Why didn't the movie ashoka work??

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Samana Bohara

@Targaryen-gal

Dazzler

Posted: 11 years ago

#41

Originally posted by: ibelieveinpink
I immediately compare Asoka to Mughal E Azam or JA b/c of the periodic drama genre and kingdom theme storylines. Asoka fails b/c of the storyline. It was too far-fetched and way too much emphasis on the romance of it all. I think by casting SRK they over played the romance angle. As much as I love SRK, I don't think he suits periodic roles like this one. Maybe something like Parineeta or Devdas--yes, but he just didn't look like a king.


As for Kareena, I personally don't think she was bad, but I do think she was miscast. Or maybe they should have given her some coaching for her posture and treatment of diction. I felt like she wasn't a princess, but just some regular person. I wish they wrote the dialouges better. Generally, don't think Kareena suits period roles.


The songs were really good though. Probs the best part of this movie.

Really? Might be weird but whenever I visit lumbini and see the ashok stamba, the first thing that comes in my mind is srk's face 😆
Kareena...omg she had got the best make-up of that time. Those eyes...but I wished she had put more effort in her acting. She acted like 'pooh' at times.
She was good in that san sanana song though.

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Samana Bohara

@Targaryen-gal

Dazzler

Posted: 11 years ago

#42

Originally posted by: CarrotCake
I quite enjoyed watching Asoka, and was surprised that it flopped, even though it was less fact, more fiction. I think people didn't like SRK as Asoka.
The music album is amazing, by the way.

Why didn't people like him as ashok??!! 😭

I liked his kajal and mischievous look. Ugghh!! Why why??

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Samana Bohara

@Targaryen-gal

Dazzler

Posted: 11 years ago

#43

Originally posted by: Dexterkilaila
Terrible execution through masalafication of what should have remained a neutral take on the subject.

90s had just ended. And 90s was a weird time 😆
The movie gave me some 'Feels'. I still get shivers when I watch it though 😆 I skip the stupid comedy bits everytime.

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Samana Bohara

@Targaryen-gal

Dazzler

Posted: 11 years ago

#44

Originally posted by: ..Mishh007..
I don't know...maybe because they turned history into love story!!! And horrible miscasting!!

😔 My heart broke into million pieces.

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Samana Bohara

@Targaryen-gal

Dazzler

Posted: 11 years ago

#45

Originally posted by: SG200
The movie sucked big time only songs were good. SRK was miscast as warrior king Ashoka. He just doesn't suit the character. In Ashoka's time,war used to be fought with swords etc riding on horses etc... SRK looked anything but a warrior😆
The story was more a masala love story set in that specific time far removed from history.

I think srk also foughg the wars with swords and horses. 😕 😕

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Azor_Ahai

@Azor_Ahai

Inactive

Posted: 11 years ago

#46

Well as some one mentioned they did add a lot of masala to the story unnecessarily. It was just not needed. Although SRK is miscast in such role but still he is capable enough to pull of such roles if proper material is given to him. But the weak direction and lame screenplay killed the movie. Kareena's character was also made too OTT in my opinion. In fact whole movie would have done wonder with little subtlety. And yeah although songs are good but somehow I feel - they don't give the vibe of a periodical. Bit too modern for a historical movie. Compare it to songs of JA for example and you will feel like songs like Jashne Bahara, Ajeem O Shan Shenshah, In lamhon k daman are suited for that Mughal era. But I can't say the same for Raat ka nasha and all. They are good songs but just seems out of place for movie.

All said and done I hope someone makes a movie on Ashoka again. The greatest emperor of India deserve one amazing movie on him. And yeah not just Ashoka but his grandfather Chandragupta Maurya deserves a film of his own too. This reminds me Chandragupta Vikramaditya (from Gupta empire) is another king which has enough filmy twists and turns in his life to make one hell of an entertaining movie.

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BIackSwan

@BIackSwan

Trailblazer

+ 3

Posted: 11 years ago

#47

It looked artificial and did not interest me at all. Bad execution I guess

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CeaselessBanter

@CeaselessBanter

Dazzler

Posted: 11 years ago

#48

Compare it to the movie Jodha Akbar and you will know why. Jodha Albar also took a lot of liberties. But what worked were these things IMO.

1. Casting - Perhaps our kings and queens were ordinary looking, but we like to think of them as these beautiful people. Hrithik and Ash are two of the most beautiful people in Hindi cinema of all time. Seeing them on screen together as King and Queen just made it even more magical and believable.

2. Chemistry - It was just out of this world. For a film like that to work with opposites in every way especially fictional, the common thread often is that they should be together despite all odds. The scene where he first sees her face, they are just looking at each other and you know it would have just happened like that if Jodha and Akbar were real .

Chemistry absolutely matters in such films and plays a big part in convincing you to buy the story, just watch 'In Lamhon Ki Daaman Mein'

I like SRK loads more than Hrithik, but consider Ashoka one of his worst. It just did not work for me, I cannot imagine it working for people who do not like him or are just meh about him.

Bebo has the coldest chemistry with most of her co-stars. She and SRK looked terrible together. It just wasn't convincing as Jodha Akbar.

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return_to_hades

@return_to_hades

Stunner

+ 6

Posted: 11 years ago

#49

I really liked Asoka. The love story was a distraction and false history. The rest of the movie was an accurate history before Asoka became a Buddhist. I consider it one of SRK's better movies. It also had a great soundtrack to boot.

I think the factors that prevented it from being successful are

- No glamorous or opulent portrayal of Royals

- Indians are hesitant to accept that Asoka was once a violent man with bloodlust

- Slow narrative

- Awkward chemistry and forced romance

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blue-ice.

@blue-ice.

Achiever

+ 4

Posted: 11 years ago

#50

I love this movie...don't know why it didn't work though...and frankly what works and doesn't work at the BO is still a puzzle...there is no answer to why a good movie didn't work or a bad one was a blockbuster...The real KING is the audience.