Jodha Akbar 273l44

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 Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41288880 Accessed: 30-04-2015 17:20 UTC

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non 99

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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

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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 theunderwhich 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

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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

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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

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NandanaBose (2009) notesthatBombaycinema'sroleas a majorproducer and disseminator ofideologyhas notbeenlostontheBharatiya JanataParty(BJP),a the leader majorforcebehindHindutva. Bombay-based politicianBal Thackery, of ShivSena (an of 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, underwhatis 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 Khanfeminist revie w 99 2011

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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 thatits 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 istration. 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

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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 prefor its receptionin neighbouring butalso one whichsees its historical Muslim trajectory 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 sof 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 Khanfeminist revie w 99 2011 Shahnaz

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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 wereive.Recordssuggestthatsenior rulers, space womenof Akbar'sharemwereimportant playersin imperialruleand wereoften called upon to advise, intervene,and at times to preside over state istration (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 ownas 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 138 feministreview 99 2011 recovering thepast inJodhaa Akbar

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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 Khanfeminist revie w 99 2011

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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 minimalskinbetweenthe 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. 140 feministreview 99 2011 recovering thepast inJodhaa Akbar

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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. 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 ing 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 Khanfeminist revie w 99 2011

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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 which of all Thispluralisthistory groupsachievedpowerand eminencein hisistration. 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 desirebetween 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.Thecinematiroduction about Muslims of a economic modern India. Muslim male inJodhaaAkbarand its controversial powerful however, InsteadI merely reception, 142 feministreview 99 2011 recovering thepast inJodhaa Akbar

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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 ive sister. Shahnaz Khanfeminist revie w 99 2011

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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

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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

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