Jodha Akbar

recovering the past in "Jodhaa Akbar": masculinities, femininities and cultural politics in
Bombay cinema
Author(s): Shahnaz Khan
Source: Feminist Review, No. 99, media transformations (2011), pp. 131-146
Published by: Palgrave Macmillan Journals
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non
99
themed
recovering
in
Jodhaa
article
the
Akbarz
femininities
masculinities!
and
cultural
Bombay
past
politics
in
cinema
Shahnaz Khan
abstract
inSouth
Asthedominant
mediainstitution
cinema's
cultural
Asia,Bombay
production
to consolidate
ofnarratives,
imagesandspectacle
playsa crucialroleintheeffort
suchimages
areexported
totheSouth
andproject
definitions
ofthenation.
Moreover,
associatedwiththeglobalized
Asiandiasporaworldwide
as partof the processes
examines
the producreferred
to as Bollywood.
Thisdiscussion
cultural
product
of
bothas processand product
of the2008film
tionand reception
JodhaaAkbar
in
which
cultural
and
historical,
plays
nation-building
projects
gender
political
complex
role.
a central
keywords
femininities;
Muslims;
cinema;masculinities;
nation-building
Bombay
feministreview 99 2011
www.feminist-review.com
. Feminist
Review.
0141-7789/11
(131-146)
2011
introduction
mediaas a site
Social scientists(see Chakravarty,
1996) identify
1993;Farmer,
in
allowsfor
and
forpower authority.
of intensecontestation
Cinema, particular,
forthe past on whicha
a foundation
of the nationas it constructs
a narration
can be enacted(Chapman,
visionofthenation'sfuture
2008).As
2005;Burgoyne,
Indiatakesits place on theglobalstage as an economicand politicalpower,it
whichthe nationdefinesand
a history
to construct
becomesimportant
through
filmis particularly
suitedforthistaskas it
projectsitsdesiredimage.Historical
recovers
a past in lightofthe needsofthe present.InthisdiscussionI examine
to theIndianfilm
reference
suchprocesseswithparticular
JodhaaAkbar.Butfirst
cinema.
a fewwordsabout historical
film and cultural
contestation
abouttheorigins
inthesensethatbeliefs
as narrated,
seesnations
theory
Contemporary
andStam,
2003:9)
intheform
ofstories.
ofnations
andevolution
(Shohat
crystallize
historical
these storiesare relayedto us throughhistoricalfilmswhich,as

Frequently,
RobertBurgoyne
(2008) pointsout, reshapethe past to expresscontemporary
of events
concerns.At the same time theyprovidecinematicinterpretation
in
the
us
the
Historical
films
that trouble
help produce
imagined
present.
are
communities
that BenedictAnderson
(1983) has spokenof wheretraditions
a
re-enactment
of
nationalist
narratives.
invented
andvalorized
Through
through
are
the
Such
films,particularly
history,
spectatorsimaginethey witnessing past.
the successfulones,thenhavemuchto say aboutthe periodin whichtheyare
made as theyidentify
keyagendas and desiresof audiencesand otherstake
holders.
to as Hindi
Thesecomments
are certainly
trueof Bombaycinema(also referred
thenationthrough
Hindifilmsimpersonate
cinema).Popular
processesofcultural
In
for
which
and
contestation
are
ultimately
political. a regionknown
negotiation
the dominantregionalinfluence
of
its ethnic,religiousand linguistic
diversity,
whichdrawsupona North
Bombaycinemahelpscreate a nationalnarrative
others.JodhaaAkbar
Indianmiddleclass Hindumale citizenand marginalizes
In
thelifeofa
however
is aboutthelifeofonesuchmarginal
subject. celebrating
in
the
of
film
as
an
moment
Muslim
the
serves
ruler,
recovery
important
powerful
and
whichcurrent
dominant
visionsofthenationare consolidated
a pastthrough
shedslighton thetermsunderwhich
circulated.
Atthesametimethe narrative
in contemporary
India.
is offered
the Muslimminority
citizenship
inconDirectedbyAshutosh
JodhaaAkbarwas producedbyGowariker
Gowariker,
film
was
the
in
the
with
Ronnie
Screwvala.
Released
2008,
among top
junction
as it won many
of Bombaycinema grossingUS$13,340,0001
money-makers
AwardsforBest
awardsincluding
the 2009 Filmfare
nationaland international
and BestMusicScore.Internationally
JodhaaAkbar
Film,BestActor,BestLyricist
132 feminiSt revie W 99 2011 recovering
inJodhaa
thepast
Akbar
1 BoxOffice
lndia.com
(2009)
//
www
http:
.boxofficeindia
.com/showProd
.php?itemCat
= 215&catName
last
=MjAwOA,
accessed7 August
2009.
has wonthe AudienceAwardforthe Best ForeignFilmat the 32ndSao Paulo

FilmFestivaland the BestActorawardforHrithik
Roshanat the
International
GoldenMinbar
FestivalofMuslim
CinemainKazan,Russia.Itspopularand critical
filmand an important
success suggeststhatJodhaaAkbaris an influential
whichthe past is recoupedand deployedin the projectof
momentthrough
nation-building.
the
story
Theplotis simple.JodhaaAkbardetailsthe comingto the throneofJalaluddin

and
of India(1542-1605),a Muslim,
thethirdMughalemperor
Muhammad
Akbar,
knownas JodhaaBai.
his subsequentmarriageto a Hinduprincess,commonly
of MahamAnaga,a womanwho
Theprotagonists
are separatedbymachinations
confidante
and advisor
had servedas a nurseto Akbarand is nowan important
she
actionswhereupon
at his court.Akbarcomesto knowof Anaga'snefarious
disappearsfromthe narrativeand true love prevails.This straightforward
the dynamicsof current
historicalstoryis politically
chargedand illuminates
relations.
majority/minority
citizenship
and
nation
building
momentin defining
identifies
JodhaaAkbaras an important
Myinvestigation
cinematicnationalismand pointsto the ways in whichsuch
and promoting
nationalismhas closely followedstate ideologies. For example, in postof itsthenPrime
undertheinfluence
India,thefederalgovernment
independence
insome
whichwe see reflected
Nehru
centralized
Minister
development
promoted
India(1957). Atthesame
themegahitMother
ofthefilmsofthetimeincluding
timefilmshavealso beenused to pose challengesto state policiesas whenDo
ofvillagelifebyagentsof
BighaZamin(1953) voicedconcernat thedestruction
era
and theirconnectionto globalizedcapital. The Emergency
modernization
films
a
number
of
Gandhi
coincided
with
over
Indira
Zanjeer
including
by
presided
Bachchandeveloped
Amitabh
whichsuperstar
(1973) and Sholay(1975) through
an
man
Bachchan
his 'angryyoung
anti-hero,a strong
persona'.
plays
independent
brooding
figurereadyto fightforjustice. Religiouscommunalism
does not dividethe youngmenin the popularfilmAmar,Akbarand Anthony
(1977), one ofwhomis playedbyBachchan.Insteadwe see threeof India'ssons
social
to findmeaninginthedifficult
and a Christian
a Hindu,a Muslim
struggle
in whichtheyfindthemselves.
and politicalcircumstances
socialist
Alongwithfilmsthat promotedas well as challengedthe Nehruvian
Muslim
Termed
idealswerethosethatfeaturedtheMuslim
socials,such
minority.
definedMuslim
films,as Bhaskarand Allen(2009) pointout, cinematically
Shahnaz
Khanfeminist revie w 99 2011
133
ka Chand
Forexamplein GuruDutt'sChaudhvin
masculinities
and femininities.
(1960) and B.R.Chopra'sNikah(1982) thearistocratic
nawab,heavilyinfluenced
womanalso
culture,livesa lifeofease and decadence.TheMuslim
byLuckhnavi
the traditional
has a rolein thesefilms:she is eitherthe veiledwomanwithin
and sexualityare confinedbyage old
innerdomesticspace wherehermobility
ka Chandis an
customsor is the courtesanoutsideof it. WhileChaudhvin
Umrao
and
its
2006remakeby
of
the
Muzaffar
Ali's
Jan(1981)
former,
example
director
J.P. Duttaare examplesof the latter.TheMuslimwomanas courtesan
has an eroticallychargedbodywhilehermujra(dance) suggeststhat she is
herdual roles
sexuallyavailableto theaudienceofthecelluloidscreen.Through
the
and
woman
or
the
erotic
the
Muslim
womanis
of
veiled
courtesan,
oppressed
manand certainly
notto the Indianman
notarticulated
as equal to theMuslim
or woman(read as Hindu).
in Indiaand itsconnection
in
Themarginalization
ofMuslims
to thefilmindustry
recentyearshas a history.
Muslims
werein powerforlongstretches
of
Although
timeinpre-colonial
era thenumerical
of Hindus,
India,inthecurrent
superiority
as wellas theincreaseinanti-minority
Hindutva
(Hindunationalist)politics
pro
in IndiaensuresHindussecurea dominant
position.Relationsbetweenvarious
Such
groupsin recentyears, however,have been markedby communalism.
communalism
is a facetof British
orientalism
whichinstitutionalized
oppositions
and separationsbetweenvariouslinguistic,
ethnicand religious
groupsthrough
policiesand practicesincludingseparate electoratesand legal codes (see
Pandey, 1990; Ludden,1996). These practices,it is commonlybelieved,
influenced
communal
violenceduring
thepartition
of British
Indiaintothenation
states of Indiaand Pakistanin 1947.As the colonialstate was implicatedin
divisions
so too, Ludden(1996) states,the
furthering
amongvariouscommunities
modern
Indianstate mustbe heldresponsible
forcurrent
forms
of communalism.
Inadditionto legaciesofthepast and theirinfluence
on themodern
nation,the
failureof secularismand the riseof pro-religious
groupswiththeirrevisionist
histories
havealso contributed
to the current
formsof polarization.
Since the 1980s,divisiveness
has accompaniedstate policiesthat have not
servedtheneedsoftheordinary
Indiahas incommon
peoplein India,something
withmanydeveloping
countries.Insteadvariousethnic,linguistic
and religious
vie
for
scarce
resources.
Madhava
Prasad
identifies
the
current
era
(1998)
groups
as one in whichHindunationalismappropriatesthe national projectand
to establish'politicalunity
on a communal
foundation'
(1998: 8, 9). He
attempts
identifies
cinemaas an integral
and a site of ideological
partofthesestruggles
of the nationand citizenship.
of history,
Re-interpretation
including
production
historical
has
allowed
some
the
dominant
film,
through
among
groupsto define
India as a Hindunation,one whichsets itselfup against otherethnicand
Muslims.
religious
groups,including
againstthe largestminority,
134 feminiSt reVie W 99 2011 recovering
thepast
inJodhaa
Akbar
NandanaBose (2009) notesthatBombaycinema'sroleas a majorproducer

and
disseminator
ofideologyhas notbeenlostontheBharatiya
JanataParty(BJP),a
the leader
majorforcebehindHindutva.
Bombay-based
politicianBal Thackery,
of ShivSena (an affiliateof BJP),has emergedas an influential
figurein the
and distribution
of films,theirfunding,
and
partisantax exemptions
production
and
his
of
awards
mediation
of
between
stars
and
granting
through
disputes
Affiliation
between
cinema
and
with
Hindutva
industry.
groups
leaningshas
use of Hinduiconography
and ritualsin filmsthat has
accompaniedincreasing
to a particular
visionof Indianness(read as Hindu),to the
helpedbindviewers
exclusionof othergroups(Fazila-yacoobali,2002; Viswanath,
2002).
in India in the 1990sfindsexpression
in a number
The risingcommunalism
of
Indianfilmswhichidentify
theMuslim
manas terrorist,
Mission
Kashmir
including
(2000) andRoja (1992). Theterrorist
genrefilmslargely
denythesocial,political
withinfavourof nationalist
and economicissuesthe Muslimmanis confronted
and deemhima threatto the nation
narratives
whichrenderhisangerirrational
into
state. IndeedtheMuslim
manhas a dual role:Hisagencyis eithersubverted
in
the
role
the
Muslim
as
acts of terrorism;
or he plays
of
depoliticized
"good"
to all
MyNameis Khan(2010), one whospendsconsiderableenergyproving
womanthrough
thathe is notlbad' orviolent.Thefilmsalso presenttheMuslim
a duality:the courtesanof UmraoJan fame; or the good Muslimwoman
to her
whoseagency,as I have arguedelsewhere(Khan2009), is destructive
She mustbringher man to justice so that she can live out her
community.
Indianwithin
the nationstate as in Fanaa (2006) or in
lifeas a de-politicized
Fiza (2000).
As India beginsto imagineitselfas a risingeconomicand culturalgiant,an
an
'India Shining',
manyof the recentfilmshave begunto focuson recovering
the nation,as in NetajiSubhas
Indianmasculineto helpdefineand symbolize
Hero(2005),Agnivarsha
Chandra
Bose:TheForgotten
(2002),Asoka(2001). While
inJodhaaAkbaris a
the recovered
masculineis largelyHindu,the protagonist
is
a
that
As
such
he
is
of
Muslim.
marginalized
community
increasingly
part
Bombayfilms(Mishra,2002; Rai, 2003). Whatstrategies
throughmainstream
then render'safe' a powerfulMuslimking when Muslimsare frequently
of
threatin Hindifilms?I arguethatthe articulation
as a terrorist
represented
this
is an important
the storyas historical
narrative
strategy.
partof
Jodhaa
2 Inmaking
my
comments
about
as
JodhaaAkbar
historical
filmI am
Akbar
as
historical
narrative
filmindustry,
underwhattermsis the
influences
theBombay
GiventhatHindutva
? How
film
in
such
as JodhaaAkbar
of
India
to
be
recovered
a
historical
history
which
is
with
does the nationbringup the gloriesof a past
peopled
important
that has lost its cultural,economicand political
playersfroma community
Shahnaz
135
Whatideologiesare at play in these processes?Whatnarrative awarethatthe

importance?
director
Ashutosh
the audienceto identify
withAkbarwhenMuslimsare largely Gowarikar
allow
strategies
hasnoted
influence thatthefilmis
cinema?Howmight
communalism
demonized
and/ormarginalized
through
70 percent
thatsupportits divisiveclaims?To whatextent imagination
the 'recovery'
of past memories
and
30 percenthistory.
in
celebration
of
India's
Muslim
and
heroic
fact
this
symbolic
past
figures,
might
I dowantto point
to
contribute
to, what some mightclaim is, India's self-delusionalnotionof howthenarrative,
though
largely
secularism
and tolerance.
imaginative,
nevertheless
current
historiesof the modernIndianstate, whether
textualor through
film, endorses
Writing
nationalistic
of
historical
a
as
is an important
memories, processthrough
which,
part building
agendas.
is frequently
RubyLai (2005) notes,theMughalEmpire
depictedas a preamble.I
the Emperor
Akbarout of the preambleintothe
arguethatJodhaaAkbarbrings
Atthesametimethenarrative
himthrough
centrestageofhistory.
domesticates
heterosexual
maritallifein the processneutralizing
the excessivesexualityand
violentdangertheMuslim
masculinenormally
Hindifilms(Khan,
poses incurrent
2009).
As notedearlierHindicinemacelebratesand promotes
Hindunationalism.
Such
nationalismseeps into Jodhaa Akbarin interesting
Muslim
Akbar's
ways.
withhis RajputHinduwifepromotes
a religious
dualismin a period
relationship
whenthekingwas known
forhiscuriosity
aboutdifferent
Akbarnotonly
religions.
in variousfaithshe also allowedsuch instruction
for his
soughtinstruction
as
far
as
Christian
to
his
to
sons.
children,
going
permitting
priests proselytize
Lettersbypriestsof a Jesuitmissionat Akbar'scourtsuggestthatat one time
conversion
to Christianity
(Correia-Afonso,
theyhadgreathopesoftheroyalfamily's
or
1981). Akbar'sinterestin religionhoweverwas not limitedto Christianity
In 1575,he erectedan IbadatKhanna(HouseofWorship)
Hinduism.
inhiscapital
of Fatehpur
Sikriinorderto encouragereligious
debatesamongvariousscholars.
restricted
to Muslims,
inlateryears,peopleofall religious
Although
initially
groups
wereinvitedto the Ibadat Khannato debate variousreligiouspositionsalong
withMuslims.
he madean attemptto achievea synthesis
ofall religions
Further,
ina newcreedwhichhe promoted.
Known
as Dine llahi,(DivineFaith),Akbar's
visionwas based on the principle
of universal
toleration
Sulahe Kul.
does notforeground
Akbar'stoleranceand promotion
of
JodhaaAkbarhowever
all religions.Insteadthe plurality
of his visionis replacedbya dualitywhich
centralizes
Hindu/Muslim
tensions.InAkbar's
timehowever,
Hindu/Muslim
tensions
werenotas centralas theyare currently.
Allcommunities,
who
Muslims,
including
the
felt
the
brutal
force
of
his
At
the
same
challenged Emperor,
military
might.
timemenfromall communities
wereable to riseto the highestpositionswithin
hisciviland military
administration.
Thefilmis a narrative
abouttheearlyyears
of Akbar'sreignwhenhe was initiating
the allianceswithRajputsthatallowed
to rulelargepartsof Indiaforseveralhundred
Mughals
years,butunlessthereis
a sequel, this versionwillcome to stand forhistory
of that periodas many
viewers
tendto viewhistorical
filmas History.
136 feministreview 99 2011 recovering
thepast
inJodhaa
Akbar
3 These
are
conversations
partofa larger
andare
study
inan
documented
articleentitled
"Consumer
Citizens
andTroubled
Desires:Reading
in
Hindi
Cinema
Pakistan"
with
(manuscript
author).
inAkbar'scourtmayperhaps
as somewouldsay,on Hinduism
Theover-emphasis,
Pakistanwhichis not onlya preaccountfor its receptionin neighbouring
butalso one whichsees its historical
Muslim
trajectory
pass
country
dominantly
MughalIndia.As suchJodhaaAkbarought,logically,to have
squarelythrough
been a popularfilmin Pakistan.Afterall the filmglorifiesthe reignof an
NotonlywasJodhaa
Muslimrulerand an iconof Muslimmasculinity.
important
withindustry
Akbarnot releasedforviewingin Pakistan,but myconversations
insiders
PerhapsPakistani
suggestthattheDVDrentalswerenotpopulareither.3
viewersdid notwishto participatein nation-building
projectsusing,whatmany
consider,a 'slanted'viewof Mughalhistory.
In additionto the centralrole for a Hindu/Muslim
duality,thereare other
that Indian
in the film.Raghavendra's
historical
(2008) comments
irregularities
are
romance
of
the
social
takes
cinema
family
reality
through allegory
up
popular
with
film
Akbar's
The
centralizes
Akbar.
true
of
Jodhaa
relationship his
certainly
in 1562and whosenamewas
ofAmerwhohe married
firstRajputwife,a princess
used
notJodhaa.Thenamecommonly
orManmati,
to be eitherHiraKunwari
likely
to referto Akbar'squeen,Jodhaa,can be tracedto an 1829bookbya Colonel
thetwo
JamesTodentitledtheAnnalsand Antiquity
of Rajasthan.Furthermore,
of a
marriagein the film largelyreminiscent
appearto be in a monogamous
nuclearfamily.Indeedthe plotcentresaroundthiscentralfamily
contemporary
andthewellA marriage
is arranged
unitand othereventsappearas a backdrop.
loversare
The
husband.
in
with
her
love
falls
broughtup femaleeventually
theforceoftheir
ofevildoersandthenunitedthrough
separatedbytheworkings
theMughalharem
us thatdomesticlifewithin
love.YetRubyLai (2005) reminds
flatnorone-dimensional.
was neither
Jodhaawas Akbar'sthirdwifeMoreover,
out of the filmscript.Akbar
werewritten
the firsttwowives,whowereMuslim,
actuallymarriedseven womenthroughnikahmarriage(threemorethan the
of
to the Shia tradition
allowedfourallowedto Muslimmen)and thenreverted
harem
of
Akbar's
almostthreehundred,
ofwhichhecontracted
mutamarriages
yet
5,000womencontainedmorethanjust wives.
Did these manymanywomeninhabita sexualizedharemso popularin current
of Princess
accountsof Muslims?
Perhapswe can findan answerinthe memoirs
thefirst
of
Babur
and
a
father
of
Akbar's
halfsister
daughter
Gulbaden,
Humayun
Mughalkingof India. Speakingof herfather'sharem,GulbadenBegum(2002)
writesthat it consistednot onlyof Babar's fourwivesbut also daughters,
mothers,
aunts,cousins,ladies in waiting,servantsand dancinggirls.Moreover
the haremincludedmanyotherwomenBabar had taken underhis protection
inbattle
thewomenofhisnobleswhohad beenkilledortakenprisoner
including
some of the womenin the
themfrombeingseized as loot. Further,
to prevent
female relativesof the
other
and
also
harem
were
wives,daughters
king's
forthe expensesof
enemieshe had conquered.In effectBaburwas responsible
in
his
harem.
thesewomenand theylivedunderhis protection
Shahnaz
137
Akbar's
victorious
battleswouldnodoubthaveleftthousandsofwomendestitute
to
as wardsin hisharem.Similar
wouldhavefoundthemselves
and manyprobably
wives
and
women
who
were
the
Akbar
also
married
his grandfather
Babar,
He also contracted
commanders
and opponents.
of hisfallenmilitary
dependents
of alliances,oftenat
whichallowedhimto extendhisnetwork
politicalmarriages
linkwiththe
of the woman'sfamilywhowanteda matrimonial
the instigation
Minister
chronicler
and
Akbar's
Prime
The
Akbarnama
written
the
court
by
Emperor.
as a strategyof
Abu Fazal suggeststhe presenceof an imperialmasculinity
facilitated
the
network
of
Akbar's
politicalalliances
many
marriages
governance.
whichhelpedstructure
thiskinto theinstitutions
and marriages
withHinduwomen
also
of 'their'womento the Emperor
and to otherMuslims
of empire.Marriages
Suchpractices
to transfer
allowedRajputs
pointto
regime.
allegianceto theMughal
state.
an earlymulti-religious,
multi-ethnic
Akbar'sharem,as Lai (2005) notes,was a clearlydemarcatedfemale
Although
thanit had beenundertheprevious
with
morerigidrulesforwomen
Mughal
space
it
was
not
a
where
women
werepassive.Recordssuggestthatsenior
rulers,
space
womenof Akbar'sharemwereimportant
playersin imperialruleand wereoften
called upon to advise, intervene,and at times to preside over state
administration
(Lai, 2005). Akbar'saunt Gulbadanorganizeda hajj forsenior
womenofthedynasty.
TheQueenMother,
HamidaBanuBegumdid notgo on the
of
to Mecca,insteadshe was leftin chargeof Delhiand in command
pilgrimage
12,000soldierswhenherson marchedon Kabulto suppressa rebellion.
theassertiveJodhaawe see inthefilmcomesto Akbar'sharemon her
Certainly
owntermsas an equal amongotherqueensand royalMughalprincesses.
Assuch
she probably
wouldhavefiteasilyintoa haremofstrongwomen.Yetas feminist
scholarSangeetaRay(2000) pointsout in anothercontext,nationalist
writings
drawonan imagined
yetgloriouspastwhichbothcelebratesand limitsthepower
in theircinematicform,nationalistnarratives
of women.Moreover,
represent
theirapparel,inwaysthatrender
themspectaclesto
women'sbodies,including
beholdand enjoy(Nair,2002). Wesee sucha processat workinJodhaaAkbar.
Jodhaa's'authentic'periodcostumesand dazzlingjewelleryeroticizeherbody
even as she articulatesa moretransgressive
insistencethat she be her own
womanat Akbar'scourt.
however
of herfamily.
Jodhaa'stransgressions
appearfuelledbythe ambitions
inHindi
MadhvaPrasad(1998) pointsto thecentrality
ofkin-basedrelationships
in
that
weare
honour
and
servitude
to
wishes
films,including
loyalty,
family
ways
withan idealizedcinematicfamily.InJodhaaAkbar
, Jodhaatearfully
presented
in a marriage
witha Mughalonlyto helpout herclan
agreesto sacrificeherself
and her family.Further,
Jodhaaconsentsto the marriageonlyafterAkbar
will
it appears,
that
she
not
be forcedto convert
to Islam.Gowariker,
promises
slantedhistory
to suitcurrent
circumstances.
As historical
filmspresenthistory
to thedemandsandto respond
to current
it is highly
concerns,
according
unlikely
thepast
inJodhaa
Akbar
inthisday of increasing
in Hindifilms,thata major
aboutMuslims
stereotypes
filmwouldbe dedicatedto thelifeofa Hinduprincess
whowas Islamicized
after
and
have
converted
Islam.
to
this
is
what
to
Yet
marriage may
appears have
After
her
to
Hira
Kunwari
was
happened.
marriage Akbar,
giventhetitleMariam
uz Zamani.Moreover,
she foundedthe BegumShahimosquein Lahorein 1611
2004). Atthe same timeshe, alongwithAkbar'sotherHinduwives,
(Schimmel,
had hertempleinthe palace. Further,
Mariamwas notcremated,as required
by
Whenshe died in 1623,Mariamuz Zamaniwas buriednearAgra,
Hindutradition.
to suggestthatshe mayhaveconverted
to Islam(Smith,
leadingsomehistorians
intheremaining
61 yearsofherlifeMariamuz Zamani,
hermarriage,
2001).After
it is reported,
nevervisitedherfamilyin Amer.She standsout amongAkbar's
known
300 pluswivesbecauseit was herson Salimwhobecamethenextemperor
to us as Jahangir.
In his fictionalnovelEmpressof Florence
, Salman Rushdie(2009) resurrects
Jodhaaas an imaginedqueenand she appearslikea dreamof a pluralistIndia
whichAkbarhad willed.Imagining
and sustaining
Jodhaa,appearsforAkbarin
a parallelto imagining
and sustaining
a pluralistIndia.To a
Rushdie'snarrative
largeextentAkbar'sdreamof a pluralistIndialivedon withthesonthathe had
wars
and theirgrandson
withJodhaa,Jahangir,
Shahjehan.It was the internecine
in the waningyearsof Shajehan'sreignthat caused the breakupof the Rajput
cultivated.
allianceswiththe MughalsthatAkbarhad so laboriously
I arguethatJodhaaAkbarbothdisrupts
the processof makingnationalclaims
inthe nameof Hindutva
and enhancesit as well.Forexample,thefilmdisrupts
suchrelationtradition
ofinter-communal
Hindicinematic
relationships.
Frequently
in
and Bombay
on
Muslim
women
and
Hindu
as
Fiza
centre
(2000)
men,
ships
as
a depoliMuslim
female
acclaims
her
status
where
the
(1995)
protagonist
In
forherHinduman. Mission
ticizedIndianand givesup hercommunal
identity
Kashmir(2000) and Fanaa (2006), the Muslimwoman'sagencyis deployed
to regulateand neutralize
the Muslimmanand save the state fromhisviolent
In cinematicnarratives
it is oftenthe Muslim
womanwholeaves her
intentions.
forherIndianman(read as Hindu).ThefilmMrand MrsIyer(2002) is
community
betweenan uppercaste
one ofthefewexceptions
wherewewitnessan attraction
Hinduwomanand a Muslim
man.Theynevertouchinthefilmand partcompany
at the end.
betweenupper
Givenwhatappearsto be an unwritten
taboo on relationships
class uppercaste Hinduwomenand Muslims
whoare considered
uncleanbymany
articulatesa newlanguageofdesirethatallows
JodhaaAkbar'snarrative
Hindus,
for interreligiousrelationships.
Yet the narrativeseems uneasyabout their
to each otherthere
the
fact
that
the
are married
intimacy.
Despite
protagonists
is littletouching
betweenthetwo.Oneofthefewtimeshetouchesheris whenhe
in a Hinduritualbydippinghisfingerinverm
iIlionand dabbingher
participates
forehead.The secondtimetheytouch is whentheyare fencingand she has
Shahnaz
139
discardedherrole of modestwife,onlya distraction

by an attendantallows
Akbarto winthe match.Clearlyshe is the Emperor's
equal, bothwhenshe
drawshimintoparticipating
inHindupuja and whenshe holdsherownduring
the
fencingmatch.Thereis a thirdscene wheretheytouch. This scene, which
has beeneditedout of the manyversionsof thefilm.
suggestssexualintimacy,
I havebeenunableto determine
whichversionwas releasedwhere.Despitethe
minimalskincontactbetweenthe male and femaleprotagonists,
the storyis
to
chargedwithsexualtension.AsAkbarcomesto loveJodhaa,she is presented
us inthefilmas Malikae Hindustan
of India,one wonders
whattitleif
, Empress
anyhisotherwiveshave.
thefilmappearsto proclaim
itshistorical
credentials
as
Despiteitsinaccuracies,
thedate and locationof the eventsdepictedare announcedthrough
the use of
captionsand voiceovers.Moreover,
periodclothes,jewels,modesof traveland
forms
ofmilitary
an 'authentic'Mughalcourt.Deploying
engagement
helppresent
visual
the
film
cultural
confidence
as Akbaris picked
spectacular
style,
displays
out forhisvirtuesand as deserving
ofJodhaa'slove.
The popularity
ofJodhaaAkbarand the iconicstatus of its starsensurethat
Akbar'sreignis shapedbyits representation
in the film.Jodhaais playedbya
former
MissWorld,
Rai. Winner
ofmanyfilmawards,Raiwas chosenby
Ashwaryia
TimeMagazinein2004as one oftheworld'sone hundred
mostinfluential
people.
as
of
the
Indian
Amitabh
Moreover, daughter-in-law
Bachchan,Rai
superstar
belongsto thefirstfilmfamilyin India.As Akbarmakesspace in his haremfor
his Hinduwife,hertempleand her rituals,Jodhaa/Ashwariya
comes to love
Akbar.AsAshwariya
lovesAkbarso does middleclass Indiacometo lovehim.In
thisstatement
I do notintendto claimthatanyotheractresswouldhave
making
beenincapableof securing
Akbar'sacceptability
to middleclass India.InsteadI
wantto pointto thewaysinwhichAshwariya
Rai'siconicstatuswithin
the
merely
Indianfilmindustry
is deployedto makeAkbaracceptableto mainstream
India.
Rai is helpedinthisventure
Roshanwho
byanothericonof Hindicinema,Hrithik
playsthe roleof Akbar.Roshanalso belongsto a veterancinematicfamilyand
has receivedmanyawardsand nominations.
WhenHritik/Akbar
is displaying
his
or
wild
the
camera
on
his
naked
torso.
swordsmanshiptaming
elephants,
lingers
(2008) arguesthat historicalfilmsserve as a catalystfor public
Burgoyne
debate.Thesecomments
are certainly
validforJodhaaAkbar.Although
known
for
histolerance,
Akbaralso hada sadistictrait.During
thebattlewhenhe captured
thefortress
in 1567,Akbarcommitted
one ofhisunpredictable
acts
cityofChitor
of cruelty.He orderedthe massacreof thousandsof Rajputsand the innocent
thewallsofthefort.Manycall theChitor
peasantswhohad takenrefugewithin
massacrea majorblemish
on a reignknown
foritstolerance,whichincludedthe
in
abolition 1563ofa tax on Hindusforvisiting
theirplacesof pilgrimage
and of
thejiziyain 1564,thetax whichnon-Muslims
Theexclusion
paidto thesovereign.
thepast
inJodhaa
Akbar
at Chitor,
throwslighton the selectiveprocessat
of Akbar'sbrutality
however,
playin the film'snarrative.
of maindetailsand thestreamlining
ofthestoryto make
Despitetheexclusions
it moreacceptableto middleclass HinduIndia,therewas substantial
controversy
ofthe Rajputcommunity
aboutJodhaaAkbarin Rajasthan.Members
pointedout
and glorified
thelifeofa manwhowas responsible
thatit distorted
theirhistory,
forcountlessRajputdeaths.Threatsof violencefromvariousrightwinggroups
resultedin the filmnot beingreleased in that state and whereit was subbanned.JodhaaAkbarwas also bannedin UttarPradesh,Haryanaand
sequently
the
Uttarakhand.
Later,the SupremeCourtof Indialiftedthe ban on screening
and Haryana.
filmin UttarPradeshand sometownsof Uttarakhand
The responsesto a sanitizedand Hinduizedversionof Akbar'sstoryspeak
volumesaboutthecontextinwhichit was producedand released.Anearlierfilm
aboutthe same familyeliciteda verydifferent
response.Indeed,howmightwe
Akbar's
controversial
receptionin 2008 to that of Mughal
compareJodhaa
of the same historicalperiod?
e Azam,a 1960sfilmwhichrecountsthe history
LikeJodhaaAkbar
, Mughale Azamwas also a verypopularfilm.AkbarandJodhaa
had supporting
rolesin Mughale Azam(its centralcharactersbeingtheirson
ofMughale Azam
PrinceSalimand hisbelovedAnarkali).Perhapsthe reception
(2008) has
speaksto the era in whichit was released,whichas Raghavendra
noted,was a timeof a morepluralistnationbuildingproject.The on screen
presenceof Akbarand Jodhaa in the 1960s filmdid not evoke the kinds
it did in the 2008 blockbuster
of controversy
JodhaaAkbar.Mughale Azam,it
visionof
appears,helpedprojecta pluralistIndiaat a timewhenthe Nehruvian
state socialismand pluralismwas largelyunchallenged.While,despite its
commercialsuccess, the controversy
Jodhaa Akbarspeaks to
surrounding
in
2008.
and regionaltensions
increasedethno-centrism
Jodhaa Akbar'scontroversialreceptionsituates its beIievabiIity not in its
narrative.Instead,as Higson(2006) has notedin a studyof Britishhistorical
whichhelpsconstruct
film,the spectator'sattentionshiftsto the iconography
the story.Indeedthe attentionto detail inJodhaaAkbarhelpsus believein
the storybeingtold. As suchthe powerof the filmas historicalnarrativelies
in its attentionto visualdetail and its use of vividcolours,fabulousjewellery
and periodcostumes.Each scene is presentedas a tableau of opulentdetail
withinterplayof richcolour- almost as if the actors had stepped out of
miniature
paintingsof the period.Thescene where,on Akbar'sorder,Maham
fromthe parapetof the royalfortat Agra
Anaga'sson AdhamKhanis thrown
appears to be an actualizationof a miniaturefromthe Akbarnamawhichis
nowhoused in the Victoriaand AlbertMuseumin England.Jodhaa'sclothes
of Mughalwomen.Tapestry
and jewelleryalso appear inspiredby miniatures
the
various
and
and carpets adorn
providea glimpse of the
buildings
sumptuoussplendourof whatthe palaces and fortsmusthave looked like
Shahnaz
141
whenthe Mughalslivedthere.The Urduspokenbythe variouscharactersis

beautifulto hearbutnothistorically
accurate.Thepresenceand use of Farsi
inAkbar'scourtis notacknowledged
inthefilm,despiteits strongpresencein
Akbar'scourt.
Akbar'sIndiaprovidesan exampleof an earlymodelof a working
multi-ethnic
state.Thepowerand strongpersonality
and multi-religious
oftheEmperor
broke
withtradition
and helpedbringabout a processthrough
whichmembers
of all
Thispluralisthistory
groupsachievedpowerand eminencein hisadministration.
is notrecoupedinJodhaaAkbar.Instead,historical
accuracyis sacrificedand
thelegendofAkbarrecoupedinwaysthatthevariouscontesting
political,racial,
culturaland religious
trendsare blendedintoa seamlessdualitybetweenHindus
and Muslims.
Evenwhenthedualityis framedbyMuslim
powerit containsseeds
ofa future
and whatmanyconsideris theunderlying
of
risingHinduism,
dynamic
'IndiaShining'.
As I have arguedelsewhere,in Hindicinemathe Muslimwomantames and
neutralizes
theMuslim
to statecontrol(Khan,2009).
man,leavinghimvulnerable
ThepowerandviolenceofMuslim
Akbaris outsidethecontrol
ofthemodern
Indian
state.JodhaaAkbar's
narrative
work
to
ensure
that
his
however,
strategies,
power
is neutralized.
Inthecinematic
narrative
we see a Muslim
threatened
masculinity
Hindufemininity.
ThepowerofMuslim
Akbaris tamedthrough
the
byan aggressive
in his haremas wellas in the heartof his belovedJodhaa.
presenceof Krishna
does notserveherowndesire.Insteadit focuseson
Jodhaa'sagency,however,
her
serving communityonlyin the space sanctionedbyfamilialdutydoes she
cometo loveAkbar.As suchit is nota transgressive
desirebetweenmembers
of
different
communities
but
one
which
and
seeks
to
religious
enjoysfamily
blessing
further
thepoliticaland economicinterests
of herfamily
and community.
In previousfilmssuch as Fiza and Fanaa, it was the Muslim'swoman's
whichwas deployedintheserviceof nationalism,
inJodhaaAkbarit
femininity
is the HinduwomanwhodeliversMuslimAkbarto the fold.Atthe same time,
Jodhaa'ssupremacyin the filmallows middleclass Hinduvalues to have
inAkbar'scourt- theheightofMuslim
supremacy
power.Middleclass Indiacan
claimAkbaras one oftheirown.In a sense he no longerbelongsto theMuslim
he has risenabovethem.He has becomeJodhaa'sAkbar.Jodhaa's
community,
cinematicembraceof Akbaroccursin an era whenthe rest of the Muslim
population,12 per cent of India's 1.2 billionpeople, continueto be largely
4 Inmaking
this
relegatedto the margins.4
comment,
my
intention
is notto
The Akbarcharactermightbe read, by some, as an exampleof filmmaker's dismiss
themany
who
intention
to glorify
and resuscitateMuslimmasculinity
in a waythatchallenges IndianMuslims
haverisento
the Orienalisttropesof decadence, sexualityand violencewhichdominate political
and
in
power
narratives
in mostBombayfilms.Thecinematicproduction
about Muslims
of a economic
modern
India.
Muslim
male inJodhaaAkbarand its controversial
powerful
however, InsteadI merely
reception,
thepast
inJodhaa
Akbar
pointto thecurrent
statusofthe
whoare
majority
and
financially
the
culturally
among
in
depressed
groups
thenation
withhigh
andlow
poverty
rates.See
literacy
IndianMuslims,
22June2007,
/www.
http:/
indianmuslims.
info/
reports_about_
indian_muslims/
india_s_muslim_
population.html
(accessed
9 August
2009).
5 I thankan
unknown
reviewer
of
Feminist
Review
for
thisinsight.
does notallowforan emergence

of a strongmasculinethat Muslim
youthcan
emulate.5Insteadthe narrative
focuseson the Emperor's
and
exceptionalism
does not challengethe abject positionof mostMuslimmenin India.As such,
I argue,Jodha'sAkbarhelps consolidatethe contemporary
Hindu-dominated
nation-building
project.
WhatabouttheMuslim
woman?Although
Akbar'sreignalso sawthedevelopment
in place, historicalrecords
of an imperialharemwithmoreformalstructures
that
and
in
women
lived
it (GulbadenBegum,2002;
suggest
manystrong agentive
are
absent
from
the
cinematic
however.
Lai, 2005). They
narrative,
Instead,we
are presented
withtwotropesforthe Muslim
the
mother:
woman,a bifurcated
one (MahamAnaga)as
(HamidaBanuBegum)andthemanipulative
goodmother
well as the lovingsister.As such the filmdoes littleto further
the Muslim
woman'sagencyas havinganyroleoutsidethatoffacilitating
thedesiresof her
male kin.
conclusion
narrative
JodhaaAkbaras a historical
reshapesthepastto servetheneedsofthe
of revisiting
to constructnew
history
presentand speaks to the importance
definitions
of Indianess.Its productionand receptionidentifieshistorical,
inthe regionwhilegivingriseto femininities
politicaland culturalcontestations
and masculinities
that challengeand endorsethe status quo. Shornof his
pluralistviews,his manywivesand his brutalacts, as embodiedby Bombay
HritikRoshan,the MuslimAkbarentersmiddleclass Indian
cinemasuperhero
to Jodhaa
Atthe sametimehisseemingly
consciousness.
marriage
monogamous
class
a
more
to
current
middle
helps construct nuptialmorality
acceptable
values.
in
of Muslimmasculinity
Assuch,Akbarchallengesthe previousrepresentation
violentterrorism,
Hindicinemathat is inflectedwithorientalistconstructions:
is
as wellas aristocraticdecadenceand hyper-sexuality.
Jodhaa'sdomesticity
in
the
Muslim
man
to
neutralize
the
and
of
deployed
dangerous
roughedges
ways that facilitate Akbar'sacceptance. She marriesa man outside her
and as such she sacrificesherself
religionto help herfamilyand community
forothers- a verydesirabletraitfora Bombaycinemaheroine.Thecastingof
Bombaycinema princessAshwaryiaRai in the role of Jodhaa facilitates
TheMuslimwomanas a strongagentivecharacter
acceptanceofthe narrative.
is absent fromthe storyline.Instead she is cast as a motherbut not the
mother
whoseonlypurposeis to sacrificeherselfforherchildren
so commonin
Hindifilms.Whileshe is good she also has a sinisterside. The otherMuslim
wifeand loyal
femalecharacteris the emperor's
sister,whoplaysa supportive
sister.
Shahnaz
143
Thearticulationof the romanceinJodhaaAkbarspeaks to mythmakingand

its connection
to social history.
Thenarrative
of loversbecomesan allegoryof
nationalanxieties.Tensionswithin
the nationare presentedinthe languageof
love and dominantpreoccupations
offeredthroughdiscourseon familialand
loverelations.Akbar'spoliticaland military
dominanceis recastas a dazzling
masculinewhichstands in contrastto earlierOrientalist
views.Yet this is a
dominancewhichis influenced
in close proximity
and
one
which
is
byJodhaa
to a Krishnadeity.The brillianceof Akbarfindscontroversial
acceptance in
Indiaand is largelyignoredin neighbouring
Muslim
Pakistan,a predominantly
country.
JodhaaAkbardrawson a shared past and imaginesa futurebased on the
necessitiesof the day. Akbarand his radiantcourtperform
severalfunctions.
In resuscitating
a stronghistoricalfigure,the filmservesglobal noticethat
Indiatoo has had its shareofstrongand innovative
leaders.Thestunning
sets
and costumesspeakto a past periodof opulenceand grandeur
and gestureof
richesto comewiththeriseoftheeconomicand politicalmightof Indiaofthe
future.Despiteits shortcomings,
the filmappears to embraceMuslimAkbar
as it makesa case forpluralism
and equal opportunity
forall in India,yetall
is not as it seems. Muslimidentityin the narrativeis not framedaround
presentday conditionsinstead it is valorizedthroughthe romanticized
splendourand spectacle of past warriors.Embraceof Akbarcan allow fora
denialof structural
issueswhichMuslimshaveto face in contemporary
India.
At the same time,Jodhaa withher stunningclothes and pricelessjewels
standsfora strongHindufemalepresence.Uponcloser inspectionhowever,
she is largelyspectacle and has littleagency.Manipulatedbythe needs of
her community
in the sixteenthcentury,today she serves liberalismand
in contemporary
consumerism
India.
Cinematic
culturethenbecomesa negotiatedformof nationalconsciousness
whichallows India to embrace its Muslimpast - mediatedvia Jodhaa's
- to becomean allegoryof the present.In bringing
the past into
domesticity
with
the
film
the
to
a
collective
dream
of
dialogue
present,
points
globalpower
and Akbar'snarrative
becomesa methodof articulating
thatdreamas pluralist
and inclusive.In the finalanalysisJodhaaAkbarbecomesa narrative
of truth/
lies as well as reality/illusion.
It is as muchabout India's presentas it is
aboutits past. It identifies
thefractures
as wellas the hopeof the nationand
as a culturalartefactthefilmalso functions
as an imageof desire.As Bombay
cinemaspreads outwardfromIndia throughthe globalizedculturalproduct
knownas Bollywood,the masculinitiesand femininities
it projects are
disseminated
to a world-wide
audience.Theeffectof these influences
is under
investigated.
144 feminiSt review 99 2011 recovering
thepast
inJodhaa
Akbar
acknowledgements
fromthe Social Scienceand Humanities
Councilof Canada has enabled
Funding
the researchfor this article. The discussion has also benefittedfrom
conversations
withAlka Kurianas well as commentsfromthe anonymous
refereesof Feminist
Reviewand editorialassistancefromMadelaineDuxbury.
author
biography
of Women
and GenderStudiesand GlobalStudiesat
ShahnazKhanis Professor
in
women
Canada.
She
has
onMuslim
Wilfrid
Laurier
extensively
University,
published
in Pakistan.Hercurrent
interests
include
thediasporaand on theZinaOrdinance
cinema.
theconstruction
of Muslim
Bombay
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doi:10.1057/fr.
2010.30
146 feminiSt revie W 99 2011 recovering

thepast
inJodhaa
Akbar

Jodha Akbar

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Jodha Akbar

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recovering the past in "Jodhaa Akbar": masculinities, femininities and cultural politics in

these storiesare relayedto us throughhistoricalfilmswhich,as

has wonthe AudienceAwardforthe Best ForeignFilmat the 32ndSao Paulo

Theplotis simple.JodhaaAkbardetailsthe comingto the throneofJalaluddin

NandanaBose (2009) notesthatBombaycinema'sroleas a majorproducer

Whatideologiesare at play in these processes?Whatnarrative awarethatthe

discardedherrole of modestwife,onlya distraction

whenthe Mughalslivedthere.The Urduspokenbythe variouscharactersis

does notallowforan emergence

Thearticulationof the romanceinJodhaaAkbarspeaks to mythmakingand

146 feminiSt revie W 99 2011 recovering

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