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More than meets the eye

Director speak Aashutosh Gowarikar

For those who missed watching Jodhaa Akbar on the big screen six months ago, here is some good news. It is going to be screened on Independence Day on UTV Movies at 11 a.m.

The film that traces the life of Emperor Akbar from his boyhood to youth, bringing to the screen his doubts, aspirations, dilemmas, love and marriage to Jodhaa Bai, has Hrithik Roshan playing Akbar while Aishwarya Rai plays Jodha.

The telecast will be followed by 30 minutes’ worth of scenes that were deleted to trim the length of the film. Also, during breaks, director Aashutosh Gowarikar would ask the viewers a few “easy history questions”. Among those who message all the answers right, five couples would be chosen to meet Hrithik, Aishwarya and Aashutosh in Mumbai. The deleted scenes include Akbar, Jodhaa and Birbal together, apart from others.

That the film didn’t do a great business across hasn’t exactly Aashutosh. “I am not hurt but disappointed, because I lost one week and hence the revenue in both U.P. and M.P. where the film was banned for unjustified reasons. In Rajasthan, it hasn’t released yet. I am happy that now through satellite, even Rajasthan would be able to watch it,” he says sarcastically.

Aashutosh didn’t consider newcomers unencumbered by image baggage for his lead characters. Nor did he make use of Shah Rukh Khan or Aamir Khan to play Akbar, though he has worked with them earlier. He has a ready answer. “From the scripting stage, I had Hrithik in mind because the kind of regality, physique and stature that my Akbar needed, that only Hrithik has. I am sure of SRK and Aamir’s talent, but one shouldn’t debate on a director’s vision,” he says politely. For Aishwarya too, he thinks she has that grace and “that quintessential Amar Chitra Katha kind of beauty” that a queen is identified with.

Already home with his finances — having screened 1200 prints in 36 countries — Aashutosh feels the satellite telecast would just be “a bonus”.

Aashutosh is now going on the floor with his next film, What Is Your Rashee, with Harman Baweja and Priyanka Chopra. “It is based on a book called Kimball Raven’s Wood by Madhu Ryi. I have purchased the rights of this book to make the film. It’s the story of a boy who, when he decides to get married, selects and rejects girls on the basis of their ‘rashee’ or zodiac sign. It’s a romantic comedy minus mockery or spoofing. I think I am incapable of joking at someone or something.”

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