I love history, I love period films and I love to have my imagination run wild when I watch a movie from such a genre. There remains no doubt in my mind that history has been and will be one of my great teachers. Period films historically have never been very successful in our country’s cinematic history, with the exception of Mughal-e-Azaam. It’s quite surprising - almost paradoxical - considering we are a nation steeped in 5000-plus years of history and we love to brandish it like a honor badge wherever we go. Most directors avoid such a genre completely, yet Gowariker finds the courage and the skills within himself to create a magnum opus that leaves you enthralled, informed and exposed to one of those rare cinematic experiences.

Enshrined in pre-release controversy, the movie tries to distance itself from all the fuss over the ‘real’ Jodhaa in the first few reels with disclaimers. The director’s intention is to narrate a fascinating, epic romance and not to present a documentary or a visual biography about Akbar. As the reels roll, the deep and familiar voice of Amitabh Bachhan, first noticed by the legendary Satyajit Ray, gives us a quick refresher about the Mughal era and Akbar’s childhood. This might seem repetitive, especially since this was used in Lagaan as well, but this historical background is important in holding together the next 20 minutes as we are quickly taken through war sequences from the the second Battle of Panipat to the accession of several princely states, with Akbar’s regent Bairam Khan politely ‘exiled’ in between.

Akbar tries to get the princely states of Rajputana to submit to the protection of the Mughal empire. While a few states agree, other refuse to submit to his subjugation including Raja Bharmal (Kulbhushan Kharbanda). A domestic dispute however forces the raja to seek align his kingdom with the Mughals but in return he asks for Akbar to wed his daughter - Jodhaa. Jodhaa, a proud Rajput princess, finds herself torn between saving her kingdom from ruin and reconciling with the idea of marrying a Muslim king. She sets conditions for her marriage with the new King much to the chagrin of her family and Akbar, but this wins over the king as he acknowledges her daring. This sets up the emotion, drama and unfortunately some of the cliches in Jodhaa and Akbar’s romance. Delicately intertwined is a complex political sub-layer and rest of the movie is about how Akbar the king deals with blood-traitors, a scheming and domineering step-mother and dissatisfaction of radical muslim clerics in Akbar’s court at the same time wooing Jodhaa and winning her trust.

The movie is long as is expected from such a grandiose retelling of history, but Gowariker makes no secret of his love for song sequences and a long run-time. What works in the director’s favour is his simple yet effective narrative style. Oscar Wilde once said “Anybody can make history. Only a great man can write it”, and while this is not a perfect effort at storytelling, it certainly leaves its impact. In epic movies such as these you look at the ‘impact factor’ of the sets, costumes, fight sequences and characters, and Gowariker is top-notch here. The sets, along with the brilliant camera angles, art design and lighting are a visual treat to the eyes. This is perceptible in the songs ‘Azeem-0-shaan shehenshah‘ and ‘In lamhon ke daman main‘. While Akbar’s taming the elephant and the sword-fight between Jodhaa and Akbar were superbly done, the scenes of warring armies left a lot to be desired. The ardent movie fan craves for a better execution in these areas plainly because Indian cinema deserved to have a scene held in the same esteem as those in Alexander and Troy.

While some of the characters were very well-etched out, other caricatures were not good enough to leave a lasting impression, unlike Lagaan. This again holds true for some of the sub-plots, which do not evolve smoothly, giving rise to at times abrupt transitions. These minor blemishes notwithstanding, Gowariker has lent a lot of style and substance to this historical anecdote. His judgment is interspersed throughout the 200-odd minutes, most evident in the simplified narration technique with effective use of urdu and hindi which not only gives credence to the time line, but also makes for delightful listening. This is a brilliant story-telling attempt where you are able to laugh in the middle of serious scenes.

Hrithik in the role of Akbar is brilliant, and this is one of his finest performances. He blends well into the role, vacillating with ease between the roles of an emperor, a lover and a dutiful son. Ash is a much improved actor with this movie and it’s difficult to think of anyone else in Indian cinema who carry this role with the ease - she was always meant to be a princess. The chemistry between the two literally has to be seen to be believed and that really is the highlight of the film - Gowariker simply wants to portray how their romance influenced them and the lives of people around them. Ila Arun is very expressive and stoic in her dialogue delivery and she comes across as really convincing. Barring a few, most of the other characters are comfortable in their roles.

I leave the best for the last- the music. Rahman has rarely gone wrong in delivering the right product for each of the movies he has directed music for. Here too, his music stands nothing short of brilliant, and while the songs may not have appealed to all before the movie released, it is bang on target with the flow of the screenplay. And like many Rahman song, they will grown on you once the visuals have had their impact. And where he will garner even more praise, mostly from Rahmaniacs like myself, is for the background score - an area where he has gone from good to brilliant. Perhaps that warrants a separate post later on.

All in all, Gowariker has fashioned a brilliant epic saga that has all the elements of a masala pot-boiler, yet shown remarkable restraint in crafting the screenplay. He is bound to have daggers thrown at him for resorting at times to hackneyed melodrama, incomplete portrayal of some characters and a rather bland ending. You simply did not feel a sense of glory when Big B signs off the movie, but at the same time Gowariker makes up with everything else being exemplary. The most satisfying part for the director is that the movie does not drag even once over the 200-odd minutes. It sets the standard for any future period film in Indian cinema, and be sure there are plenty more to come (I see one right here). Enfin, Jodhaa-Akbar attains a stature of grandeur and authentic cinema, but unfortunately not greatness.

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