History and chemistry

Thank you for our history lesson of the week. We cannot say whether this wise, wonderful and cross-cultural royal pair shared as spirited a chemistry in real life as we see up on screen but Akbar Roshan and Jodhaa Rai certainly manage to create enough sparks to ignite the folks who reside at Jalsa. Or is it Prateeksha.

But please do tell us Mr. G, did the Mughal monarchs really wear brocades and silks that minutely matched their elaborate curtains and intricately engraved marbled floors? Your film is undoubtedly a colour co-ordinated visual delight but there are many times when we find our attention wandering from the drama and palace intrigue to those bulbous domes, slender minarets, ornate halls, delicate ornamentation and most of all, those gorgeous costumes.

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Agreed that symmetry is an important element of Mughal architecture but does this symmetry have to extend to the way you position your characters? Akbar conducts his durbar in a just manner but why do we feel that you went around with a ruler measuring the exact distance between each subject standing in obeisance in front of him? The spacing is so precise that it is almost bizarre.

Indeed your penchant for precision spills right through the movie. If Akbar and Jodhaa are standing on a carpet, it must be exactly in the centre, not an inch more to the right or left. Nothing remotely untidy here, not a turban out of place or a drape that does not match. And therein lies our grouse. Jodhaa Akbar is overly orchestrated and at 3hours 20minutes, overlong, but alas, sadly underfelt.

With style often overwhelming content, Jodhaa Akbar was almost in danger of turning into another Saawariya except that you have managed to throw in a fresh and vibrant romance. Yes, carps aside, there is certainly some good stuff here. Like the exciting hand to hand combats and swordfights, and the chilling scene where Akbar's soldiers throw an adversary from a balcony. Indisputably the performances of your lead pair are riveting. Loved the bare torsoed, rippling muscled Hrithik Roshan fooling around with a sword to impress his bride. Loved the scene where he tames a wild elephant. Yes, definitely loved Roshan's regal grace, and he made Akbar look really good though sometimes the modern ambience of Dhoom 2 did creep in. And forgive our ignorance but aren't those stylish sideburns more reminiscent of Dhoom 2 than 16th century Hindustan? Aishwarya Rai Bachchan delivers a feisty performance that will look just fine on her CV when it's time for her next international venture. Why, though, does she look beautiful in some scenes yet pinched and haggard in others?

The Sufi number Khwaja Mere Khwaja is a mixed experience. Soulful music all right but why are there so many pairs of twins warbling away in this scene? Have to admit that instead of focusing on the music we were trying to peer into the screen to pick out the different sets of twins. Were there triplets too? Oops, sorry, that was Farah Khan.

Grand and aesthetically pleasing Jodhaa Akbar certainly is. Involving? Not really. Well intentioned for sure and top marks for effort but a little less tableau and a little more spontaneity would have been nice.

With warm regards.

Jodhaa Akbar

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan etc

Music: A.R. Rahman

Banner: UTV Motion Pictures

Director: Ashutosh Gowariker