Mohenjo Daro: A Masterpiece Of Cinema

After a long wait, Mohenjo Daro is finally with us. As a Hrithik Roshan fan, I have been glued to every piece of news that unfolded about this film in the last 1.5 years since it was announced that the dream team of Gowariker-Rahman-Roshan were coming together once more. The last few months were very exciting as the teasers, posters, trailers and songs were slowly released. The last few days have seen epic anticipation in the Hrithik fanworld as we tweeted, trended, counted-down, and more or less self-combusted with excitement at finally seeing our favorite on the big screen once more.

I thoroughly enjoyed the film. It delivers what it promises – ENTERTAINMENT. It is a deeply symbolic, fantasy adventure that shows the coming-of-age of an innocent farmer as he embarks upon a journey of self-discovery, finding both love and himself in the process, and taking on some scary bad guys along the way. This all unfolds against the backdrop of wonderfully recreated sets, haunting music and spectacular special effects. The storyline is a classic good versus evil tale often repeated in many genres of movies and books in both the East and the West. For me, Mohenjo Daro adds its own special take on this storyline by various ingredients: (1) the fascinating time period in which it is set (2) the breathtaking music of AR Rahman and (3) the suave and swag of the one and only Mr. Hrithik Roshan.

Coming from another part of the world, I had never heard of Mohenjo Daro. As a history buff, I started reading about the site with interest when I learned about the movie. What really got my research going were the many accusations of historical inaccuracy levelled against the movie once the posters and trailer were released. What I discovered was that the movie seemed to be paying remarkable attention to historical detail in several fronts; this was the subject of my earlier blogpost "Mohenjo Daro's Tribute to Authenticity". There are many subtle historical tributes in the film that connect the movie with the archeological finds from the actual site of Mohenjo Daro. Being able to recognize these very much enriched my movie experience.

The music of AR Rahman helps to transform a great movie into an epic one. I had already heard and loved the soundtrack; the background music is on a whole other level. It breathtakingly frames every scene, and intensely evokes all of the right emotions in the viewer. The video songs are adorable, with the song sequences beautifully filmed and choreographed, and very much a part of the story rather than an obligatory song-and-dance break. I admit that I was disappointed that the Sarsariya song sequence was deleted from the film – it was a lovely moment that developed the romance between the two, added some depth to Chaani’s character, and beautifully showed the city’s backstreets, its citizens, and something of the Mohenjo Daro way of life. However, the movie did flow just as well without it.

No one could have done a better job of Sarman than Hrithik Roshan. He seems to have a particular talent for portraying a kind-hearted, sweet character – as the greed, lust and injustices of Mohenjo Daro become apparent to him, Sarman’s wide-eyed hurt more than once reminded me of Rohit Mehra in Koi Mil Gaya. For me, Hrithik Roshan as Sarman the leader is more convincing than Hrithik Roshan as Sarman the village boy; I think that the actor himself has developed a confidence and maturity that makes him now more suited to roles of responsibility, command and leadership and less to roles of youth and innocence. Notwithstanding this, Hrithik delivers an immense and powerful performance in bringing to life Sarman’s transformation from a naïve boy to a commanding, resolute and just leader. Indeed, Sarman’s nobility as Hrithik portrays it is something to which we should all aspire. 

The first scenes of the movie are my favorite: Sarman squares off against a freakish crocodile that seems to have come straight from The Island of Doctor Moreau, and in the battle we see the hint of the fighter and leader that Sarman is destined to become. The arena battle is a standout moment, for both the character of Sarman as well as the film itself. As someone extremely sensitive to violence, I was thrilled that all of the action in these (and other) scenes are done with taste and without the bloodfests that seem to have become the norm in today’s entertainment. For better or worse, Hrithik’s clothes stay squarely on his frame for the entire movie. I admit that part of me hoped that, during the arena fighting, Bakar or Zokar would have inadvertently undone the flimsy ties of Sarman’s shirt! However, Hrithik Roshan needs no body scenes to be forever pleasing to the eyes. For me, no Hrithik Roshan movie is complete without a little flexing of that unexplored yet incredible comedic talent that he possesses. The comedic moments in this film are few but terrific – in particular his expressions and out-of-time swaying in Tu Hai are golden.

I very much enjoyed the performance of Pooja Hegde. It is nice to see a new face on the Bollywood movie scene. She has beauty and grace, and nicely portrays the innocence and girlishness of Chaani. She has expressed in interviews that she was nervous to dance alongside the mighty Hrithik, but in some of their shared dancing scenes, she is so incredibly elegant that she can even draw attention away from him for a moment (insert gasp here). Though there is not a sizzling, exploding chemistry between Sarman and Chaani, there is a sweetness between them that makes the romance believable and endearing. Kabir Bedi gives a standout performance as the evil Maham. I would have enjoyed seeing more of his back story, and also more of the minor characters, but this would clearly have come at the cost of a longer film. Although, as a huge fan of both Hrithik and Ashutosh, I would have welcomed a longer film, I fully understand and respect the decision to keep it short, as this is of importance in appealing to wider audiences. The created sets and the visual effects are impressive; Ashutosh Gowariker effectively transports the audience into an ancient world. This is so skillfully done that it seems almost effortless! Such is the hand of a master filmmaker.

I absolutely loved Mohenjo Daro and I salute Ashutosh Gowariker, Hrithik Roshan and all involved for having the courage to make it. Mohenjo Daro is a worthy addition to Hrithik’s collection of movies, and as a Hrithik fan I am very proud that he has done this film. One movie can never please a diversity of tastes, and many people will voice their criticisms. However, as someone relatively new to the world of Bollywood movies, what appalls me is the savagery with which Mohenjo Daro, and Hrithik Roshan, are being attacked by critics. In an industry where a fixed formula generally seems to work, any effort to move outside of the norm should be applauded, not scorned. Despite the rich historical tapestry that comes with an ancient heritage, the historical genre in Bollywood is relatively unexplored; given the ongoing, vicious reactions to Mohenjo Daro, I can understand why. If filmmakers like Ashutosh Gowariker and actors like Hrithik Roshan stopped trying different recipes and took the easier and less criticized route of formula films, what an immeasurable loss this would be. Films like these are not only valuable to Bollywood, they act as Bollywood’s ambassadors to the wider world. Bollywood, and India, should be immensely proud to have artists of this calibre who are willing to devote their time and talents to this kind of film. Mohenjo Daro is a MASTERPIECE, and not just of Indian cinema: it is a masterpiece of cinema.

Mohenjo Daro's Tribute to Authenticity

With the launch of the Mohenjo Daro posters and trailer, much ado is being made over whether or not the movie is true to what is known of the actual city and people of Mohenjo Daro. I do not claim expertise, but as someone with a love for all things historical, it has been fascinating to do some preliminary research into the archeological evidence that does exist. My findings below show that, to a large extent, the movie is paying tribute to authenticity in a multitude of different ways.

The Indigo Farmer

Sarman refers to himself as an “indigo farmer”. “Indigofera tinctoria”, a shrub of a plant with purple flowers was an ancient source of an Old World blue dye known as “indigo.” The earliest example of indigo from Indigofera probably comes from the Bronze Age Indus Valley Civilization, cultivated along the banks of the Indus River. The ancient civilizations of Harappa and Mohenjo Daro fermented the leaves of indigofera to create a blue cake-like powder that was a natural dye for cotton. They were not just farmers but also merchants who traded indigo with the other great civilizations of the time.  When the town of Rojdi (a site that was part of the Indus Valley civilization) was excavated, archaeologists recovered seeds from at least 4 different species of the genus Indigofera. Archaeologists also recovered remnants of cloth dyed blue from Mohenjo Daro that dated to 1750 BC. Portraying Sarman as an indigo farmer is therefore perfectly in line with what is known of the economy of the Indus Valley civilization.

The Mother Goddess 

When Sarman arrives at Mohenjo Daro, we see him staring wide-eyed as he walks past a towering female statue. This statue seems to be the recreation of one of the Mother Goddess figurines recovered from Mohenjo Daro.  A large number of such figurines, carved in various forms and fashions, have been recovered at the site, indicating that Mother Goddess worship was probably very widespread during this era. The statue in the movie has been cast with necklaces and a waist-band that are almost identical to the original statue. 

The Seal 

The first scene of the Mohenjo Daro trailer almost perfectly recreates the artefact of one of the ancient seals found at Mohenjo Daro. Seals were made of stone, copper or bronze. The most typical Indus seal is square, with a set of symbols along the top, an animal in the centre, and one or more symbols at the bottom. The most common motif is an ox-like beast with a single horn, popularly nicknamed as the "Unicorn”. The significance of this animal is, as yet, unknown.

The Horned Headdress 

Horns also seemed to play a prominent role in the depiction of deities of that time. A number of seals recovered from Mohenjo Daro depict deities with elaborate headdresses comprised of two curved horn-like objects. One of the most significant finds of the Indus Civilization is known as the Pashupati Seal (top left); it is claimed that this is one of the earliest representations of Lord Shiva. In the movie trailer, the first scenes of the character of Maham show him wearing a huge headdress with curved horns on either side. The first words we hear from Maham are: “It is only me who decides who will live and die in Mohenjo Daro”. From this, it can be speculated that Maham has a God-complex; he seems to consider himself a God and therefore may be deliberately using this headpiece to represent himself as such.

The Dress of Chaani 

The archeological finds from the Harappan civilizations are unclothed, and the preservation of textiles are rare, so there is in fact very little evidence of clothing from Mohenjo Daro. Some evidence of dress styles comes from iconography and figurines, though it is impossible to be certain that these even represent the clothing of everyday people. It is speculated that dress was based on lengths of cloth that were folded and draped in different ways. Small fragments preserved in the corrosion of metal objects show that the people of this era wore a range of grades of cotton cloth; there is speculation that flax, silk and leather may also have been used, and that wool may have been available from trade. Given the excavation of Indigofera seeds as well one fragment of colored cloth dyed red with madder, it is almost certain that their textiles were dyed in a range of colours.

Women sometimes went bare-breasted; in fact, nudity of both sexes seemed to be acceptable. Excavated female figurines were carved wearing miniskirts that were fastened by either sashes or beaded girdles. Elaborate hairstyles and headdresses with flowers and ornaments worked in also appeared to be favoured by women of wealth. It is believed that lipstick was also popular at this time. Much evidence points to a fondness of jewelry by the wealthier of both sexes. Jewelry was generally made from gold, silver, copper, and a range of semi-precious stones. The figurine of the Mother Goddess discussed above was carved wearing a multitude of chokers and pendant bead necklaces draping over the breasts and extending to the waist.

In the first poster of the female lead of Mohenjo Daro, it is very striking that the primary colours of her clothes are indigo and red - colours that have been archeologically (and economically) linked to Mohenjo Daro. Her beautiful headdress is ornate with beads, gems and flowers. The high slit in her skirt points to both the shorter skirts of that era as well as the comfort women seemed to have with showing their bodies. Her elaborate and rich tunic is heavily decorated with gemstones, and is fastened with a girdle. Chaani is being portrayed as a woman of both great wealth as well as great beauty.

The Boats

Like all cities close to water, rivers in the Indus Valley were likely used for transport. A boat travelling downstream with the current could cover many miles in a few days. Seals and tablets recovered from the Mohenjo Daro site show flat bottomed river boats which would have been guided with long oars. Clay models of flat bottomed boats have also been found at Harappa and Lothal (two of the other great cities of the Indus Valley civilization). It is speculated that these river boats were made from wood or tightly braided reeds. Up to this day, flat bottomed ferry boats are used to help travellers cross the Indus River near Mohenjo Daro. The boats used by Sarman appear flat bottomed, textured with reeds, and piloted with long oars.

The Mohenjo Daro film needs to be taken in the proper context. It is not a documentary, nor has it ever claimed to be. Instead it is, as many movies ultimately are, a boy-loves-girl story. The difference is that this love story is set against the backdrop of an ancient civilization, which though recognized as one of the greatest of its time, is also one of which we know the least. Ashutosh Gowariker has sought to bring this civilization to life through the expression of his artistic license as well as through detailed and painstaking research. Even on the limited material of the movie that has been made public to date, there is undeniable evidence that connects the movie with the archeological finds from the site. I consider it fortunate that a film maker of his depth and substance has decided to paint the canvas of Mohenjo Daro. I, for one, have already been enriched by the experience.

Why I Will Always Support Hrithik Roshan

I have been a fan of Hrithik Roshan for 3 years, and he will always have my support. Given that I have never before classified myself as a fan of any celebrity, I often ask myself: what is it about him that has drawn me into his world and inspired this loyalty?

His primary interaction with the public is as an actor, and there is no denying his talent in that department. The movies I have seen bear testament to his versatile range. From the sweeping historical epic of Jodhaa Akbar, to the light entertainment of Dhoom 2, to the emotional depths of Guzaarish, to the technical brilliance of the Krrish trilogy, he continues to push the boundaries of Indian cinema. He brings life and soul to the very diverse roles that he so brilliantly plays – who can forget the innocent sweetness of Rohit, the mighty yet vulnerable Akbar, the endearing cheekiness of Mr. A, the heart-wrenching angst of Ethan, the powerful but gentle Krrish, or the gorgeously wicked Rajveer? He brings smiles and entertainment to millions through the thoughtfulness and dedication he gives to every one of his roles; I am counting down the days to Mohenjo Daro with excited anticipation!

Physically, there is no doubt that he is one of nature's finest specimens. He is known fondly as "Bollywood's Greek God", and one cannot help but admire the sheer magnificence of the man. And yet how can looks alone inspire the fierce love, loyalty and devotion that I have observed in a fan base that spans gender, ethnicities, ages, cultures and continents? While it is inevitable that the physical spurs the initial attraction, it is the spiritual that will sustain it. Kahlil Gibran says, "Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart". The more I am exposed to the fan world of Hrithik Roshan, the more I see past his incomparable physical canvas to the light within that illuminates it. It has become increasingly clear to me that what lies "Beneath his Beautiful", in fact exceeds it.

I am his fan, but I am no blindly loyal fan. Despite his Godly looks, I have never viewed Hrithik Roshan as some kind of God beyond reproach in my eyes; on the contrary, I have openly disagreed with him when I have felt compelled to do so. For me, he is no different to any of us in that he is trying to navigate the channels of his life to the best of his ability, inevitably making a few muddles along the way; BUT he is better than many of us in that, in his own journey, he makes an enormous effort to make a positive contribution to people’s lives.

And I am one of those people! He continues to inspire me to be fitter and healthier - I am an avid exerciser thanks to his continued influence (though my biceps are not quite as big as his, yet!). He has become my creative muse - I am building new technical skills and even started a Twitter page dedicated to my Hrithik-related creations (@HrithikEdits). He has brought me a lot of lighthearted smiles - there is nothing quite like that moment when you get a twitter notification that Hrithik Roshan has replied to you! I have met some special souls in the fan world whom it is a joy to get to know. He has also been a kind of mental sanctuary for me during some recent traumatic times in my own life. In an inexplicable way, he has somehow become interwoven into the tapestry of my existence - and I am the better for it. 

As a Hrithik Roshan fan, I feel to some extent connected to his happiness as well as his pains. When I know he is smiling, it makes me quietly smile too; when I know he is facing challenges, it disturbs me. I admire how he lives his public life, but beyond my wanting him to be filled with joy and peace, his private matters are none of my concern. However, the world in which we live is an increasingly voyeuristic one, where we are collectively guilty of breaching the lines between public and private on a regular basis. Our daily entertainment is dominated by reality shows and celebrity scandals, where the personal matters of others are broadcast directly into our homes and our conversations, and we become disconnected from the notion that the people we look at and read about are human beings with feelings. We are addicted to a sensationalist media, who many times sacrifice truth and cross all boundaries of decency and privacy in order to feed our cravings. Social media gives us a platform to make our voices heard, and while this can be used in very positive ways, it can also lead to very negative consequences as we can anonymously and unthinkingly say hurtful things based on incomplete information, and with no regard for the people to whom such barbs are directed. We are quick to express harsh judgement of others, though we dare not judge ourselves by the same criteria. There is sometimes an innate savagery in human nature that makes us not only want to witness a public lynching, but also actively participate in it - without realising that, under different circumstances, the person being lynched could so easily be any one of us. 

I hope that, throughout his life, Hrithik Roshan is able to cherish his happy moments, to feel supported during the difficult ones, is able to overcome and learn from his challenges, and reaches out to wholeheartedly grasp the glorious potential of the unwritten future. He has been the catalyst for some very happy moments in my life, the memories of which will be forever treasured and will continue to make my heart smile. Because we are all connected to each other in the Universe’s grand design, I have faith that the collective blessings being offered from a distance will continue to uplift him during trying times, and make HIS heart smile too. There is nothing and no-one that will ever change the fact that I am proud to be a fan of Hrithik Roshan, and that I will always, unconditionally, support him – come what may.