The trailer of Hrithik Roshan’s period romance Mohenjo Daro sparked a ferocious debate on its historical accuracy and raised questions about the depiction of the ancient Harappan civilisation.
But its lead actor, who plays a farmer in director Ashutosh Gowariker period project, puts it in perspective.
“It’s not a history lesson, it’s a movie. The history part is just a backdrop,” said Roshan in an interview over a Skype call from Mumbai.
Mohenjo Daro director Ashutosh Gowariker, music director A.R. Rahman, Hrithik Roshan and Pooja Hegde during promotions for the film in Mumbai on July 12.AFP
Sounding increasingly like a bail-out, he claims that he left the research up to his director.
The reactions to the teasers were lukewarm and divided, with many resorting to online trolling. Co-star Pooja Hegde’s feather-trimmed head gear, her fair complexion and designer creations weren’t spared.
But when did facts ever come in the way of a good Bollywood love story?
“I myself don’t like history. I am not a history fan and I never enjoyed history in school with all those dates. All the research I left it to the director. If I had any doubts, I just had a walking, talking, eating man who knew the history whom I could just ask and he would give me the reply.”
Jointly produced by UTV and Sunita Gowariker, Roshan isn’t fazed by the negative press and relies on his personal philosophy to deal with the criticism. He whips out a convoluted theory. And he has several of those up his sleeve.
“I am a very aware person … if you are fully aware of how good something is then nothing else matters. For instance, if I am aware of how good my cap looks right now and somebody tells me: ‘dude, it’s not the best cap in the world’. I will be OK because I already know whether it is good or how bad it is.”
As far as analogies go, he chose a poor one because the faded army green cap he was wearing was the most pedestrian, forgettable one that this journalist has seen.
But his second theory made a lot more sense.
“I also don’t get carried away when people call me a Greek god. I know I am not Greek nor am I some god. It is important to be aware of your truths. Through experience, you learn that. Sometimes there is no truth. People have a right to their opinion but you should know how good or bad you are. You should have an assessment of your own product and it takes time, sometimes years, to get there and find your centre. Once you are there, nothing matters.”
Roshan enjoyed stupendous success with his 2000 romance Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai and his movie reviews globally are often peppered with phrases such as “the man was made to drive women crazy, one movie at a time”; “chiselled with sculpted features”; and “the dashing, chiselled looks of a silent movie matinee idol”.
To put it bluntly, Phoebe Buffay’s humorous quote from the hit US sitcom Friends episode that guest-starred Brad Pitt in a cameo — “Oh, come on, Will. Just take off your shirt and tell us” — would apply well to Roshan as well when he turns philosophical.
“You just have to keep doing your best with a sense of service. I am here to do my best. Sometimes I will succeed and sometimes I will not. But I will not care. I will keep giving love and accepting love. That is the best way to go about it,” said Roshan.
He might come across as a peace-loving yogi, but the son of actor-director Rakesh Roshan claims he doesn’t take things lying down.
“I am a very honest person and I know where my creative goals lie. I have had arguments and fights with my own dad about them. I don’t give up. Either you convince me or you get convinced by what I am saying. I don’t let go. I fight … But when I say fight, I have a spiritual connotation to it … Every idea while making a film should be in service to the final objective of making a good film. May the better idea win,” said Roshan.
He also has zero tolerance for directors with gigantic egos.
“Any director who feels ‘that it’s my idea and how can you reject my idea’ won’t sit well with me. That’s childish. People like that [are] a complete no-no. I see to it that I work with people with no egos and who are ready to lay themselves bare. Their goal is to make a good film.”
Gowariker, who hasn’t been feverishly promoting the film (as is the norm in Bollywood), is that man for Roshan.
“He saw me as Akbar when I myself had doubts on whether it would work. But he not only pulled it off, but he also proved a lot of people wrong at that time. There were many well-wishers who told us not to make that film because period dramas and historical films usually don’t do too well … Ashutosh is somebody who has a vision that you and me may not have,” said Roshan.
Jodhaa Akbar, the 16th century romance starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, was also dogged by historical inaccuracies, but the glorious, gorgeous film that showed the tumultuous relationship between the Mughal emperor Akbar and empress Jodhaa captured India’s imagination.
“He has that rare ability to convince us all and pull it off. Plus, I loved the script of Mohenjo Daro. But I chose it mostly because he is the captain of the ship.”
If that didn’t convince you, Mohenjo Daro will transport you to a simpler time.
“You will become of a different life and culture; and know about people and their behaviour at a time when there was no WhatsApp or that crazy chaos of the techno world. Here there’s no crazy, fast-paced romance where you can find out where she is by just going to Google Earth,” said Roshan. In his latest film, he has put himself out there.
“Mohenjo Daro is a story about a simplistic time and vulnerable people. They are hesitant but courageous. If they had to approach a girl, they have to be physically present there. They had to start the conversation and put themselves out there, despite the risk of being rejected. These are good things to learn from the time gone by. This day and age, we can hide behind our words on Twitter and Facebook profiles,” he added.
Don’t miss it!
Mohenjo Daro is out in the UAE on August 11.
