Jodha Akbar is a forthcoming period film, to be released in 2008. It is being directed and produced by Ashutosh Gowarikar's, the director of Oscar-nominated Lagaan. It stars Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in lead roles. This film also represents the debut of newcomer Abir Abrar. Extensive research has gone into the making of this film which begun shooting at Karjat.

The film centers around the romance between the Muslim Mughal Emperor Akbar, played by Hrithik Roshan and his Hindu wife, Jodhabai, played by Aishwarya. The music will be composed by acclaimed music composer A.R. Rahman. The soundtrack of the movie released on January 19, 2008. This movie is scheduled for release on February 15, 2008.

In reality Akbar's wife was never known as Jodhabai. The use of the name Jodhabai appears to have been a 19th century mistake. Her real name was Hira-Kunwari before marriage and after marriage she was known as Mariam-uz-Zamani.

According to historical texts, Akbar actually did meet Jodha before they were married. It was Akbar who proposed to her father for her hand in marriage to create an alliance and also because he somehow became very fond of her. Akbar had many wives, some of them Rajput princesses.

Jodha Akbar is a sixteenth century love story about a marriage of alliance that gave birth to true love between a great Mughal emperor, Akbar, and a Rajput princess, Jodha.

Political success knew no bounds for Emperor Akbar (Hrithik Roshan). After having secured the Hindu Kush, he furthered his realm by conquest until his empire extended from Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal, and from the Himalayas to the Godavari River. Through a shrewd blend of diplomacy, intimidation and brute force , Akbar won the allegiance of the Rajputs, the strongest of the Hindu castes. But little did Akbar know that when he married Jodha (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), a fiery Rajput princess, in order to further strengthen his relations with the Rajputs, he would in turn be embarking upon a new journey – the journey of true love.

The daughter of King Bharmal of Amer, Jodha resented being reduced to a mere political pawn in this marriage of alliance, and Akbar’s biggest challenge now did not merely lie in winning battles, but in winning the love of Jodha – a love hidden deep below resentment and extreme prejudice. Jodha Akbar is their untold love story.

• Hrithik Roshan ... Emperor Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar
• Aishwarya Rai Bachchan ... Jodha
• Abir Abrar ... Bakshi Banu Begum
• Kulbhushan Kharbanda ... Raja Bharmal
• Sonu Sood ... Rajkumar Sujamal
• Suhasini Mulay ... Rani Padmawati

• Director ... Ashutosh Gowarikar's
• Written by ... Haidar Ali
• Music ... A.R. Rahman
• Lyrics ... Javed Akhtar

Now this one is supposed to be big. Really BIG! And why not? After all Jodha Akbar has:
a) Ashutosh Gowarikar's labor of love finally getting ready to be unveiled after going through grueling shooting schedules
b) Hrithik and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan coming together again after Dhoom 2, albeit in a different avatar
c) A.R. Rahman and Javed Akhtar saab collaborating with Ashutosh Gowarikar's for the third straight time after Lagaan and Swades and
d) A true historical being brought to celluloid after ages.

No wonder, everything about this film is expected to be flawless and studied to the minutest details. This is why one looks at the music with great expectations. However, it all turns out to be anticipation in vain as Jodha Akbar turns out to be the first major disappointment of 2008.