Noted music composer A R Rahman was conferred the Life Time Achievement award by Rotary Club of Madras for his contribution to Indian music.
Stills and Videos from the Function
Stills and Videos from the Function
A man of simplicity and nobility, Rahman said, ' I still have a long way to go'.
The man who carved a niche for himself coming out with back to back hits ever since he was introduced in Mani Ratnam's Roja was at his usual best.
'If you can start playing the piano at four, you can accept a Lifetime Achievement Award at 40,' said Indra Subramanyam, President, Rotary Club of Madras, summing the musical lifespan of the genius, thus far.
A God-fearing individual, Rahman said, ' Whenever I'm confident about something, I know I am wrong. It is when I'm insecure that I produce something special.'
Rahman said he listens to music from different genres, from The Carpenters to M S Vishwanathan and compositions of Kannadasan and Naushad.
The music genius added that he did a lot of research for ‘Jodhaa Akbar’ and didn't use any of it in the end.
'I wasn't looking to recreate a ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ or to better the compositions of Khayyam or Naushad. I wanted to do something that hadn't been heard before.'
The award ceremony also included a documentary which featured some of the biggest names from the Tamil film industry showering praises on Rahman. Special mention was also made on Rahman, the human being.
K Balachander, Mani Rathnam and Kamal Haasan among others spoke on the audio-visual highlighting the contributions of Rahman.
Watch A R Rahman Honored
Courtesy:
Showing posts with label Mughal-e-Azam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mughal-e-Azam. Show all posts
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
What ails Gowariker’s portrait of a lady?
Two years ago, Mughal-e-Azam, the K Asif classic, had a second innings. In style. It burst into colour, enjoyed nostalgic reviews and headed for the UK and the US. The 2008 film, Jodhaa-Akbar, is headed — nowhere. Madhya Pradesh and Bihar followed Rajasthan in banning it. For the first time, perhaps, historical validity has become the mainstay of a film controversy.
Jodha, who existed more in folk memory than between the covers of history books, first made her silver screen debut as Akbar’s wife in Mughal-e-Azam, which was released without a disclaimer. No one raised a stink — then. “It probably affronts the contemporary consciousness of Rajput society which is imbued with Hindu consciousness today, irrespective of what happened or did not happen in the past,” reasons Bhagawan Josh, a history professor in JNU. If story telling is an art, that art has its politics.
During the genre’s heyday, till the 1960s, historicals have ridden on artistic licence. Recent films like Subhash Chandra Bose and Gandhi My Father, raised the heckles from few corners. Mangal Pandey (2005), whose bravery has always been contentious, drew some flak. The film even saw unknown local groups like Mangal Pandey Suraksha Samiti spring up. Says Sharmistha Gooptu, editor of Revisiting 1857: Myth, Memory and History, “Though 1857 has been the subject of seven films, only Mangal Pandey created a furore.” Jodhaa though has been the queen of controversy. Why? One explanation is, as Josh says: “Women are the social skin of a community.”
It’s in the plot
Historicals, from the very first feature film, Raja Harischandra (1913), have always been an important genre of Indian cinema. They have mostly had Mughal and Rajput themes.
The problem lies not so much in the script as in the immediate socio-political context, feels Ira Bhaskar, professor of cinema studies in JNU. Mahboob Khan’s Humayun (1945) was about the emperor’s relation with his Rajput sister. “Historicals, though set in the past, always addressed contemporary issues. In 1945, when Partition seemed imminent, this film tried to put forward the message of Hindu-Muslim amity. The focus of the film was not Humayun’s love interest but his Rajput sister,” she explains. So the mootpoint is that the controversy is tailored to suit political needs.
Space for imagination
K Asif might have had it easy but directors today know that they have to do their homework more so to ward off hungry wannabe politicos. Director Santosh Sivan consulted historians for Asoka but the film was criticised for showing Kaurvaki as the reason for Asoka’s Buddhist turn. But then as Bhaskar points out, “The hallmark of historicals has always been the combining of the romantic with the political.”
Shyam Benegal, whose Subhash Chandra Bose faced criticism for showing that Bose married an Australian without ‘proof,’ says, “There is a lot of pressure to get the facts right, which is why filmmakers never flout well-known facts.” Commenting on Jodhaa, Sudhir Mishra, director of Khoya Khoya Chand says,“Gowariker said that he ‘imagined responsibly’. There should always be space for imagination in History.” Historians are not spewing venom. “There was no need for Gowariker to meet historians. Facts are not necessary to bring out historical truth. That Jodha didn’t exist is a fact but the historical truth is Mughals had matrimonial alliances with Rajputs. Mughal-e-Azam might be factually wrong but brings out the contradiction of the times between power and love,”says Josh.
If the filmmaker has done his homework and historians not very unhappy, then who is at the source of the entire hullabaloo? The average moviegoer?
Shah Nadeem, a lecturer at Delhi’s Zakir Hussain College, who went to see the film reacted thus: “I was pleasantly surprised to see the kind of historical detail that went into the film. In Akbarnama, Abul Fazal refers to the emperor’s spiritual experience under a tree after which he gave himself the title of Insaan-e-Kamil. This is depicted onscreen as Akbar dancing to the song Khwaja Mere Khwaja in a trance. That apart, the killing of Aadam Khan by throwing him off twice from the pulpit, Akbar’s fascination to tame mad elephants are all historical facts. Of course, it’s all in filmy style but that’s ok.”
Which brings us to the same question, if not the audience, who do the shrill voices of protest belong to? Observes psephologist Yoginder Yadav, “With politics taking a communitarian turn, and with the young and infantile visual media looking for issues that are easy to turn into a story, the trouble makers are making merry.” Filmmakers too agree. Says Mishra, “There are too many vested groups in India. Who were these people before they started protesting?” Says Benegal: “Such protestors would want us to keep making fairytales so that they can use them to launch their political careers.”
Guiding history
But what about the lady in question? Says Najaf Haider, a professor of medieval history at JNU: “The whole concept of Jodha probably came into being in the 19th century from the stories of the tourist guides. They have a tremendous burden of narrating a story about each monument they show and often make up stories to fill gaps.” According to him, all three references to Akbar’s Rajput wife — in Abul Fazal’s Akbarnama when the Rajput marriage proposal comes, when Akbar gives her the title of Marian Zamani, and in Jahangir’s autobiography, Tuzuk-I-Jahangiri referring to his mother’s death — mentions no name. “But the fact that the Jodhpur princely house came into existence in the 17th century rules out the name Jodha in 16th century, when Akbar ruled,” says Haider.
Maximum mileage
With Bollywood emerging as a major newsmaker, these protests have become the easy way to hog limelight. Is there a solution to this problem? “To call the bluff of the protestors one should deal with it like a law and order issue. One tends to blame the people but it’s the politicians who are trying to make some capital out of it. It’s the most publicly displayable stunt at little cost,” Dipankar Gupta, the author of Interrogating Identity. Yadav puts his finger on the political pulse.
“One phenomenon that has been documented is that community identities are invented and discovered in the arena of politics through symbolism. Such protests should be seen in that context, and in Rajasthan with elections around the corner it’s all too obvious.”
Courtesy: hindustantimes.com
Jodha, who existed more in folk memory than between the covers of history books, first made her silver screen debut as Akbar’s wife in Mughal-e-Azam, which was released without a disclaimer. No one raised a stink — then. “It probably affronts the contemporary consciousness of Rajput society which is imbued with Hindu consciousness today, irrespective of what happened or did not happen in the past,” reasons Bhagawan Josh, a history professor in JNU. If story telling is an art, that art has its politics.
During the genre’s heyday, till the 1960s, historicals have ridden on artistic licence. Recent films like Subhash Chandra Bose and Gandhi My Father, raised the heckles from few corners. Mangal Pandey (2005), whose bravery has always been contentious, drew some flak. The film even saw unknown local groups like Mangal Pandey Suraksha Samiti spring up. Says Sharmistha Gooptu, editor of Revisiting 1857: Myth, Memory and History, “Though 1857 has been the subject of seven films, only Mangal Pandey created a furore.” Jodhaa though has been the queen of controversy. Why? One explanation is, as Josh says: “Women are the social skin of a community.”
It’s in the plot
Historicals, from the very first feature film, Raja Harischandra (1913), have always been an important genre of Indian cinema. They have mostly had Mughal and Rajput themes.
The problem lies not so much in the script as in the immediate socio-political context, feels Ira Bhaskar, professor of cinema studies in JNU. Mahboob Khan’s Humayun (1945) was about the emperor’s relation with his Rajput sister. “Historicals, though set in the past, always addressed contemporary issues. In 1945, when Partition seemed imminent, this film tried to put forward the message of Hindu-Muslim amity. The focus of the film was not Humayun’s love interest but his Rajput sister,” she explains. So the mootpoint is that the controversy is tailored to suit political needs.
Space for imagination
K Asif might have had it easy but directors today know that they have to do their homework more so to ward off hungry wannabe politicos. Director Santosh Sivan consulted historians for Asoka but the film was criticised for showing Kaurvaki as the reason for Asoka’s Buddhist turn. But then as Bhaskar points out, “The hallmark of historicals has always been the combining of the romantic with the political.”
Shyam Benegal, whose Subhash Chandra Bose faced criticism for showing that Bose married an Australian without ‘proof,’ says, “There is a lot of pressure to get the facts right, which is why filmmakers never flout well-known facts.” Commenting on Jodhaa, Sudhir Mishra, director of Khoya Khoya Chand says,“Gowariker said that he ‘imagined responsibly’. There should always be space for imagination in History.” Historians are not spewing venom. “There was no need for Gowariker to meet historians. Facts are not necessary to bring out historical truth. That Jodha didn’t exist is a fact but the historical truth is Mughals had matrimonial alliances with Rajputs. Mughal-e-Azam might be factually wrong but brings out the contradiction of the times between power and love,”says Josh.
If the filmmaker has done his homework and historians not very unhappy, then who is at the source of the entire hullabaloo? The average moviegoer?
Shah Nadeem, a lecturer at Delhi’s Zakir Hussain College, who went to see the film reacted thus: “I was pleasantly surprised to see the kind of historical detail that went into the film. In Akbarnama, Abul Fazal refers to the emperor’s spiritual experience under a tree after which he gave himself the title of Insaan-e-Kamil. This is depicted onscreen as Akbar dancing to the song Khwaja Mere Khwaja in a trance. That apart, the killing of Aadam Khan by throwing him off twice from the pulpit, Akbar’s fascination to tame mad elephants are all historical facts. Of course, it’s all in filmy style but that’s ok.”
Which brings us to the same question, if not the audience, who do the shrill voices of protest belong to? Observes psephologist Yoginder Yadav, “With politics taking a communitarian turn, and with the young and infantile visual media looking for issues that are easy to turn into a story, the trouble makers are making merry.” Filmmakers too agree. Says Mishra, “There are too many vested groups in India. Who were these people before they started protesting?” Says Benegal: “Such protestors would want us to keep making fairytales so that they can use them to launch their political careers.”
Guiding history
But what about the lady in question? Says Najaf Haider, a professor of medieval history at JNU: “The whole concept of Jodha probably came into being in the 19th century from the stories of the tourist guides. They have a tremendous burden of narrating a story about each monument they show and often make up stories to fill gaps.” According to him, all three references to Akbar’s Rajput wife — in Abul Fazal’s Akbarnama when the Rajput marriage proposal comes, when Akbar gives her the title of Marian Zamani, and in Jahangir’s autobiography, Tuzuk-I-Jahangiri referring to his mother’s death — mentions no name. “But the fact that the Jodhpur princely house came into existence in the 17th century rules out the name Jodha in 16th century, when Akbar ruled,” says Haider.
Maximum mileage
With Bollywood emerging as a major newsmaker, these protests have become the easy way to hog limelight. Is there a solution to this problem? “To call the bluff of the protestors one should deal with it like a law and order issue. One tends to blame the people but it’s the politicians who are trying to make some capital out of it. It’s the most publicly displayable stunt at little cost,” Dipankar Gupta, the author of Interrogating Identity. Yadav puts his finger on the political pulse.
“One phenomenon that has been documented is that community identities are invented and discovered in the arena of politics through symbolism. Such protests should be seen in that context, and in Rajasthan with elections around the corner it’s all too obvious.”
Courtesy: hindustantimes.com
Monday, February 18, 2008
The journey so far
Music virtuoso A R Rahman in conversation with Rajiv Vijayakar about his newly-launched Music Conservatory and projects in the pipeline.
In every composer’s life comes a stage when he wants to pay back the art and medium that has given him so much. A R Rahman began in 1992 with Roja’s original Tamil version, little realising that he would win the National award for his debut — a first in film music history before Ismail Darbar repeated the feat in Hindi films with Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.
The payback in Hindi films was even better — Roja changed trends in music the way only Barsaat (1949), Dosti (1964), Aradhana (1969) and Aashiqui (1990) had done before. Today, Rahman, who also went on a techno trip and dominated digital domain and earned the ire of purists, is shifting gears. The Fuhrer of modern fusion, who has composed music in seven languages, has launched a unique Music Conservatory as his return gift to the seven notes.
Excerpts from an interview:
The K M Music Conservatory was a long-standing dream, right?
Yes, but since I kept hearing of similar projects I was not going ahead. Finally, since nothing was happening, I began work on it. Initially, we are operating from near my studio in Chennai. But soon, we will shift to a proper campus just outside the city.
What exactly is a Music Conservatory?
It is a concept quite prevalent in the West and takes care of music as well as musicians. For example, there are certain instruments that do not yield lucrative returns or even decent livelihoods for their players.
Such people can therefore earn in other ways, such as web designing or learning music production even as they continue with their passion. This ensures that such players are available and the instrument does not get lost.
In music today, being abreast with technology and music production opens up many doors and today's musicians should know these. When I have worked abroad, I have found it easy to prepare and record music in a few days flat — and yet it sounds good. This is as much because of the orderliness and harmonic structure of their music as it is due to availability of all kinds of instruments.
But in India, one has to often find musicians from abroad for an orchestra. And unlike two or three decades ago it is very difficult to find players of oboes or French horns, to mention just two instruments.
The same fate has come on various Indian instruments as musicians are discouraged from learning them because they cannot earn enough. In the end it is music that is compromised.
But in the conservatory, a young musician can learn even a rare instrument and earn well too. Since I have extended this concept even to Indian classical and folk music, musicians can come here to learn different styles of music too, like kirtanas or thumri. A world-class orchestra is another goal.
What will the faculty and curricula be like?
The K M Music Conservatory and Audio Media Education will be India's first Apple-authorised training centre. We will have a faculty of professors and musicians from both India and abroad and plan to start the first batch in 2008, when we will audition vocalists as well as different instrumentalists.
We will have courses in Western and Indian Vocals, Instrumental Performance, Classical, Theory, Music Appreciation, Ear Training, Piano, Audio Engineering, an Apple- certified course in Logic Pro, and a Digidesign-certified course in Pro Tools. We will give away A R Rahman Foundation Scholarships for deserving students.
Will you be choosier now about film assignments now to give more time to this activity?
(Smiles) A bit, yes. But then I was never into doing ten films at a time.
In Guru, your Barso re and Tere bina proved more popular than the ‘item’ song Mayya mayya. Does that indicate a shift in trends?
By itself, it is a very good sign. It is a fact that electronic music does not satisfy in the long run and I have always loved acoustics.
You have always taken amateur singers even if they are not in immaculate sur. Others use pitch-correction software for such voices, but you do not. Why is that?
I do not think that it is necessary to have perfection every time. Too much polish can be boring! (Laughs) It’s like this new jacket I am wearing which has rough and faded edges. That can sometimes look more attractive!
But some songs demand trained voices. Why did you want Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to sing the raag-oriented Man Mohana in Jodhaa Akbar?
Well, Ashutosh Gowariker was very keen on it, but Aishwarya had no time to rehearse. And there are hidden talents in people!
In Mumbai, two filmmakers have always had foolproof collaborations with you — Subhash Ghai and Ashutosh Gowariker.
That is why I am choosy and do not want to repeat some films that were mistakes. These filmmakers push you and yet give you time because they want perfection. As a composer, I have really enjoyed working on all their films.
You are the first choice in Mumbai for period films since Lagaan. But you have been accused of being indifferent to the eras and regions in terms of orchestration and sound.
Period films, whether Jodhaa Akbar or Bose— The Forgotten Hero make you think differently. You cannot use a catchy groove and a certain authenticity is needed. But at the same time, there should be a contemporary appeal and quality, so I have to see how friendly my music can be while retaining the correct vibe. I try to avoid something that has too modern, but it’s not always possible or even necessary. The impact of the orchestration and background music is more important, like Naushad-saab’s background score in Mughal-E-Azam.
Which are your forthcoming films?
I am doing Subhash Ghai’s Yuvraaj, Aamir Khan’s Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na and his remake of Ghajini and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Dilli 6.
In Tamil films I am doing Shankar’s Robot and also Sultan— The Warrior. Then there is a Telugu film starring Pawan Kalyan.
Courtesy: Deccanherald.com
In every composer’s life comes a stage when he wants to pay back the art and medium that has given him so much. A R Rahman began in 1992 with Roja’s original Tamil version, little realising that he would win the National award for his debut — a first in film music history before Ismail Darbar repeated the feat in Hindi films with Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.
The payback in Hindi films was even better — Roja changed trends in music the way only Barsaat (1949), Dosti (1964), Aradhana (1969) and Aashiqui (1990) had done before. Today, Rahman, who also went on a techno trip and dominated digital domain and earned the ire of purists, is shifting gears. The Fuhrer of modern fusion, who has composed music in seven languages, has launched a unique Music Conservatory as his return gift to the seven notes.
Excerpts from an interview:
The K M Music Conservatory was a long-standing dream, right?
Yes, but since I kept hearing of similar projects I was not going ahead. Finally, since nothing was happening, I began work on it. Initially, we are operating from near my studio in Chennai. But soon, we will shift to a proper campus just outside the city.
What exactly is a Music Conservatory?
It is a concept quite prevalent in the West and takes care of music as well as musicians. For example, there are certain instruments that do not yield lucrative returns or even decent livelihoods for their players.
Such people can therefore earn in other ways, such as web designing or learning music production even as they continue with their passion. This ensures that such players are available and the instrument does not get lost.
In music today, being abreast with technology and music production opens up many doors and today's musicians should know these. When I have worked abroad, I have found it easy to prepare and record music in a few days flat — and yet it sounds good. This is as much because of the orderliness and harmonic structure of their music as it is due to availability of all kinds of instruments.
But in India, one has to often find musicians from abroad for an orchestra. And unlike two or three decades ago it is very difficult to find players of oboes or French horns, to mention just two instruments.
The same fate has come on various Indian instruments as musicians are discouraged from learning them because they cannot earn enough. In the end it is music that is compromised.
But in the conservatory, a young musician can learn even a rare instrument and earn well too. Since I have extended this concept even to Indian classical and folk music, musicians can come here to learn different styles of music too, like kirtanas or thumri. A world-class orchestra is another goal.
What will the faculty and curricula be like?
The K M Music Conservatory and Audio Media Education will be India's first Apple-authorised training centre. We will have a faculty of professors and musicians from both India and abroad and plan to start the first batch in 2008, when we will audition vocalists as well as different instrumentalists.
We will have courses in Western and Indian Vocals, Instrumental Performance, Classical, Theory, Music Appreciation, Ear Training, Piano, Audio Engineering, an Apple- certified course in Logic Pro, and a Digidesign-certified course in Pro Tools. We will give away A R Rahman Foundation Scholarships for deserving students.
Will you be choosier now about film assignments now to give more time to this activity?
(Smiles) A bit, yes. But then I was never into doing ten films at a time.
In Guru, your Barso re and Tere bina proved more popular than the ‘item’ song Mayya mayya. Does that indicate a shift in trends?
By itself, it is a very good sign. It is a fact that electronic music does not satisfy in the long run and I have always loved acoustics.
You have always taken amateur singers even if they are not in immaculate sur. Others use pitch-correction software for such voices, but you do not. Why is that?
I do not think that it is necessary to have perfection every time. Too much polish can be boring! (Laughs) It’s like this new jacket I am wearing which has rough and faded edges. That can sometimes look more attractive!
But some songs demand trained voices. Why did you want Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to sing the raag-oriented Man Mohana in Jodhaa Akbar?
Well, Ashutosh Gowariker was very keen on it, but Aishwarya had no time to rehearse. And there are hidden talents in people!
In Mumbai, two filmmakers have always had foolproof collaborations with you — Subhash Ghai and Ashutosh Gowariker.
That is why I am choosy and do not want to repeat some films that were mistakes. These filmmakers push you and yet give you time because they want perfection. As a composer, I have really enjoyed working on all their films.
You are the first choice in Mumbai for period films since Lagaan. But you have been accused of being indifferent to the eras and regions in terms of orchestration and sound.
Period films, whether Jodhaa Akbar or Bose— The Forgotten Hero make you think differently. You cannot use a catchy groove and a certain authenticity is needed. But at the same time, there should be a contemporary appeal and quality, so I have to see how friendly my music can be while retaining the correct vibe. I try to avoid something that has too modern, but it’s not always possible or even necessary. The impact of the orchestration and background music is more important, like Naushad-saab’s background score in Mughal-E-Azam.
Which are your forthcoming films?
I am doing Subhash Ghai’s Yuvraaj, Aamir Khan’s Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na and his remake of Ghajini and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Dilli 6.
In Tamil films I am doing Shankar’s Robot and also Sultan— The Warrior. Then there is a Telugu film starring Pawan Kalyan.
Courtesy: Deccanherald.com
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Debate continues over Jodha Bai
Who was Jodha Bai? That's the crux of the controversy that's dogging Ashutosh Gowarikar magnum opus Jodha Akbar that releases this week.
A section of the Rajput community opposing the film claims that it's historically incorrect to say that Jodha was Akbar's wife but historians themselves are divided.
Some historians say Jodhaa was Akbar's daughter-in-law, which is what school textbooks also say but others claim she was married to Akbar.
In fact she was not a Jaipur princess at all but from Jodhpur and wife of Salim or Jehangir.
They claim, the Jaipur Princess Akbar was married to, was called Harkan or Heera Bai but coming out in support of the film is none other than the royal families of Jaipur and Kishangarh.
The royal families say there is not much in a name. Akbar's consort was a Jaipur princess and Gowarikar only went ahead with the film once they cleared the script and if anybody has any objections it should be them.
While school children studying Satish Chandra 's NCERT text book are taught that Jodha Bai was the wife of Jehangir other historians claim that in fact if you look at primary sources there is no mention of the name Jodha at all.
In fact the name Jodha only crops up in the past 200 years when Col Todd in his annals and antiquities of Rajasthan writes that Jodha was probably married to Akbar. So the mystery deepens as to who was Jodha?
The Mughals came to India as invaders but it was Akbar who embraced Hindustan as his own. His marriage with the daughter of Rajput kings of Amber was a political alliance that turned the Rajputs from foes into friends.
But who was this princess who entered into the first Hindu-Muslim alliance in history?
Original records like Ain-I-Akbari and histories of the Amber kings confirm that in 1562 Akbar married Raja Bharmal's daughter at Sambhar about a 100 km from modern Jaipur but the name of this princess is far from clear.
"Our geneology, the documents of the Royal Family are the most authentic records, and in our records, different names appear. She is called Hira Bai and Harkan Bai and some historians call her Jodha. So he took the most popular name for the film," said Maharaja Brajraj Singh, Kishangarh Royal family.
But Ashutosh Gowarikar says the film should not be judged only in the context of the title but as an exploration of an inter-faith relationship.
"For me what became important was to get into the research. I read the Rajput history-some called her Harka Bai, Shahi Bai, Jodha Bai. I also read the history of Jaipur, where it mentions Uday Singh the Raja, who gave his daughter away to Jehangir but her name was Jodh. Both Jodha and Jodh are different I could have called my film Harka-Akbar or Meera-Akbar but I thought some historians might object to it so I kept the popular name," said Gowarikar.
So, how did the name Jodha become popular?
Some historians like Col Todd have called Akbar's wife Jodha and Films like Mughal-e-Azam, which picked up the name entrenched it in public memory.
But the Rajput community that's opposing the film says the time has now come to set the record straight. They claim Jodha was from Jodhpur and she was married not to Akbar but to his son Jehangir.
Prof Khangarot, Historian and spokespeson for the Rajput sabha said, "Do you have a right to make your own history or change history. Jodha Bai was the daughter of Mota Raja of Jodhpur, who wed Salim and became the mother of Shahjahan."
The Rajput Karni Sena has already started burning posters of the film. They say they won't allow it to be shown in Rajasthan. But the Jaipur royals, who support the film say Gowarikar's has depicted Rajput culture with sensitivity.
Maharani Padmini Devi, Jaipur royal family said, "We went through the script before he started the movie, the mahurat shot was taken here. We are the closest in relation to Jodha, therefore if there was anything objectionable we would have not endorsed it."
Some historians are of the opinion that the name Jodha does not figure in any original records of the time.
Infact, it is only in the past 200 years that the name begins to appear in historical narratives. So what is history?
There is no definite answer, there is recorded history and there are oral traditions, there are legends and myths. The the answers to who was Jodha probably lies in the matrix of our past.
Courtesy: Ndtvmovies.com
A section of the Rajput community opposing the film claims that it's historically incorrect to say that Jodha was Akbar's wife but historians themselves are divided.
Some historians say Jodhaa was Akbar's daughter-in-law, which is what school textbooks also say but others claim she was married to Akbar.
In fact she was not a Jaipur princess at all but from Jodhpur and wife of Salim or Jehangir.
They claim, the Jaipur Princess Akbar was married to, was called Harkan or Heera Bai but coming out in support of the film is none other than the royal families of Jaipur and Kishangarh.
The royal families say there is not much in a name. Akbar's consort was a Jaipur princess and Gowarikar only went ahead with the film once they cleared the script and if anybody has any objections it should be them.
While school children studying Satish Chandra 's NCERT text book are taught that Jodha Bai was the wife of Jehangir other historians claim that in fact if you look at primary sources there is no mention of the name Jodha at all.
In fact the name Jodha only crops up in the past 200 years when Col Todd in his annals and antiquities of Rajasthan writes that Jodha was probably married to Akbar. So the mystery deepens as to who was Jodha?
The Mughals came to India as invaders but it was Akbar who embraced Hindustan as his own. His marriage with the daughter of Rajput kings of Amber was a political alliance that turned the Rajputs from foes into friends.
But who was this princess who entered into the first Hindu-Muslim alliance in history?
Original records like Ain-I-Akbari and histories of the Amber kings confirm that in 1562 Akbar married Raja Bharmal's daughter at Sambhar about a 100 km from modern Jaipur but the name of this princess is far from clear.
"Our geneology, the documents of the Royal Family are the most authentic records, and in our records, different names appear. She is called Hira Bai and Harkan Bai and some historians call her Jodha. So he took the most popular name for the film," said Maharaja Brajraj Singh, Kishangarh Royal family.
But Ashutosh Gowarikar says the film should not be judged only in the context of the title but as an exploration of an inter-faith relationship.
"For me what became important was to get into the research. I read the Rajput history-some called her Harka Bai, Shahi Bai, Jodha Bai. I also read the history of Jaipur, where it mentions Uday Singh the Raja, who gave his daughter away to Jehangir but her name was Jodh. Both Jodha and Jodh are different I could have called my film Harka-Akbar or Meera-Akbar but I thought some historians might object to it so I kept the popular name," said Gowarikar.
So, how did the name Jodha become popular?
Some historians like Col Todd have called Akbar's wife Jodha and Films like Mughal-e-Azam, which picked up the name entrenched it in public memory.
But the Rajput community that's opposing the film says the time has now come to set the record straight. They claim Jodha was from Jodhpur and she was married not to Akbar but to his son Jehangir.
Prof Khangarot, Historian and spokespeson for the Rajput sabha said, "Do you have a right to make your own history or change history. Jodha Bai was the daughter of Mota Raja of Jodhpur, who wed Salim and became the mother of Shahjahan."
The Rajput Karni Sena has already started burning posters of the film. They say they won't allow it to be shown in Rajasthan. But the Jaipur royals, who support the film say Gowarikar's has depicted Rajput culture with sensitivity.
Maharani Padmini Devi, Jaipur royal family said, "We went through the script before he started the movie, the mahurat shot was taken here. We are the closest in relation to Jodha, therefore if there was anything objectionable we would have not endorsed it."
Some historians are of the opinion that the name Jodha does not figure in any original records of the time.
Infact, it is only in the past 200 years that the name begins to appear in historical narratives. So what is history?
There is no definite answer, there is recorded history and there are oral traditions, there are legends and myths. The the answers to who was Jodha probably lies in the matrix of our past.
Courtesy: Ndtvmovies.com
Friday, February 08, 2008
´Jodhaa Akbar´ - Gowariker On The Historical Existence Of Jodha Bai
Some historians have questioned the very existence of a Jodha Bai and some are of the view that it was Jehangir who had one of the wives by this name. Ashutosh says he has heard of it. “The historians are divided over name not the person. Most of them agree that Akbar married the daughter of Raja Bharmal of Amber but differ over her name.”
He relates his research. “I started from the top. Abul Fazal’s ‘Ain-e-Akbari’ and ‘Akbarnama’ have no reference to Jodha Bai. The name also doesn’t find mention in Jehangir’s memoirs. Similarly, there is no mention of Jodha Bai in Bada’uni’s ‘Muntakhib-al-Tawarikh’.”
He also went to the Aligarh Muslim University, one of the biggest centres for the study of medieval history. “There also I was told that there is no historical reference to Jodha Bai. However, when you study Rajput history there is a mention of Jodha Bai in the works of K.L. Khurana, A.L. Shrivastav and Munni Lal. At the same time in ‘Kachchawon ka Itihas’ she is mentioned by the name of Harika Bai. In another book she is called Manmati and Shahi Bai.”
History also tells us that there was hardly any concept of a couple in Moghul royalty. Emperors had many wives, some to consolidate political alliances and others for physical needs. “The perception of togetherness keeps on changing with times. What we know for sure is Jehangir was born out of this wedlock,” argues Ashutosh.
On Jehangir having one wife with a similar name, Ashutosh points out what historian Jadunath Sarkar says. “Uday Singh of Jaipur married his daughter to Jehangir. Her name was Mira Bai but she was also known as Jodh Bai and not Jodha Bai.”
At the end of this historical discussion, Ashutosh says he appeals to the historians to appreciate the fact that he has used the name which is etched in the public memory.
Has it something to do with ‘Mughal-e-Azam’, where Durga Khote played Jodha Bai? “Not really. Go to Agra and every guide will tell you Akbar’s wife was Jodha Bai. If they are passing wrong information, why aren’t they removed? We have structures like Jodha Bai Ka Rauza in Fatehpur Sikri.”
Courtesy: Planetbollywood.com
He relates his research. “I started from the top. Abul Fazal’s ‘Ain-e-Akbari’ and ‘Akbarnama’ have no reference to Jodha Bai. The name also doesn’t find mention in Jehangir’s memoirs. Similarly, there is no mention of Jodha Bai in Bada’uni’s ‘Muntakhib-al-Tawarikh’.”
He also went to the Aligarh Muslim University, one of the biggest centres for the study of medieval history. “There also I was told that there is no historical reference to Jodha Bai. However, when you study Rajput history there is a mention of Jodha Bai in the works of K.L. Khurana, A.L. Shrivastav and Munni Lal. At the same time in ‘Kachchawon ka Itihas’ she is mentioned by the name of Harika Bai. In another book she is called Manmati and Shahi Bai.”
History also tells us that there was hardly any concept of a couple in Moghul royalty. Emperors had many wives, some to consolidate political alliances and others for physical needs. “The perception of togetherness keeps on changing with times. What we know for sure is Jehangir was born out of this wedlock,” argues Ashutosh.
On Jehangir having one wife with a similar name, Ashutosh points out what historian Jadunath Sarkar says. “Uday Singh of Jaipur married his daughter to Jehangir. Her name was Mira Bai but she was also known as Jodh Bai and not Jodha Bai.”
At the end of this historical discussion, Ashutosh says he appeals to the historians to appreciate the fact that he has used the name which is etched in the public memory.
Has it something to do with ‘Mughal-e-Azam’, where Durga Khote played Jodha Bai? “Not really. Go to Agra and every guide will tell you Akbar’s wife was Jodha Bai. If they are passing wrong information, why aren’t they removed? We have structures like Jodha Bai Ka Rauza in Fatehpur Sikri.”
Courtesy: Planetbollywood.com
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
'Jodha Akbar': What is in name?
Several controversies have surrounded the forthcoming film of Aishwarya Rai and Hirtik Roshan 'Jodha Akbar'. Rajputs in Rajasthan have staged demonstrations against the historical films. Even historians have questioned the very existence of Jodha Bai. Many have questioned the name Jodha bai but others say that name outside the Mughal Palace and inside the harem differed.
More than four decades ago, K. Asif picked up Akbar's son Salim from the pages of history and cast his love story in celluloid.
The magnum opus, "Mughal-e-Azam", based on the tragic romance between Salim and Anarkali, was a sheer spectacle in terms of grandeur, colour, drama and music. It remains a hit till date.
So now the question is: will Ashutosh Gowariker's "Jodhaa-Akbar" - starring Indian superhero Hrithik Roshan and beauty queen Aishwarya Rai - weave the same magic?
"People will come to the theatres out of curiosity but the magic of 'Mughal-e-Azam' will always linger. 'Jodhaa-Akbar' is not a love story in the true sense, it was more of a marriage of convenience; hence a bigger challenge for Gowariker to make it in to a convincing love story," Debdatta Mukherjee, a leading model, told IANS.
"Mughal-e-Azam", say old-timers in Bollywood, was based on a "documented" love story, whereas there "are very few details available about Jodhabai and Akbar. Jodha still remains a mystery. Many historians believe that she was a Rajput princess from Rajasthan and according to some, Raja Mansingh's sister.
"There is no drama associated with their courtship," said an industry veteran.
Gowariker risked making "Lagaan" in 2001, a period film set in colonial India, and hit the jackpot. And now he is gambling once again by daring to narrate the not-so-familiar love story of Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Akbar and Rajput princess Jodhabai in "Jodhaa-Akbar" releasing Valentine's Day week.
Releasing Feb 15, it's a rather unusual Valentine romance - between a Mughal emperor and a Hindu woman who was the emperor's arranged match. Love grew after marriage and also saw the birth of the heir to the Mughal throne, Jahangir.
While Asif's "Mughal-e-Azam" was a doomed love story starring Dilip Kumar and "beauty queen of the era" Madhubala, Gowariker's 16th century tale is about prince Salims's parents who were brought together by a marriage of alliance.
"Jodha and Akbar shared a perfect arranged marriage. I was fascinated by how their relationship must have grown after marriage," Gowariker was quoted as saying.
Earlier, Hrithik and Aishwarya had scorched the screen in the slick flick "Dhoom 2", but the director says that their previous image is not going to harm his film.
He said: "Their contemporary image won't be a problem. They were a huge success in 'Dhoom 2'. That can only help my film, not harm it. The audience will come in and forget everything about Hrithik and Aishwarya.
"What audiences will see in my film are Jodha and Akbar. At least, that's what I've tried to ensure through their looks, body language and behaviour."
Produced at a cost of Rs.15 million, "Mughal-e-Azam" was the costliest film of the era. It took Asif 14 years to realise his dream because of casting, financial and technical obstacles. Once completed, the epic love story was premiered simultaneously in 1960 in 150 theatres across the country and turned out to be a gold spinner.
Gowariker also faced difficulty in finding a producer. However, once the deal was signed with UTV, he had a smooth ride.
Gowariker finished the film in a year's time. He used over 80 elephants, 100 horses and 55 camels in the movie. Initially, the film's budget was of Rs.400 million, apparently it overshot the whip.
While Nitin Desai worked on the details of the magnanimous sets, Tanishq has designed the jewellery and Neeta Lulla has done the costume and looks of the film. It goes without saying that they all worked under the guidance of Gowariker.
Asif also worked with the best of talents. He hired tailors from Delhi to design the costumes, roped in goldsmiths from Hyderabad for the jewellery, Kolhapur craftsmen made the crowns, Rajasthani ironsmiths fabricated the shields, swords, spears, dagger and armour, specialists from Surat-Khambayat were employed for the exquisite zardosi work on the costumes, while the elaborate footwear was ordered from Agra!
Dilip Kumar who played Salim was sent to London to get a special wig to give him a princely look.
In a song titled "Ae mohabbat zindabad", a chorus of 100 singers were used and in a song titled "Azeem O Shan, Shahenshah" in "Jodhaa-Akbar", the director roped in 1,000 dancers in traditional costumes, wielding swords and shields.
While Asif's legendary masterpiece didn't have any historical evidence, Gowariker hired a research team of historians and scholars to guide him and help him keep things historically accurate.
After two years of pre-production work, Gowariker canned the first shot. "There was no reference in any books about what happened between Jodha and Akbar. I've taken extreme care to make sure viewers believe in the relationship," said Gowariker.
Another high point of "Mughal-e-Azam" was Naushad's superb musical score, especially the song "Jab pyar kiya to darna kya", which has a timeless appeal.
A.R. Rahman's music for "Jodhaa-Akbar" too has been appreciated. The songs have an epic feel to it.
"I wanted to make my historical movie as believable as I'd liked to see it. Every element big or small, from the texture of the clothes to the sets, décor, dialogues and the protocol, even the incidental sounds of birds and animals, they all had to be just right for me," said Gowariker.
Although it has not been decided yet with how many prints "Jodhaa-Akbar" will be released when it opens, the film's promos hit the theatres with 1,125 prints.
Courtesy: Khabrein.info
More than four decades ago, K. Asif picked up Akbar's son Salim from the pages of history and cast his love story in celluloid.
The magnum opus, "Mughal-e-Azam", based on the tragic romance between Salim and Anarkali, was a sheer spectacle in terms of grandeur, colour, drama and music. It remains a hit till date.
So now the question is: will Ashutosh Gowariker's "Jodhaa-Akbar" - starring Indian superhero Hrithik Roshan and beauty queen Aishwarya Rai - weave the same magic?
"People will come to the theatres out of curiosity but the magic of 'Mughal-e-Azam' will always linger. 'Jodhaa-Akbar' is not a love story in the true sense, it was more of a marriage of convenience; hence a bigger challenge for Gowariker to make it in to a convincing love story," Debdatta Mukherjee, a leading model, told IANS.
"Mughal-e-Azam", say old-timers in Bollywood, was based on a "documented" love story, whereas there "are very few details available about Jodhabai and Akbar. Jodha still remains a mystery. Many historians believe that she was a Rajput princess from Rajasthan and according to some, Raja Mansingh's sister.
"There is no drama associated with their courtship," said an industry veteran.
Gowariker risked making "Lagaan" in 2001, a period film set in colonial India, and hit the jackpot. And now he is gambling once again by daring to narrate the not-so-familiar love story of Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Akbar and Rajput princess Jodhabai in "Jodhaa-Akbar" releasing Valentine's Day week.
Releasing Feb 15, it's a rather unusual Valentine romance - between a Mughal emperor and a Hindu woman who was the emperor's arranged match. Love grew after marriage and also saw the birth of the heir to the Mughal throne, Jahangir.
While Asif's "Mughal-e-Azam" was a doomed love story starring Dilip Kumar and "beauty queen of the era" Madhubala, Gowariker's 16th century tale is about prince Salims's parents who were brought together by a marriage of alliance.
"Jodha and Akbar shared a perfect arranged marriage. I was fascinated by how their relationship must have grown after marriage," Gowariker was quoted as saying.
Earlier, Hrithik and Aishwarya had scorched the screen in the slick flick "Dhoom 2", but the director says that their previous image is not going to harm his film.
He said: "Their contemporary image won't be a problem. They were a huge success in 'Dhoom 2'. That can only help my film, not harm it. The audience will come in and forget everything about Hrithik and Aishwarya.
"What audiences will see in my film are Jodha and Akbar. At least, that's what I've tried to ensure through their looks, body language and behaviour."
Produced at a cost of Rs.15 million, "Mughal-e-Azam" was the costliest film of the era. It took Asif 14 years to realise his dream because of casting, financial and technical obstacles. Once completed, the epic love story was premiered simultaneously in 1960 in 150 theatres across the country and turned out to be a gold spinner.
Gowariker also faced difficulty in finding a producer. However, once the deal was signed with UTV, he had a smooth ride.
Gowariker finished the film in a year's time. He used over 80 elephants, 100 horses and 55 camels in the movie. Initially, the film's budget was of Rs.400 million, apparently it overshot the whip.
While Nitin Desai worked on the details of the magnanimous sets, Tanishq has designed the jewellery and Neeta Lulla has done the costume and looks of the film. It goes without saying that they all worked under the guidance of Gowariker.
Asif also worked with the best of talents. He hired tailors from Delhi to design the costumes, roped in goldsmiths from Hyderabad for the jewellery, Kolhapur craftsmen made the crowns, Rajasthani ironsmiths fabricated the shields, swords, spears, dagger and armour, specialists from Surat-Khambayat were employed for the exquisite zardosi work on the costumes, while the elaborate footwear was ordered from Agra!
Dilip Kumar who played Salim was sent to London to get a special wig to give him a princely look.
In a song titled "Ae mohabbat zindabad", a chorus of 100 singers were used and in a song titled "Azeem O Shan, Shahenshah" in "Jodhaa-Akbar", the director roped in 1,000 dancers in traditional costumes, wielding swords and shields.
While Asif's legendary masterpiece didn't have any historical evidence, Gowariker hired a research team of historians and scholars to guide him and help him keep things historically accurate.
After two years of pre-production work, Gowariker canned the first shot. "There was no reference in any books about what happened between Jodha and Akbar. I've taken extreme care to make sure viewers believe in the relationship," said Gowariker.
Another high point of "Mughal-e-Azam" was Naushad's superb musical score, especially the song "Jab pyar kiya to darna kya", which has a timeless appeal.
A.R. Rahman's music for "Jodhaa-Akbar" too has been appreciated. The songs have an epic feel to it.
"I wanted to make my historical movie as believable as I'd liked to see it. Every element big or small, from the texture of the clothes to the sets, décor, dialogues and the protocol, even the incidental sounds of birds and animals, they all had to be just right for me," said Gowariker.
Although it has not been decided yet with how many prints "Jodhaa-Akbar" will be released when it opens, the film's promos hit the theatres with 1,125 prints.
Courtesy: Khabrein.info
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