The Hindu : New Delhi News : Too much of romance, too little of history….

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New Delhi

Too much of romance, too little of history….

ZIYA US SALAM

OF AN EMPEROR, Empress AND A PRINCESS: Scenes from the much talked about “Jodhaa Akbar” and “Enchanted”.

OF AN EMPEROR, Empress AND A PRINCESS: Scenes from the much talked about “Jodhaa Akbar” and “Enchanted”.

JODHAA AKBAR

(At Delite and other theatres in Delhi and elsewhere)

No man is a chessboard. In each one of us, greys abound. Unless, of course, one is watching Ashutosh Gowariker’s “Jodhaa Akbar”. Here Akbar, arguably the great Mughal emperor, is a paragon of perfection! He does not lose a battle and towers above the rest with his moral stature. Sorry, Akbar needs no brownie points from posterity. Gowariker is a poor student of history. Worse, he is wilfully poor. The film is so glaringly deficient in the most obvious of things that you wonder if the much talked about director was trying to mock at history. Or is it a deliberate subversion of the truth?

Agreed, there has been a debate, largely avoidable though, whether Jodhaa was Akbar’s wife or daughter-in-law. A common cinemagoer can leave it to historians to thrash it out, but where Gowariker fails miserably – his third film in a little over six years, after the widely acclaimed “Lagaan” and “Swades” – is in attention to elementary details. Relating the untapped romance of the Mughal Emperor and his Rajput wife, the film lacks integrity. Surely the director could not have been so short-sighted as to think that the Mughal emperor would send his firmans in Hindi! Or that his wife, a Rajput princess from a tradition that prides itself on honour, would go around in bare-back blouses all over the house. Or tie her sari so low as to reveal her ample midriff before settling to give a sneak view of the cleavage with her mini blouses. It is all in bad taste. Forget whether Jodhaa was the Emperor’s spouse or not, this vulgar display of skin was uncalled for. And Aishwarya Rai, the wonderfully plastic doll, shows neither depth nor breadth in her portrayal of a princess caught in the crossfire of men’s ego: she is given away as a bride for political convenience by her father; she is accepted as such by her husband.

The only time Gowariker cares to talk of history is in the long sequences of their respective religions: he is a Muslim, so he goes to the Khwaja’s abode. She is a Hindu, so she settles for Krishna bhakti. Shades of “Mughal-e-Azam”? But only in concept. And he is secular too! So, there comes a Krishna temple in the palace for his beloved wife!

Gowariker takes too many liberties with history in the name of artistic licence. His devout souls at the dargah are all carefully clean-shaven, like those ads for men’s lotions! This in an age and at a place where a beard was the preferred way! And his emperor even does a little jig at the end of a song! Then walks the garden path with the lady love in another sequence. All this is a throwback to more ordinary romances of commoners.

Akbar is not spared any dignity. Yes, he is exposed for being unlettered, but in the climax even the fig leaf of royalty is stripped off in the physical duel he is made to have with his arch-enemy, Sharifuddin.

All this would have been perfect in a J. P. Dutta film with a desert backdrop, but to have one of the great rulers of all time engage in a direct combat is a little more than one can take.

So many negatives! Yes, but like life, here too there is a little silver lining. Hrithik Roshan may not fit the stereotypes of Akbar, but he is fine in action. He is a decent actor who manages to look good simply because his counterpart Aishwarya Rai refuses to do even the bare minimum. She is vapid all through, making Hrithik look almost outstanding in comparison. Unfortunately, Gowariker does not invest his hero with too much detail. He comes across as a man who could do no wrong. And we never get to see the human side of the redoubtable man. And Deen-e-Ilahi is non-existent here.

But there are other characters which hold interest. Sonu Sood as Jodhaa’s brother is more than passably good. And the likes of Poonam Sinha, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Ila Arun and Reza Murad leave a mark too. Also, historically ignored characters like Maham Anaga, Adham Khan and Bairam Khan get their moments. Importantly, without convoluting history. Except for Adham, who, in film like life, was thrown from the parapet, others have multiple layers. Watch “Jodhaa Akbar” as a masala entertainer and you may not be too disappointed despite its poor editing, inordinate length. The big canvas will appeal to some, the cinematography to others as would the song “Jashn-e-bahara hai….” Looking for a masterpiece of history with the past throbbing with life? You might have to wait till eternity. This one thrills neither the historians nor connoisseurs.

ENCHANTED

(At Spice PVR, Noida, and other theatres)

After a history lesson too long, this one comes like a whiff of fresh air. Director Kevin Lima’s wonderful mix of animation and human characters is naughty enough to keep the adults engaged, and innocent enough to keep the little ones giggling. And therein lies its success: essentially a film for kids, “Enchanted” transcends its first target audience to appeal to audiences across all age groups.

A little silly sentimentality sets the film rolling and a playful subversion of accepted jokes in such films sets it apart. The film relates the story of a princess of Andalasia who is thrown out from her wonderful world to the earth by an evil queen. And lo! She falls from heaven straight to New York! Heaven to hell, as some would say.

Okay, don’t get into those debates, but the little princess here is simply bemused by the goings-on in the world. The escalators, the corridors, the fridge, are all too much for the little girl with a big gown, the kind the kids wear in fancy dress contests! Then she meets a guy who is alternately besotted and thrilled. Just a little hitch before all ends well: she had her prince in her own world, who is still on the look-out for her! How she gets the man she deserves comes after a wonderful journey where plenty of sharp editing and crisp screenplay help along. The pace never slacks, the jokes seldom seem forced. And the only time the film is in danger of losing focus is when the director gets the innocent princess too close to the man’s lips. Did one see some parents squirm!

Ignore that little anomaly. Lima’s film with some narration, and a nice re-jigging of good old formula fare, is worth the time spent inside the theatre. Simply put, “Enchanted” is worth its name. Prepare to be enthralled.

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