History sheeter
by: Dipti Nair
- deccanherald.com
Ashutosh Gowarikar’s favourite haunt these days are book shops. It is not difficult to find the film-maker browsing through unending racks at upmarket bookstores trying to find the right coffee table book on Mughal India. History may have been his favourite subject in school, but at the moment Ashutosh is gearing up for his latest test - his new film Jodha-Akbar.
With films like Oscar-nominated Lagaan and Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Swades to his credit, Ashutosh’s Jodha-Akbar, which has Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai in its main credits, will be eagerly awaited for its results at the box office.
Ashutosh, who was on a day-long trip to Bangalore for a seminar on ‘New trends and new age film-makers’ organised by the Convergence Institute of Media, Management and Information Technology Studies (Commits), managed to bag more and enough hard-bound books like Princely State and Al Baruani’s India among others in a quick-after-lunch trip to Landmark.
“I already have most of these books,” he said while hurriedly moving from one shelf to another, adding, “You see research is a very important aspect of any good film-making.” In between signing autographs and talking to fellow shoppers, Ashutosh talked about films and issues that move him. “I watch all sorts of films. From films like No Entry and Home Delivery, they all give me a good kick,” he revealed.
But when it comes to his own films, he is more selective. At the seminar earlier he had mentioned how he had to use big stars like Amir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan to take his message to more people. “Most people watched Swades only because it had a big star.”
From Kuchchi Dhoop, one of his first TV serials as an actor opposite Bhagyashree to Jodha Akbar, Ashutosh has come a long way and the issue that he is all set to explore in his latest film is finding love after marriage. “I want to explore how the love between emperor Akbar and his Hindu wife Jodhabai developed and how she came to be his head queen from the 33 other wives he had.”
After having braved tons of questions from enthusiastic students followed by the seemingly unending autograph and photo session with them, Ashutosh managed to keep his cool to brave yet another mob of fans at the bookstore with equal warmth and attention. A sign that he has conquered success?
Related Links:
11/22/05 Hrithik, Ash & history - hindustantimes.com
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