Jodhaa Akbar looks contemporary in its treatment, but there are certain givens that come with a historical. How different is your take from the classic historical on Akbar, Mughal-e-Azam?
I find it difficult to evaluate or describe, because how contemporary a film is depends on its maker’s personality. I can’t pinpoint how contemporary Jodhaa Akbar will be, but even Lagaan in spite of being a period film, had a certain modernity to it. Mughal-e-Azam was made at a time in the 1960s, when literature in cinema was given a high platform, when the style of acting and writing were shifting from the stage to films. Which is why the film had a more literary, theatrical and grandiose treatment. But the people making Jodhaa Akbar are of a different generation. We don’t want to ape anybody and have approached our script with all honesty. When you see the Agra fort or go to Jodhaa’s chamber, you see the size is true to the original. We have not created anything larger than life. That’s not the focus in this film. As regards comparisons, our story looks at Akbar from the age of 13 to 28. So it’s a youthful romance and its focus is far removed from Anarkali, Taj Mahal or Mughal-e-Azam.  

What made you cast Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai in the lead? Were they your first choice?
The two names that immediately came to my mind on hearing the story were that of Hrithik and Aishwarya. At that point of time, it was just a wish-list. I am fortunate to have two big stars who made the project more attractive and hence got me little more money to spend, though the bottomline is the story. You can’t make films of this nature unless you are backed by actors, stars and technicians of a certain merit. It’s about getting the right team—Nitin Desai (sets), Kiiran Deohans (photography), Neeta Lulla (costumes) and each and every member of the crew. When they back you, everything starts falling into place.  

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