# Jodhaa Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus



## drgrudge (Feb 15, 2008)

Just returned from Akbar's Court, Agra. 

Amazing classic! I loved the every 202 minutes I spend this morning. Very grandly shot and attention to detail is good. 

I don't think many would love this movie. If you're in a haste, it would be painfully slow. I loved *Swades*, but it didn't run well in Box Office. Same might happen with this movie.  

Would you believe that the movie received standing ovation at the end and _taliyan_ here and there! 

Historians and people who say the movie historically incorrect - shut the **** up. 

A must watch. 

*ashwinr.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/soundtrack.jpg

My Review: Jodhaa Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker’s Magnum Opus

*8/10*


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## manas (Feb 15, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

@ drgrudge - If you liked the movie... then its time I give it a watch. 

Waiting for your review.


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## esumitkumar (Feb 15, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

@grudgy ..even swades is my fav movie..kal jaunga JA dekhne ....(office sucks  )


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## hullap (Feb 15, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

i too luv swades


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## drgrudge (Feb 15, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

My Review: Jodhaa Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker’s Magnum Opus for those who are interested. 



I hope Bal Thakeray and the babus of political parties watch this movie. AR Rahman should be awarded "Bharat Ratna" for songs like: 
- Yeh jo desh hai tera..
- Tamilzha Tamilzha (dunno the hindi version) - won National award for the first film itself
- Maa tujhe salam
- Azadi (bose) 
- Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah (see the lyrics, amazing!)
- Chale Chalo (Lagaan)


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## hullap (Feb 15, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

Gud review just read it


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## drgrudge (Feb 15, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

^^ 
Thanks for the compliment.


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## iNFiNiTE (Feb 15, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

Nice Review. 
I was going to watch this movie neway and now that i have read ur review its Must Watch. The song Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah is absolutely brilliant, the instruments n lyrics and what not.


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## adi007 (Feb 15, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

That's strange..
many of my friends who have watched the movie said it's a crap...and moreover the movie reviews in some TV channels reviled the same thing...but ur review is entire different...ur review has made me to try it...lets see..

now one thing i must say that this film has raised several controversies regarding  historians .. i have heard reports that the film has fully changed the history.....well this is not good..misleading the people about the history is certainly not a good thing.....we must respect the history.....


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## eggman (Feb 15, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*



adi007 said:


> That's strange..
> many of my friends who have watched the movie said it's a crap...and moreover the movie reviews in some TV channels reviled the same thing...but ur review is entire different...ur review has made me to try it...lets see..



But in this regard I actually like drgrudge's review. All said that OM SHANTI OM was great(nah not good, but great) but I found it a crap.............


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## drgrudge (Feb 15, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

adi007 - 
Did you read what I had to say on history? 


> I don’t really care about historical accuracy in movies and people who care about it should locked up in room with a TV running History Channel 24×7.




It's just a movie why bother about history. Minor errors are ok  and it's not right to fuss. IMO, Jalauddin married Jodha bhai and built Taj Mahal when she died. 

And each one have their own taste. I didn't like movies like Dhoom 2, Welcome, Om Shanti Om, Priyadarshan movies of all kind, etc. but these movies did really well. Also I wrote that it might not blow you off.. 


iNFiNiTE, eggman - 
Thanks.


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## sreevirus (Feb 15, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

Good review grudge... I was planning to go and watch this one on Sunday.
I don't exactly like Mayank Shekhar's reviews, but I read it in today's Mumbai Mirror (he awarded this one 4 stars out of 5). Somehow, I felt compelled to watch it after reading the article. 

Oh grudge, its Jodha*bai*, not Jodha*bhai*. Bhai gives it altogether a different connotation. 
Rectify it on your blog too...


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## iNFiNiTE (Feb 16, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

^^ Lol. yup its BAI not BHAI. 

Anyway IMO all the protests are totally useless. Its just a movie and that too one in which the director is trying to show his impression of the past using a bit of imagination. After all its folklore that Akbar married Jodhabai. 

Same was the case with Lagaan, It was abt a cricket match between the villagers and the Britishers. It doesnt meant that cricket in India is the gift of Bhuvan and this team.


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## praka123 (Feb 16, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

from some sane reviews,it seems for ordinary viewers like me,this film is another Rassiya sultana,Aaga Khan type


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## drgrudge (Feb 16, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

Ahh sreevirus, that's a embarrassing error. Corrected it. Thanks for pointing out. 

Anyone seen *The Great Escape*? It's one of my fav. movies and it also was at the receiving end for historical errors. 


praka123 - 
What do you mean by sane reviews?


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## hullap (Feb 16, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

Yup i hav gr8 escape.
  downloadedfrom mininova
GR8 MOVIE


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## iMav (Feb 16, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

rajeev masand gives it 4 out of 5; mumbai mirror gives it 4 out of 5 and grudgy u can revel in the fact that rajeev masand too found the same areas as positives as u did


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## sachin_kothari (Feb 16, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*

its quite a big movie for me to sit and watch.
but will go and watch this one.



PaulScholes18 said:


> Yup i hav gr8 escape.
> downloadedfrom mininova
> GR8 MOVIE


even i checked it at mininova.
but the movie is Superstar and not Jodha Akbar. 
its just released and there can be a dvd rip so soon.


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## drgrudge (Feb 16, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*



iMav said:


> rajeev masand gives it 4 out of 5; mumbai mirror gives it 4 out of 5 and grudgy u can revel in the fact that rajeev masand too found the same areas as positives as u did


It's a great movie. People who say it's not as good, can't appreciate quality movies. 

**** the DVD rips, I'm going to the Cinemas again. It's not worth to see such a flick in TV/PC.


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## karnivore (Feb 16, 2008)

Hav'nt seen it (probably never do so), so can't comment on the technicalities. However when one makes a period movie, one has to be true to the facts, as far as possible.

"Jodha Bai" was never the wife of Akbar. She was the wife of Jahangir. Hence the movie becomes irrelevant in every sense of history. Factual distortions here and there are probably acceptable, but turning history on its head is probably not.

Another film i will mention is "Devdas", which of course is not a historical movie and probably out of context, but surely a symbol for bollywood's mediocrity. SLB, never quite understood the characters, just made a movie with is mediocre intellect.

Makes me wonder........is grandeur everything in movies ?????


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## hullap (Feb 16, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*



sachin_kothari said:


> i
> but the movie is Superstar and not Jodha Akbar.
> its just released and there can be a dvd rip so soon.


i said i have great escape


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## praka123 (Feb 16, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*



drgrudge said:


> praka123 -
> What do you mean by sane reviews?


sane meant for those like Me who doesn't care about art movies


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## koolbluez (Feb 16, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*



adi007 said:


> Tnow one thing i must say that this film has raised several controversies regarding  historians .. i have heard reports that the film has fully changed the history.....well this is not good..misleading the people about the history is certainly not a good thing.....we must respect the history.....


Historians r just crappers 
Every period film will be called historically incorrect. They speak as if they existed @ that time.

A movie is the view point of the director/writer & person from whom the data is collected. Everyone has a viewpoint (reminded me of VANTAGE POINT ). The only person who knows the truth is the one who existed then, not these "historians". The historian wants to sell *his-story*.... regardless of the truths or mistruths lying within.

I believe in going to the movie & having a great blast... which I am gonna do TODAY. c u after the movie


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## drgrudge (Feb 16, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*



praka123 said:


> sane meant for those like Me who doesn't care about art movies


I *totally disagree* with your viewpoint, but I don't want to argue.  


koolbluez - 
These ****ing historians fill the textbooks with errors but when there is a small error, there is a lot of hue and cry over it. Movies is way of entertainment, even historical drama do have some fantasy elements. Do they loathe when SRK chased a Scorpio in a rickshaw?


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## koolbluez (Feb 16, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*



drgrudge said:


> These ****ing historians fill the textbooks with errors but when there is a small error, there is a lot of hue and cry over it. Movies is way of entertainment, even historical drama do have some fantasy elements. *Do they loathe when SRK chased a Scorpio in a rickshaw?*


LOL... quite true....*That was SuperRukh Khan on a ricshrio *


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## iNFiNiTE (Feb 16, 2008)

A grp frm Rajasthan "Karni Sena" i guess is demanding that the director visit the state and apolozize for hurting the sentiments of the people and arrange a spl screening for the local politicos etc so that after which it can be decided whether to allow the movie to be released in Rajasthan or not. 
I hate all those self proclaimed defenders of faith/religion/morality.


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## drgrudge (Feb 16, 2008)

If I was AG, I would have shown the middle finger. These people should shut the **** up and stop the ****. IMO, if the movie pases the censor board, there should not be any problem. Who are they to take law in their hands. 

Glad that all these nonsense doesn't happen in TN/Chennai. 


The movie is damn good. One of my all time fav. bollywood movies in recent times. Most of the reviews are giving 4+/5 or 7.5+/10.


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## koolbluez (Feb 16, 2008)

Religious defenders!!! My foot! All these hindu.. muslim.. christian... ĐŵƏņƒǒβΫҗ... defenders of THEIR faith.... suck big time.
True faith is in your heart... not in the movies....
These ƒ****r* just wanna take credit for something... _hey my name's in this paper... mine was online... check out the news, i'm standing behind that guy with the red topi_.... pig crap... i say.


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## RCuber (Feb 18, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*



drgrudge said:


> Anyone seen *The Great Escape*? It's one of my fav. movies and it also was at the receiving end for historical errors.



Yes I have seen the movie like 5 times .. really awesome movie, I dont care about how accurate the movie is.. I watch movies to see great acting as well as story line ..


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## shashank4u (Feb 18, 2008)

nice reviews:
now i will be going to watch it today evening


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## nishantv2003 (Feb 18, 2008)

just watched it,
very good movie, acting of all the actors were awsome and they all suited in there roles(casting was perfect). 
i enjoyed the movie very much and i recomend it 2 every1, and pls watch it in theator, it deserves it.....


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## krazzy (Feb 18, 2008)

grudge your review link is not opening in Opera Mini 4 (and no net on my pc). Would it be possible for you to post the review here? I'm interested in reading it.


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## drgrudge (Feb 18, 2008)

krazyfrog. said:


> grudge your review link is not opening in Opera Mini 4 (and no net on my pc). Would it be possible for you to post the review here? I'm interested in reading it.


Sorry, Can't do that for SEO reasons. Anyone who wants to read: Jodhaa Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker’s Magnum Opus. 


I've PMed you the review though. Thanks for the interest.


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## krazzy (Feb 18, 2008)

^^ Thanks for the pm. Nice review btw. Makes me go and watch the movie ASAP. However you could add a comment on the performances of the actors, especially Hritik and Ash. I'm especially interested in knowing how Hritik performed in this flick as i'm a huge fan of his.


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## drgrudge (Feb 18, 2008)

^^ 
Do we need to know about Hritik's actiong? He's very good. IMO, only AAmir is better than he is. Aamir, Hritik and Saif are my my fav. actors who can act. Ash's performance is only next to Guru. 

But then, it is AG's movie. Enough said. He makes the people act.


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## krazzy (Feb 19, 2008)

^^ Right. After seeing his performance in Koi Mil Gaya, I believe Hritik can do any role. JA would've been a walk in a park for him. He's a real bollywood star. He makes SRK and Big B look overrated (which they are).


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## esumitkumar (Feb 19, 2008)

Watched the film yesterday at 8.30 PM show..even on monday show was HOUSEFULL .......

My Rating :10/10

Must Watch film..ashutosh makes such beautiful films ..picks a little topic then make it so grand 

my fav film SWADES and then I love history ..such grand sets ..and so gorgeous and damn beautiful ash  ..she looks very beautiful in traditional fitwear and not gud in Dhoom 2 stylo .....

Hrithik is gr8 too .....music is awesome by AR Rehman and the heavy use of Urdu is awesome (i too can read n write Urdu)

now heres why Rajputs are protesting against the film .......
source : wiki 

*There is popular perception that Rajput wife of Akbar, mother of Jahangir, was known as "Jodha Bai".[2] However, Akbar's Rajput wife was never known as "Jodha Bai" during her lifetime.*

According to N R Farooqi, Jodha Bai was not the name of Akbar's Rajput queen; it was the name of Jahangir's Rajput wife, whose real name was Jagat Gosain. Jagat Gosain was referred to as "Jodha Bai" or "Jodhi Bibi", since she belonged to the royal family of Jodhpur.[2] Jodhi Bibi was the daughter of Udai Singh of Jodhpur, and a wife of Jahangir. She was the mother of Prince Khurram (later Shah Jahan).



> In film it is shown she wasnt converted to Islam


wiki wrotes ....Hira Kunwari (her maiden name) married Akbar on January 20, 1562 at Sambhar near Jaipur..she was converted to Islam and was given the name Mariam-uz-Zamani . 
Hira Kunwari died in 1611. As per her last wishes, a _vav_ or step well was constructed by Jahangir. Her tomb, built in 1611, is on the Delhi-Agra National Highway, near Fatehpur Sikri. She was buried according to Islamic custom and was not cremated according to Hindu religion.

DONT KNOW WAT THE HELL TRUTH IS ....but very interesting..history is always fascinating


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## drgrudge (Feb 19, 2008)

An interesting Comment which appeared in The Hindu (letters to editor): 

*If Historical  facts are followed accurately, a historical film will never be a work of art - it will remain a documentary. 

The Film makes of JA should openly say they have blended history with invention. By doing so, they can defuse the crisis in Rajastan. *


Even in Chennai, it's running to packed houses. Good to see common sense prevailing.  5 Shows in Satyam Cinemas. 


Ironically most of us didn't complain the 202 mins spend in the theater.


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## shady_inc (Feb 19, 2008)

drgrudge said:


> Ironically most of us didn't complain the 202 mins spend in the theater.


Heck, I hardly realised it was 202 mins long.! T'was a great movie.The only bollywood movie in recent times that I liked after jab we met.Though it's a sad thing that almost all Big budget films get embroilled in controversies in India.


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## nix (Feb 19, 2008)

but in india its quite sad that poorly made movies like OSO and main hoon naa... make the most money. if a movie stars SRK... self proclaimed "king". then the media goes all out to ensure that the movie becomes a hit. sad...


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## confused!! (Feb 19, 2008)

*Re: Jodha Akbar - Ashutosh Gowariker's Magnum opus*



koolbluez said:


> Historians r just crappers
> Every period film will be called historically incorrect. They speak as if they existed @ that time.


    
BTW hats off to Hritik Roshan for the way he carried out the role of Jalaluddin


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## krazzy (Feb 23, 2008)

Just saw the movie in theatre. Really nice movie. Hritik's performance was superb. Hritik and Ash romantic scenes were also enjoyable to watch and the best part of the movie IMO. The Khwaja Mere Khwaja song was boring though and should be removed to reduce the movie length. Overall i'll give 4/5.


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## dreamcatcher (Feb 23, 2008)

pardon me..ibut i have a different take on the so called magnus opum of ashutosh...


let me make it veyr clear here that i m not questioning the taste of peaple here but m presenting my own opinion as a critic..


the film according to me was by no means a masterpiece..the sets were entralling and it captured the hearts of the peaple without doubt...but the whole thing was very arificial...if hrithik showing his body and doing a few sword tricks(a repeat from krish) is what makes a movie..then sorry...

The movie never was, waht u may call, complete..there were nuances where peaple in the fight sequences where they caught your attention and the khwaja sequence was simpy brilliant but could ashutosh really capture what we may term as "Jodha Akbar"..... 



Jodha by any means was never actually utilized as a peronality in the film..namely a love story..this story really lacked what peaple had gone to see..and tht is *love*...any sequence inthe movie that touched our hearts??was there??

Love is not about dialogues..but that is exactly what ashutosh has shown here...the whole thing was so very lukewarm...with unnecessary saas bshu trauma evrywhere...i mean cummon..cant we have a movie that doesnt pack in such audacity??

cinematography was nowehre close to lagaan..most of the time the cameras were at the wrong angles...

hrithik however has outdone himself with his heroics..but more was expected in the  "silent" scenes where Hrithik by no means anywere close to the greats...


well..thts my take on jodha akbar...

but make no mistake..its still a good movie..just tht i expected more..and i personally think tht the storyline is quite weak..but the glamour on show more than makes up for it...

p.s.-ashutosh needs a pat on the back for his work on the khwaja sequence..esp with hrithik coming into the picture...


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