50
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.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
70
Jodhaa Akbar is clear and solid and absorbing, but not quite exhilarating.
70
A long-limbed story that is utterly simple in structure, but decorated with enough character interplay and side plots to keep the movie ticking over to a powerful finale.
78
Austin Chronicle by Marjorie Baumgarten
Though the history and the palace intrigue are not at all difficult for Westerners to grasp, a tighter running time would probably help this epic reach more eyes in America, where it has received the biggest release ever for a Bollywood
One of the best period films of Bollywood, Jodhaa Akbar is a romance of epic proportions. While the movie is on the longer side, the time frame is justified by the intentional slow-burn relationship between Jodhaa and Akbar, which pulls at your heartstrings. Accompanied by one of my favorite Hindi albums (honestly, listen to the album even if you don't end up watching the movie), it is the complete blend of love, action, and drama. The costumes, the locations, and the powerful performance make for the perfect royal endeavor.