You'll see Hrithik-Ash on time - Ashutosh

For a long time now some sections of the media have been inexplicably eager to see a delay in the release of Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodha-Akbar.

Several manufactured 'accidents' from the sets of Jodha-Akbar were reported, just to fuel the tantalizing possibility of a postponement in the release date of this eagerly awaited film.

In fact I contacted Hrithik after the report of his most recent 'accident'. He categorically said he had never suffered any accident during the shooting of Jodha-Akbar.

But then the naysayers and sensation-hungry fiction writers can't get enough of the quick- fix method of news-making. Hence last week there was again a report that the release of Jodhaa-Akbar has been postponed.

"Not again! Not true at all!" laughs Ashutosh Gowariker as he speeds to a spectucular conclusion of his Mughal epic. "I've been reading stories of Jodhaa-Akbar being postponded every couple of months.

These rumours are not true at all. We had locked in on October 12 as the release date since it coincides with Eid when audiences swamp to the theatres. We've to be stupid or careless to let go of such a coveted date."

So where does Ashutosh think these delay rumours are coming from? "Beats me! Probably because I've one song and one scene left to shoot, some people might be jumping to the wrong conclusions. But October 12 was, and is the release date for Jodhaa-Akbar."

There has also been some talk of Ashutosh returning to his first love, acting.

"First love?" he laughs. "Direction is and always be my pehla nashaa. If after that I get some time off I may, mind you may, consider giving acting a try. And that too only if a friend is insistent."

However right now it seems unlikely that Ashutosh Gowariker would be able to take up any acting assignments, what with the grueling post-production of Jodhaa-Akbar awaiting his full attention

Jodhaa-Akbar - Movie Review

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Aishwarya Rai

Producer: Ashutosh Gowariker, Ronnie Screwvala

Director: Ashutosh Gowariker

Music Director: A. R. Rahman

Release Date: 12 October 2007

Jodhaa-Akbar is the sixteenth century epic that tells the story of Mughal Emperor Akbar The Great, played by Hrithik Roshan, and his Hindu wife, Jodhabai, played by Aishwarya Rai. Directed and produced by Ashutosh Gowarikar, who previously directed the Oscar-nominated Lagaan; Jodhaa-Akbar promises to be one of the most lavish films ever created on celluloid.

It writes the poetry of a marriage of alliances that inadvertently gives rise to true love between a great Mughal ruler and his Rajput wife. For Emperor Akbar, political prowess had no limits. After conquering the Hindu Kush, he further imposed authority that stretched from present-day Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal, and from the Himalayas to the Godavari River. But one of his smartest moves was gaining the support and loyalty of the Rajputs, one of India's most confrontational groups. In attempt to fortify his relations with the Rajputs, Akbar decides to marry the defiant Rajput princess Jodhabai, who at the time was but a mere pawn in the political mindset of Akbar. However, it was this very bond that soon lit the flame of a candle made not of wax, but of true love.

Akbar's greatest obstacle now was not simply to win battles, but to woo Jodhaa and gain her love - a possession buried beneath the rubbles of hate and chauvinism.

A film that has been in the making for quite some time, Jodhaa-Akbar is a piece of work in which Ashutosh Gowarikar has invested a lot of time, dedication, and research. The film is also said to have a phenomenal soundtrack, which has been composed by Gowarikar-loyal A R Rahman and written by Javed Akhtar.

Some interesting points behind the making of Jodhaa-Akbar:

- A band of Rajput youths have threatened to sue Gowarikar, demanding that he prove that Akbar and Jodhabai were in fact married.

- Gowarikar had hired a research team of scholars and historians from New Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur and Agra to help him keep his script as historically accurate and precise as possible.

- Jodhaa-Akbar is scheduled to release simultaneously in 26 different countries.

- Over 80 elephants, 100 horses, and 55 camels have reportedly been used in the shooting of this film.

- The soundtrack of Jodhaa-Akbar has twelve songs by Rahman.

Jodhaa-Akbar is scheduled to release worldwide on October 12, 2007

-glamsham.com

Hrithik Roshan sweats to complete Jodhaa Akbar in Aishwarya's absence

Aishwarya Bachchan's honeymoon and visit to Cannes have messed up the schedule of this film but it has not deterred Hrithik from perfecting his part of the film.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan in a still from Dhoom 2

18 May 2007 (Sawf News) - One of Bollywood sincerest superstars, Hrithik is following a punishing schedule of work to complete Jodhaa Akbar, Ashutosh Gowarikar's magnum opus, says Bombay Times,

"He has to wear extremely heavy amour to look convincing as Emperor Akbar but he carries the weight all day. He wakes up at 5 am every day to reach the location in Karjat (near Mumbai) in time for the shoot and returns home beating the traffic to spend dinnertime with family. He sleeps early to repeat the routine next day."

Aishwarya Bachchan's honeymoon and visit to Cannes have messed up the schedule of this film but it has not deterred Hrithik from perfecting his part of the film.

Source : Sawf