Jodha was married to Akbar`s son Salim?

Jaipur, Jan 30: Looks like Jodhaa –Akbar is going to be a hit as the movie is blessed with a controversy prior to its release-an omen observed among all the big hits of the year 2007.

The extravagant historical epic directed by Ashutosh Gowariker is making news for factual errors. The Rajput community of Rajasthan is threatening to stall the release of the movie in the state if the so-called errors are not looked into. The community says Gowariker has distorted facts in his magnum opus, which is set to be released on Feb 15.

Contrary to popular belief and history books, Narendra Singh Rajawat, head of the Rajput Sabha, said Gowariker is presenting Jodhabai as Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Akbar`s wife, which is factually incorrect. According to Rajawat, Jodhabai was not the daughter of Raja Bharmal of Amber near Jaipur as shown in the film.

Jodhabai was the daughter of Motaraja Udai Singh of Marwar and was married to Akbar`s son Salim alias Jehangir. And Mughal king Shahjahan was her son, he added.

Rajawat said such distortion of historical facts had hurt the feelings of the Rajput community. He urged the courts to restrain Gowariker from showing Jodhabai as the daughter of Raja Bharmal of Amber.

He said the name of Raja Bharmal`s daughter was Harkabai alias Heera Kunwar.

"You cannot make your own history and Ashutosh Gowariker is making his own history. He is projecting Jodhabai, who is Akbar`s daughter-in-law, as his beloved and making a love story out of that. He is totally distorting historical facts," Rajawat said.

He said that the community would boycott the film. "We are also approaching the High Court against this," informed Rajawat.

These claims however have been brushed away by the royal family of Jaipur. Queen Padmini Devi came to Gowariker’s rescue saying that she had read the entire script of the movie and it was only after her approval that the shooting of the epic went underway.

The queen also added that the entire royal family helped the cast of the movie especially Aishwarya Rai to adapt the character of Jodhaa as much as realistically possible.

The president of the Rajput Karni Sena, Lokendra Singh Kalvi, is also up in arms against the director. He said the Sena had apprehended the distortion of Rajasthan`s historical facts in Jodhaa Akbar, which is based on the Jodhpur royal family.

"The Karni Sena would watch the movie when released and, if required, it would not allow the screening in the state," said Kalvi.

Mahaveer Singh Sarwadi, a leader of the Shatriya Yuvak Singh, said: "We would oppose the release of the film if it shows the community in bad taste."

A number of scenes for the film, which features Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai in the lead roles, were shot in and around Jaipur. Gowariker has consulted several eminent Mughal historians for his movie.