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ASOKA – The Great

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Rahul Dev & Hrishitaa Bhatt
Director: Santosh Sivan
Producers: Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla

Moving away from the harakiri of the routine Hindi cinema, Asoka attempts to take back one to the times of, what was said to be the golden era of Indian history, the Mauryan rule.

Directed by ace cinematographer Santosh Shivan, this film deals with the life and times of the famed Mauryan emperor Ashoka who ruled India for several years. He loves Karubaki (similar sounding name for Kareena Kapoor), the princess of Kalinga. However, she is already in love with the commander-in-chief of Ashoka's forces (Rahul Dev).

The same storyline of the Kalinga war is repeated here. Several bodies lying uncounted as death dances its way to glory. The gory deaths change Ashoka. He puts down his weapons, stops eating non-vegetarian food and turns Buddhist. Thus, he adopts peace.

The film does not have great costumes. It is a very simple look. But those who have seen the rushes swear by Santosh Sivan's abilities.

It is believed that, Sivan narrated the script of Ashoka to Shah Rukh Khan when he was shooting the Chaiyya Chaiyya song atop the train in Dil Se. This movie is budgeted around Rs 10 crore.

And as usual this movie too comes with a twist, historian M N Das has challenged the story stating that Karubaki never loved someone, but was a Buddhist monk who put Ashoka on the right path of non-violence.

Interestingly, the title of the movie was changed from Ashoka to Asoka. The film may even be called Ashoka the Great, but the dispute about the title of the movie is still continuing. The movie is scheduled for release in September 2001.