the hall with indifference (i.e. not being disappointed).
Rating: 2.5/5
Before I start with my evaluation of the movie let me make some clarifications. First the film has a massive sweep. Second this movie is not a historical and instead a love story. So if you are planning to watch this as a genuine historical it is most likely that you will come out disappointed. The start of the movie has put me off when the Amitabh baritone announced that the Mughals came to the country in 1450 AD whereas I have always known that Mughal rule began in India in 1526 AD. Keeping all this aside let me now put forth what I think of this movie.
How often have you been a part of a cinematic experience where you were awed, felt elated, smiled, enjoyed, yawned, checked time again and again, cringed at the screenplay and sometimes stereotypes, marveled at the performances and chemistry shared by the lead pair and finally left the hall with a sense of loss? Not often I believe. At least it had not happened with me for a long time where I have to go through all this (e)motions in one go. This sums up the entire Jodha Akbar extravaganza. As I mentioned before I even started out with the review that the film has a massive sweep. Ashutosh Gowariker shows the glimpse of being one of the finest directors from India. But his skills could not save the film. I think there is a flaw in the narration. The film is marred by slow pace and at times faulty screenplay. Plus the movie is too long. He has given us a classic in the form of Lagaan and a heart warming experience in Swades but he is yet to learn time management when it comes to screenplay. Talking of screenplay it champions many stereotypes which further lets you down. So is the movie that bad that I am panning it from the word go? The answer is no and this is the most lamentable part. It could have been much more and may be our answer to Hollywood period dramas in foreign markets. When in the morning I read the collections the movie has taken in the International market and the euphoria surrounding it I almost winced. There is much more to a movie than just collections.
To be fair Jodha Akbar is an honest attempt to tell a love story. The protagonists here are Akbar and Jodha but it could have been any one. Any fictional characters would have fit the bill. The story starts about 40 minutes into the film (I didn’t check my watch around that time!) when the ‘treaty’ of Jodha-Akbar is sealed in the form of marriage. The brewing romance between the protagonists coming from different cultures and religions made the film watchable. It is the tension, anxiety and the longings which have been captured brilliantly by the director. The scenes where Jodha puts forth her demands to Akbar, where Akbar watches longingly at her, where Jodha is caught by him watching his bare torso while he practices his sword fighting, where he salvages her pride by eating in the same plates in which she had eaten moments before, the sword duel between the couple could warm any heart. It is the sheer chemistry between the lead pair which hooks you to the screen. Alas there are many elements which do not quite match this magic. There are some sub plots which were not needed. Further the film boasts of many stereotypes and you cringe every time they come across. Some of the characters are too loud. That was not required. Also some of the scenes and dialogues would have been more suitable to a stage drama rather than being a part of the movie of this scale. Gowariker in a way falters in the screenplay and characterization part.
The war scenes are opulent by Indian standards but how I wished it was better choreographed. The first battle scene at the beginning is shot well but does not have the charisma. Also the way the archer moved and shot left a lot to be desired. It could have been more engaging. Ditto with the second battle scene. One of my friends pointed out this morning that the cannons explosions were not producing the damage we are accustomed to see in other movies and serials. The Troy inspired final duel was also not upto the mark. My other friend was so disappointed that he said either they should not have been inspired by Troy or they should have at least maintained that standard.
Technically the film is brilliant. Production design by Nitin Chandrakant Desai suits the mood of the movie and never overshadows the narrative. The camera work by Kiran Deohans is of international standards. Neeta Lulla’s costume design is good but can any one explain me what was the need for making Ash show that much flesh? I am quite sure that in the medieval traditional Rajasthan that exposure was not allowed (As far as my history knowledge goes). The dialogues by K P Saxena reflect the era but are sometimes incomprehensible and sometimes full of clichés. The sour point is editing. It is a loosely edited film and that even the makers would accept after recognizing the fault with the final product.
AR Rahman’s music is soulful and choreography is good. The ‘Marhaba’ song is choreographed so well that you feel half the ticket’s value is retrieved there. But it is the background score which elevates the movie. Hrithik puts in a sincere and brave effort. However there were times when he could easily be seen in Krissh avatar. I liked Aishwarya’s performance after a long time. I think this role could only have been enacted by her. Supporting cast ranges from good to passable. Sonu Sood is a revelation. Ila Arun puts a commendable performance. Raza Murad is okay while Punam Sinha is just passable. Kulbhushan Kharbanda by now has attained mastery in becoming distressed ruler.
In the end this movie could not deliver what it had promised. I was not able to carry movie with me as I left the hall. It could have been a modern day classic but alas it is not. It has its own set of poignant moments. Cherish those and there is a high probability that you may leave the hall with indifference (i.e. not being disappointed).
Rating: 2.5/5
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