Jodha Akbar As this is a BIG movie with so much effort gone into it, I would try to write a review that is more comprehensive of everyone's expectations and how well or not well the movie is meeting them.

The story is about one of the greatest Mughal rulers of India  Jallaluddin Mohammed Akbar (Hritik Roshan) and his fictional love affair with a Hindu Rajput princess  Jodha bai (Aishwariya Rai). The matrimony between them is fixed more as a political checkmate between king of Amer (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) and Akbar, but once Jodha and Akbar meet  the real love story evolves fascinatingly. The respectful and tolerant Akbar is shown giving enough leeway to listen to what Jodha has to communicate to him  verbally and non-verbally. This changes Akbar in the way he looks at his kingdom and subjects. There are a few sub-plots; one, the conflict between Jodha and her mother-in-law (Ila Arun), the treachery of Akbar's brother-in-law to topple him and rule India and the terrorist attack on Akbar.

Ashutosh Gowarikar's attempt to be among big wigs like K.Asif and Kamal Amrohi who made beautiful period films is clearly seen in Jodha Akbar. Ashutosh has tried to include enough of commercial masala into the movie  enough fight sequences, action sequences, songs and dance, great visuals, music, cinematography to present a painted canvass for Indian audience. He has also gelled well the contemporary political topics that bother India  the dominant of it was about Hindu and Muslim unity.

Hritik Roshan has tried his best to portray Akbar in his best possible way. Except his slim body looks  he fits well into the role and renders it with acumen. Aishwariya Rai is picture perfect throughout and acts with amazing grace.

There are several moments in the film worth remembering. A few I can mention are: the initial war sequences, Hritik fighting and taming an elephant, the Ajmer wale Khwaja song and Hritik's trance dance, the bare body Hritik adored by Aish, the bitter sequence between Aishwariya and Ila Arun, the final Troy style fight scene, the sword fight scene between Hritik and Aishwariya, the tender song picturisation in the second half between Hritik and Aishwariya, and all great long shots of Palaces and Rajasthan landscape. There are ample number of scenes that would have been hard to visualize let alone picturize! Kudos to Ashutosh.

The music reminds us of Lagaan hangover  and the in-between beats also remiscents of Lagaan songs (especially Zam chananana, Zam chananana), but A.R.Rahman has given soul rendering music and Sonu Nigam has sung the songs superbly.

The style of Ashutosh is slow and time consuming. Definitely he could have edited some scenes during scripting itself.

Apart from Jodha and Akbar, and mother in law Ila Arun  strangely all the characters are under developed. This tore my heart, because in Lagaan and Swades each character was given enough glory to be on its own. This leaves Jodha Akbar lacking in some ways  and not totally fulfilling experience.

There would be obvious comparisons with Mughale Azam and Lagaan. Let me tell you that Jodha Akbar is no way any close to the greatness of Mughale Azam or Lagaan, but it will be well remembered as a good well made movie.

Regarding the controversy around Jodha being Akbar's wife or daughter in law  how do I care? I have gone to see a good story and a good movie and Jodha Akbar delivers that. What more we want in name of entertainment? I would leave the controversy to desperate zealouts.

Most of the movie is shot in Rajasthan and North India, and it shows various birds besides queen Jodha. Knowing that Rajasthan is full of peacocks  not a single peacock is shown in the movie. There are a few peacock feathers on the tables, and a few background score of peacock's cry  but not a single visual of a peacock! What a pity? Ashutosh  how can you miss that!!! (Stars 7.5 out of 10)