Thats what my EXACT reaction when I left the Cineplex odean Toronto theatre after watching Jodha Akbar. You know if you are a diehard bollywood movies’ fan then in most of the cases even before you watch the film, your sixth sense tells you something and indicates that how good or bad a film that you were waiing for, will be. I have noted that whenever Taran Adarsh bashed a big budget and awaited movie, it turned out to be really good be it Black or Swades. And when he praises such a film to sky, that film not satisfied atleast my expectations, and thats the ditto case with Jodha Akbar.
When reading Taran’s 4 star review I was surprised and had some insecure feeling about the film. But still I had a great expectations from the Lagaan and Swades maker, and was expacting something even more better, but what I got was an unexpected disappointment.
Jodha Akbar didnt reached the high levels that Ashutosh sets for himself after Lagaan and especially Swades. The film lacked those detailing, cinema craftsmen-ship, finesse, portraying and developing the characters by keepng in mind their psychological background, the tiny details about the events and characterizations that are the real beauty of any film.and which were aplenty in a masterpiece like Swades, but clearly missed in Jodha Akbar, and rather then this finesse & detailing that make or break any film, what we actually got in Jodha Akbar was just in-the-face incidents without any proper depth and profoundness.
Taran was not a surprise but I am realy saddened that from now I cannot trust even the honest & reliable Rajeev Masand who gave this film full 4 stars and called Jodha Akbar a historic master-piece and a true classic which this film is clearly NOT.
But here again after sometime of watching Jodha Akbar when I deleted those two masterpieces i.e.Lagaan & Swades and Taran’s & Rajeev’s glorious reviews from my mind, and started analysing the film from a neutral point of view, I actually started liking the film despite of all of its flaws, bluntness and weaknesses. It can never ever reach the highest peaks of Lagaan n Swades but can be a good entertaining movie if you watch it without any expectations.
But still the following things cannot be digested by me till now related to Jodha Akbar"
How Taran Adarsh can say that the film is all smooth and everyone can understand the flow of incident unlike other historics. Infect the first 25 minutes comprising of all the wars and taking power incidents are higly confusing, scattered and ver tough t comprehend. Infect there was no logic to show all that, all these 25 mins can be shown in one minute’s voice over and the film can be started directly when Hrithik and Ash got married.
The initial war scenes are very inconvicning, irritating, boring and serves no purpose in the contribution of film’s goodness.
The Australian parrots gave very contemporary impact to the film and the ancient feel was missing, infect an old style’pinjra’ with Indian all green parrots would be ideal.
The qawwals looked fake in’khawaja meray khawaja. The beam light of spiritualism from the sky gave an immature impression about the film and filmmaker.
’Sulekha sikri regi’ would be an ideal mother for Akbar having all the poise, dignity, muslim look, depth & maturity despite of the artificial looking Poonam.
Illa Arun’s character was undigestable. There was no logic shown that why on earth she hated Aishwariya so much for what reason that even on his real son’s death she never forgot to do’saazish’ and speaks wrong against ash when Akbar apologises to her on her son’s murder.
Despite of research, hardwork and heavy budget spent on it, there were still faults in urdu language. Akbar’s mother said in a dialogue the famous’muhaawra’ that ’Paani hadd say guzar gaya hai’ which was wrong, the correct muhaawra is’Paani ser say guzar gaya hai’.
Hrithik is Ljawaab in his performance, body language, dialogue delivery and overall emoting the role of Akbar. His best performance till date after Koi Mill gayaa.
It is the first time that I liked Aishwariya as a performer in any of her film. She is not a bit wooden, very much in control, very natural and went deep under the skin of her character. Infect she broug tears into my eyes whenever she sings that’man mohana’ bhajann and praises her Lord krishna for help as she was the only hindu in that place, you actually feel profound sympathy for her character. Her career best performer to date.
Sonu sood was really good and Kulbhushan Kharbanda looked very natural as a maharaja.
I also liked the narration at the end of the film about no importance given to’Jodha Akbar’s romance in the history.despite of resemblance with Lagaan’s climax voiceover(Bhuvan ka naam ittehaas kay pannoan may kho gaya) the ending is apt for Jodha Akbar with Amitabh’s voice over. Both Lagaan & JodhaAkbar dealt with the story of un-sung heroes that is clearly depicted at their very end.
Overall an entertaining movie and if you have no expectations in mind and dont expect a perfect masterpiece of history that is also as profound and interesting as Lagaan and Swades, you will not be disappointed, but will enjoy the show.
BUT if you are watching Jodha Akbar by keeping in mind the glorifying reviews, Ashutosh Gawarikar, and Lagaan & Swades then YES it is a disappoitment.