Source: SB
Date: February 10, 2008
By: Subhash K Jha
When Rakesh Roshan, currently in Los Angeles, saw Jodhaa-Akbar he did what he had never done before. He told his son that in Jodhaa-Akbar he has given his best performance to date. Hrithik can't stop smiling. "Dad completely floored me. He has never complimented me in my face. Whatever his opinion of my performance he never expressed it openly so far. It was always understand between us that he appreciated my performances. But this is the first time he has come out so openly to support my performance. I'm overwhelmed," said Hrithik from Delhi after attending the premiere. The response to the film and to his performance has so far stunned Hrithik. "People are saying such wonderful things. We wanted to make Akbar relatable to today's generation, and that's how he has turned out to be." Speaking of how female fans have responded to his sinewy show of muscle power in the sword-practising sequence Hrithik laughs, "Why shouln't a woman in those Mughal times be shown deriving voyeuristic pleasure watching her husband exercizing? The idea was to make Akbar a timeless creation. I was apprehensive about reactions. But it all turned out fine, finally. Thank God for that. The reviews have been very kind.. We were lucky, I guess."
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Source: Mid Day
Date: February 18, 2008
By: Subhash K Jha
Ash’s real-life sasur compliments her reel-life pati in Jodhaa Akbar. The compliments are still pouring in for Hrithik Roshan ever since Jodhaa-Akbar hit theatres on Friday. But the one compliment Hrithik says he will treasure forever came from the film’s leading lady Aishwarya Rai’s father-in-law, Amitabh Bachchan. On seeing Hrithik’s trance dance during the qawaali Khwaja Mere Khwaja, Amitabh Bachchan observed that not since Stanley Kubrick’s legendary sci-fi 2001: A Space Odyssey has there been such an apocalyptic moment on film! “That compliment just blew my mind,” says Hrithik emotionally. “Doing Jodhaa-Akbar wasn’t easy for me. That dance in a trance was especially difficult. When Ashutosh Gowariker explained the situation I just didn’t know how to go about it! In that moment of spiritual ecstacy what does my character experience? I was completely puzzled.” Mind-blowing Hrithik adds, “Then I was told that it was a moment when Akbar connects with divinity. I joined the qawaali singers to dance with one hand pointing towards heaven which was receiving the divine gift, while my other hand pointed to the ground which meant I was connecting the gift received from divinity to people down below. I was the medium, the recipient of divine communication.”