A film like Jodha Akbar is rare and difficult. Not necessarily good or great. When I bought the audio CD of the movie, I was touched by few tracks especially the Sufi track dedicated to Kwaja Moinuddin Chisti sung by AR Rahman. I was quite apprehensive about the movie given the fact that not much of Akbar?s personal life remains documented without conflicts of interpretation.
There is much being talked about who Jodhaa Bai was. Was she Akbar?s wife or his Son?s wife? Was she for real? Was Jodhaa her real name? and so on. What puzzles me even further is how the controversy mongers remained silent all through the year when the film during its production days has been in news. Everyone has decided to raise a noise now, when the movie is being screened. All this brouhaha has only helped the film gain momentum and I read in reports that the movie has commanded bumper opening and is on its way to become 2008?s first hit.
The movie is too long. I mean really long. Historicals are lengthy and intricate subjects requiring detailing of episodes that unfold into a decision that made history. Having said this, the movie Jodhaa Akbar does not really pain you with the length. The editing is good and the movie retains momentum all through albeit in some spaces wherein some sub plots could have been condensed. Nonetheless, the grandeur visuals and the background score by Rahman work in tandem to retain fresh air. This is one long movie that won?t bore you.
As far as acting goes the lead actors have done their job well. Both are good dancers but they have no sequence where they dance in this film. They should not because King and Queen are elite audience. Except that the scene where the Akbar in sheer trance joins the divine while the song Kwaja Mere Kwaja is being performed. A class act of a track with equally superb setting.
Extensive use of daylight photography is something I really liked in this film. It is quite tricky as modern day props such as an electric pole and flying jet might accidentally show up on the frame which is set in 1550s! Imagine. Day Light photography also helped in recreating some real to life shots of how the kingdom and its alliance would have looked. No artificial decors that looked artificial.
The placement of songs is something that needs to be learnt from the director. His previous critically acclaimed films Swades and Lagaan has equally brilliant song placements. The fade-ins and fade-outs of songs are aptly timed and lyrically synchronized. These subtle things make me believe there are layers in the film that requires a technical mindset to interpret. As such the story is plain and simple. It is the directorial brilliance in execution which I would like to refer and rewatch someday again.
AR Rahman has changed his composing style over the last say 5 films. All his background score are brilliant pieces which stand as snippets of a larger masterpiece. Then you have the brilliant tracks. If you have heard the album, you would be surprised how a rather ordinary sounding devotional song on Lord Krishna would suddenly start sounding like a classic composition.
I won?t go into the acting details, much has been said about it on other reviews.
Don?t miss this movie for a rather unique reason of how you won?t be bored for 4 hours sitting in a theatre. Just ensure you go to a decent theatre with good sound systems.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I excatly know what you are talking about. the movie 4 hours long and sometimes bores you with the urdu confrontations of the complex kind. it reminded me of mugal e aazam in manyways. i think JA should run and run well because such films should be made
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