'Jodhaa Akbar' Drama. Starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan. Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. (In Hindi with English subtitles. Not rated. 193 minutes. At the Balboa.) Close your eyes and think of Rajputana. That's the kind ofadvice you get when you are a devout Hindu princess descended fromfierce Rajput warriors, but your father has arranged your marriage tothe Muslim Mughal emperor. Their wedding was supposed to be aboutstatecraft, but in "Jodhaa Akbar" it blooms into an epic story of loveand religious harmony. Indian director Ashutosh Gowariker, who won an Oscar nomination for "Lagaan," usually knows how to tell a good story. Here, however, he seems overwhelmed by the sheer weight of history. The never-ending opening sequence, a CliffsNotes version of Indian history in superstar Amitabh Bachchan's sonorous baritone, doesn't help either. Or perhaps the film just topples over under the sheer weight of all that gold jewelry. It looks gorgeous. The red brick palaces, the desert forts, the green flashes of parrots, the snowy white fantail pigeons - it's all a visual feast. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is a ravishing Jodhaa, and Hrithik Roshan looks pecs-perfect as Akbar, with a designer rivulet of sweat running down his bare back. Jodhaa demands that Akbar allow her to worship her god in his palace. He readily accedes, for he's a decent kind of fella who doesn't even like beheading his enemies. But his possessive foster mother/wet nurse sows mischief. Misunderstandings ensue, and the emperor learns that winning a battle is one thing, winning hearts is quite another. The problem with Jodhaa and Akbar is that they are both too noble. Epic stories need epic tragedies or at least forbidden love. In the 1960 classic "Mughal-E-Azam," the rebellious prince (actually the son of Akbar) falls in love with the beautiful courtesan, and her defiant songs became the anthem of star-crossed lovers. (You still hear South Asians singing it at gay pride parades.) Tolerant kings and wise queens make for prosperous reigns but not necessarily must-watch melodrama. Thank goodness at least the Mommie Dearest wet nurse (Ila Arun) is there to add some bite. But even she is disposed of soon enough. That's one problem with the script, which moves episodically in fits and starts, presenting a bewildering array of mustached side characters who pop in and out without any real character development. The alphabet soup of Rajput states that Akbar must conquer adds to the general confusion. But there are moments when the film manages to break free. Jodhaa and Akbar duel in an empty palace courtyard, their swordplay turning into foreplay. A crowd of Sufis whirl, their white outfits glowing against the brick red earth, and the emperor leaves his seat to dance ecstatically with them. These are the real human moments in the film. One just wishes there were a few more. Still, if you stick with it you'll find what you came for in the end - gorgeous actors, opulent costumes, lavish song and dance, hand-to-hand combat and gauzy romance. It's an old-fashioned movie about love and ideals. And that's something to root for in an age of cynicism and religious warfare. But what I really want to know is how did Jodhaa ever get a wink of sleep with all that jewelry on? - Sandip Roy
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/15/DD8SV2KAB.DTL
