BIkini days are over for Aish!

By Subhash K Jha

Contrary to the skeptical view being spread like a stubborn virus, Ashutosh Gowariker's ambitious historical epic Jodha-Akbar, chronicling the life and love of Mughal emperor Akbar and his Rajput beloved Jodha is all set to roll from 1 November.

In fact Hrithik who has just finished with two back-to-back projects that require him to fly through the sky at death-defying velocity, is now busy learning to ride a horse and sword-fencing before he dons the garb of Emperor Akbar.

After completing the shooting of Dhoom 2, Hrithik has immediately jumped into the physical training for Jodha-Akbar.

This is why Ashutosh is doubly surprised by the rumours that Jodha-Akbar has stalled. Startled by all the negative speculation Ashutosh says, "The fact is I am on schedule. I'm leaving after Diwali on 24 October for Rajasthan for the shooting from 1st November, when Hrithik and Ash join me."

In the meanwhile Hrithik has been intensely practising how to get on a high horse and how to cross swords across the enemy line. Being his first costume drama the diligent actor wants to make sure he gets all the details right.

For Aishwarya the horse-rising and fencing are somewhat easier. She learnt both for the role of the fiery Roman rebel-queen Mira in Doug Lefler's The Last Legion which opens in January 2007 all over the world.

However Ash is also expected to hone her skills on the horse and with the sword before she joins Ashutosh Gowariker for the long schedule in Rajasthan.

"There's some strange affinity between me and period films," she laughed and said. "First Devdas, then Umrao Jaan, now Jodha-Akbar."

Interestingly the Hrithik-Aishwarya pair will be seen in a completely contemporary conniving and wicked avatars in Yashraj Films' Dhoom 2 next month.

Wouldn't the cultural contrast between the modern actioner and the Mughal drama be too much? "Not at all! I'm not the least worried about their images," says Ashutosh.

He should know. When Aamir had never played a villager before Gowariker's Lagaan and Shah Rukh Khan hadn't dreamt he would slip so effortlessly into the role of conscientious NRI before Swades.

Hrithik's turn as the most benevolent Mughal emperor who dared to love and marry a Hindu princess gives him the chance to do his first intense love story.

Says Hrithik, "It will have war, horses and swords. I will be a very young and virile Akbar. It's a very very real drama, not theatrical at all. It's my first costume drama because I will wear a costume.

But that doesn't mean it will excessively dramatic or rhetorical. I've immense faith in Ashutosh Gowariker's abilities. His intelligent perspective during his narrative convinced me he can never make an actor look bad. He believes in the real and tries to capture the real. He never constraints the actor, lets them be natural on camera."