Despite controversy, Jodhaa Akbar resonated in 2008. Accused of distorting history, it faced protests and a Rajasthan ban. On Ashutosh Gowarikar's birthday, uncover why he chose not to apologize to Karni Sena, unveiling a director's perspective on the historic tumult.
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00:00 What is the response of the film to the new releases?
00:06 The response of the film is very good.
00:09 But I am sad that the film has not been released in Rajasthan yet.
00:16 Because I feel that the film is rooted in Rajasthan.
00:21 Because Rajkumari Jodha is from Rajasthan.
00:28 I would like all the people of Rajasthan to watch the film.
00:33 I would like all the people of India to watch the film.
00:37 Because how this political marriage came together,
00:43 how the Rajputs brought about a change in the Mughals,
00:47 this is the essence of the film.
00:49 I would like the film to be released here.
00:53 I would like to say that,
00:58 because there are so many questions,
01:02 where I did my research,
01:06 which books I researched,
01:09 there are some historical books,
01:14 I read those books.
01:16 I read many books on Akbar,
01:21 I read many books on Rajputs.
01:23 I read many books on the medieval India.
01:30 I read many books on Akbar.
01:35 I read many books on the medieval India.
01:42 I will not give you much time, but I will read the medieval India.
01:51 It is written here,
01:57 Akbar respected the king and accepted his second daughter as his wife,
02:03 who is famous in history as Jodha.
02:09 I researched a lot and wanted to make a film,
02:14 so I read many books.
02:16 If you see the history of Rajasthan,
02:18 which was written by Reema Hoja,
02:20 she mentioned some other names,
02:26 which I found in many other books.
02:29 She said that Jaya Rani, Malmati, Harika, Shahi Bai,
02:33 are all in different sources, but popularly known as Jodha Bai.
02:42 I also read in my research,
02:47 that there is a confusion,
02:49 that the king of Marwa, Uday Singh,
02:53 who is also known as Mota Raja,
02:55 what is the name of his daughter, Jahangir?
03:02 I referred to three books.
03:05 One is Jahangir Nama,
03:08 which is the life of Jahangir Pari.
03:12 In which she mentioned that
03:16 the daughter of Mota Raja was called Jagat Gosain,
03:21 who was married.
03:23 This is one reference,
03:25 in which Jagat Gosain is given this name.
03:28 History of Jaipur by Jagannath Sarkar.
03:32 In this also, she has given two different names.
03:36 She has said,
03:38 it was only in August 1583,
03:42 that its own prince, Uday Singh,
03:44 also known as Mota Raja,
03:46 was given the long vacant throne with the title of Raja
03:49 by the imperial suzerain.
03:51 He had to pay the usual price for it.
03:53 His daughter, Meera Bai,
03:55 was married to Prince Sadeen in June 1587.
03:59 She mentioned that her name was Meera Bai,
04:01 and that she met Jagat Gosain somewhere.
04:04 Then, Satish Chandraji,
04:08 who has written Medieval India,
04:10 which is widely known,
04:11 is well known and well recognized.
04:15 He has written,
04:17 Uday Singh's daughter, Jagat Gosain,
04:21 was married to Sadeen,
04:23 and these marriages were made grand state occasions.
04:27 He has also mentioned marriage.
04:29 So, while reading all these books,
04:32 I have constructed my story.
04:35 When his name was Jagat Gosain,
04:37 and in other books, there were different names,
04:40 and where every book was said that the most popular name
04:43 was Jodha Bai.
04:45 So, I used Jodha Bai.
04:47 And, I will also say this now,
04:50 that if using this name has hurt anyone,
04:55 then it is unintentional.
04:57 I am sorry that it has hurt them.
05:01 I will add this much here,
05:05 that in the film, Rajputi pride,
05:07 pride and glory are completely intact.
05:10 I respect them a lot.
05:13 Not only Rajputs,
05:15 but every community in our country,
05:17 every religion in our country.
05:19 And, I will never in any of my films,
05:22 take any step or want to take any step
05:26 that will hurt anyone.
05:28 Because, my aim is to make a film,
05:30 and to make a film for everyone's entertainment.
05:32 This is my aim.
05:34 So, I will very earnestly appeal that,
05:38 please, in Rajasthan,
05:40 for whom this film will be made,
05:42 people should watch the film there.
05:44 Ashutosh, who is the group that is creating so much of trouble there?
05:47 Madhuriya Princess.
05:49 No, I have not spoken to anyone.
05:51 No, I have not spoken to anyone.
05:53 So, how will you solve this matter?
05:55 You have left Rajasthan.
05:57 What will you do to solve this?
05:59 You have apologized, but if someone has not apologized?
06:01 No, I have not apologized.
06:03 Don't put words in my mouth.
06:05 Don't put words in my mouth.
06:07 I didn't say anything.
06:09 I am presenting this book,
06:14 so that it becomes clear to everyone,
06:17 that while making the film,
06:19 what all books of historians have I studied,
06:25 and then used them.
06:27 I have studied the books of Akbar Rama and Ayan-e-Akbari,
06:29 which were written by Abhimanyu.
06:31 I have studied the books of Badawini,
06:33 which were written by Mundakabal Tuwari.
06:35 I have studied them for three years.
06:38 And I have worked on the basis of that.
06:41 I have worked on this film.
06:43 You have left Rajasthan,
06:45 but you are doing something there.
06:47 How will you solve that problem?
06:49 I am going to tell them,
06:51 on the basis of what I have presented,
06:53 that I have tried to keep in mind while making the film.
07:02 I am going to tell them what my research is.
07:06 Ashutosh, you are going to tell them through the media.
07:11 Will you meet Anand or will you personally talk to him,
07:15 and try to find a solution?
07:17 He has not contacted me yet.
07:20 So, I don't know how to contact him.
07:23 Ashutosh, in the morning, in Jaipur,
07:25 you said that you are going to do a special screening for Rajputs and Riyadh.
07:29 Is this a sign that they don't want you to talk to them?
07:34 I don't think I have received any indication yet that they want to see a special screening.
07:40 I am not that in the image.
07:42 You will show them the film and explain to them.
07:45 Absolutely.
07:48 Don't you think you should go to Jaipur and talk to them?
07:51 At least, you should listen to them and find out what their opinion is.
07:54 And then you can solve the problem.
07:56 I am giving this explanation on the basis of the information I have received.
08:03 I can't go to Jaipur especially for this.
08:08 Because there are many other issues related to the release of the film.
08:13 Whether it is a multiplex release or promotion.
08:18 That's why I couldn't find the time to go to Jaipur.
08:21 But, obviously, I want to clarify it to them.
08:26 And I thought that since the media is so strong,
08:30 has always been extremely strong in connecting one news to another
08:35 and to spread messages from one place to another.
08:39 I thought that this would be a good way of sending this message across to them.
08:43 I think it is instantaneous.
08:45 The power of the media is too strong.
08:47 And I thought this would be the best way to send them this message.
08:51 And to everybody else.
08:52 All across India, everyone should know that I have not made the film carelessly.
08:58 I have made the film after research.
09:00 That's why I have shown the references of the books.
09:03 Because everyone should know that it is not a figment of my imagination.
09:05 I have not dreamt it up.
09:07 Only the romance between the two, which happens after marriage.
09:12 That has been imagined.
09:14 Rest everything is from facts of history.
09:18 Asadosh, the film is really very beautiful.
09:21 But, as much as a lot of research has been done,
09:24 this film is facing some problems.
09:27 You have made such a good film.
09:29 But, when you take this subject of history,
09:32 will you make a film on history again?
09:34 Because, there are still problems in the field of research.
09:37 No, no. I will definitely make a film.
09:38 Because, it is very important to make such films.
09:40 Research is very important.
09:42 And, sometimes, it is possible to have a misunderstanding about history.
09:48 There are a lot of books.
09:50 History is very interpretive.
09:52 Every 50 years, a new historian comes and does his interpretation.
09:56 And, he writes a book on his own history.
09:59 So, it keeps developing.
10:02 I think we should definitely make many more historical films.
10:06 We should definitely bring our history to the screen.
10:09 We should bring it after doing research.
10:11 And, when you bring it after doing research,
10:14 sometimes, there can be misunderstandings, which can be cleared.
10:18 So, if I get a story again, which I want to make about history,
10:25 then I will definitely make it.
10:27 I never thought that after doing research,
10:31 the difference between these two names,
10:33 there are many other small details, which are also in Akbar's life.
10:37 The films that you will see,
10:39 all of them are written somewhere in history.
10:41 Except, what happened between Jodha and Akbar,
10:45 in their privacy, in their privacy, in their private moments,
10:49 they have written about this somewhere.
10:51 But, all the other characters are of history.
10:54 (Music)
11:00 you