Eklavya: The Royal Guard

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For the character from The Mahabharata, see Ekalavya

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Eklavya: The Royal Guard
Image:Eklavya.jpg Movie poster for Eklavya: The Royal Guard
Directed by	Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Produced by	Vidhu Vinod Chopra Vir Chopra Anil Davda
Written by	Abhijat Joshi Vidhu Vinod Chopra Swanand Kirkire
Starring	Amitabh Bachchan Sharmila Tagore Sanjay Dutt Saif Ali Khan Vidya Balan Raima Sen Jackie Shroff Jimmy Shergill, Boman Irani Parikshat Sahni
Music by	Shantanu Moitra
Cinematography	Nataraja Subramanian
Editing by	Rabiranjan Maitra
Distributed by	Vinod Chopra Productions
Release date(s)	16 February, 2007
Running time	105 min
Country	Image:Flag of India.svg India
Language	Hindi
Official website
IMDb profile

Eklavya: The Royal Guard is a Bollywood film directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra which was released in India, the Netherlands, the United States, and the United Kingdom on 16 February, 2007.^[1]

It stars Amitabh Bachchan,Saif Ali Khan, Sharmila Tagore, Sanjay Dutt, Vidya Balan, Raima Sen, Jackie Shroff, Jimmy Shergill and Boman Irani. The film marks Vidhu Vinod Chopra's return to directing after seven years.This movie was chosen ^[2] as India's official entry to the Oscars to be considered for nomination in the Best Foreign Film category for the year 2007.

Contents 1 Reviews 2 Production 3 Synopsis 4 Cast 5 Music 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Reviews

Eklavya – The Royal Guard has already received accolades in Hollywood. The film got a standing ovation at the Billy Wilder Theater in UCLA, where it was recently screened as part of the India Splendour Film Festival. Robert L. Friedman, the former President of Columbia Pictures and AMC Theaters applauded it as one of the great foreign films to have graced Hollywood in recent years. He further added, “The caring and most talented direction by Vidhu Vinod Chopra is worthy of maximum praise and awards. Mr. Chopra has created a masterpiece via this film, thanks to his genuine insight and love for his film vehicle. ‘Eklavya’ is a movie that transcends all geographical boundaries – a movie for all people, everywhere, it represents the very best that India’s great filmmaking community has to offer.”

Lionel Wigram, Producer of the Harry Potter films, said “It’s a masterpiece and I can safely say that it stands an excellent chance of winning India a much awaited Oscar in the foreign film category." Jeffery Silver, Producer of the film 300, found it to be “a thriller that elevates to the level of art.”

Regrettfully, however, India may withdraw this Oscar entry into the foreign film category because of alleged bias in the entry selection process.

"Maybe there will be no film from India," Vinod Pandey, chairman of the Film Federation of India, said Monday, October 15, 2007. "Anything is possible. We can reaffirm our choice, send another or maybe India would retire this year."

The Bombay High Court requested the federation respond to a lawsuit challenging the selection of venerable Bollywood filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra's "Eklavya: The Royal Guard."

Previously unknown director Bhavna Talwar filed a petition claiming a panelist on the 11-member selection jury had improperly helped promote the selection of "Eklavya" for Oscar consideration and that possibly two other panelists had close ties to Chopra. Talwar's own film "Dharm" was passed over for "Eklavya," a high energy suspense movie starring Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan.

Previously two of Chopra's earlier films had been selected to represent India for consideration by the Academy Awards.

The Indian court will decide if the "Eklavya" film entry must be withdrawn from consideration.

Bollywood, the world's largest film industry based on the number of films it produces annually, has never had any of its movies win an Oscar for best foreign film.

_______________________

[1]Eklavya The Royal Guard is the official entry to the Oscars from India in the foreign film category.

[edit] Production

Eklavya: The Royal Guard was originally titled Yagna.^[3] Production began in early 2005. The principal shooting of the film was completed in November 2005.^[4] The primary location for shooting was in Rajasthan. Shooting also took place in Devigarh and Jaipur. According to the official website, shooting took place inside the living quarters of the Jaipur Royal Family. Prince Raghavendra Rathore and Subarna Rai Chaudhari designed the costumes for the film.^[5] Eklavya's cottage was built from scratch.

The action sequences were to take place in Egypt but the sequences took place near Bikaner. 600 camels were involved in the shoot,^[6]

Shantanu Moitra who was the music director of Parineeta (2005) composed the music for the film.^[7] The global distributor for the film are Eros International.^[8]

[edit] Synopsis

Contemporary India. A majestic fort. A royal dynasty that no longer rules. A king without a kingdom. Yet Eklavya (Amitabh Bachchan), their royal guard, lives in a time warp. He lives only to protect the fort, the dynasty, and the king. For nine generations Eklavya's family has protected Devigarh, a centuries old citadel in Rajasthan. His marksmanship is stuff of legends. His unflinching loyalty inspires ballads. Eklavya has spent his entire life serving the royals and closely guarding their secrets but now he's getting old and increasingly blind. Unable to cope with the suffocating customs of his land, the heir, Prince Harshwardhan (Saif Ali Khan), has stayed away in London. But the sudden demise of the queen, Rani Suhasinidevi (Sharmila Tagore), forces the Prince back to the kingdom he had left behind.

The Prince's return brings a rush of joy into the moribund fort. His mentally challenged twin sister, Princess Nandini (Raima Sen) and his childhood love Rajjo (Vidya Balan) are delighted to see him. But the joy of reunion is short-lived.

There is unrest in the kingdom: Farmers are being stripped of their lands. The king, Rana Jaywardhan (Boman Irani), influenced by his brother, Rana Jyotiwardhan (Jackie Shroff), supports the atrocities being forced upon the helpless peasants. The king receives a death threat over the phone. An irreverent police officer, Pannalal Chohar (Sanjay Dutt), is called in to investigate. But he might be too late. The fragile peace of the land is suddenly shattered by a barrage of bullets. And amidst the mayhem, the safely guarded secrets of the fort are unveiled.

What follows is a contemporary, edge-of-the-seat dramatic action thriller with a stellar ensemble cast - Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff, Jimmy Sheirgill, Raima Sen and Sharmila Tagore. The film marks the return of Vidhu Vinod Chopra who directs after a hiatus of seven years.

[edit] Cast

• Amitabh Bachchan ... Eklavya
• Sanjay Dutt ... Pannalal Chohaar
• Saif Ali Khan ... Prince Harshvardhan
• Vidya Balan ... Rajeshwari "Rajjo"
• Jackie Shroff ... Rana Jyotiwardhan
• Jimmy Shergill ... Udaywardhan
• Boman Irani ... King Jaywardhan
• Raima Sen ... Princess Nandini
• Sharmila Tagore ... Queen Suhasinidevi
• Parikshat Sahni ... Omkar Singh

[edit] Music

The soundtrack to Eklavya: The Royal Guard was released in 15 February, 2007.^[9]

Eklavya: The Royal Guard
Image:4179926226.jpg
Soundtrack by Shantanu Moitra
Released	15 February, 2006 (India)
Recorded	Unknown
Genre	Film soundtrack
Label
Producer	Vinod Chopra Productions
Shantanu Moitra chronology
Parineeta (2005) Eklavya: The Royal Guard (2007) Laaga Chunari Mein Daag (2007)

#	Title	Singer	Time	Other notes
1	The Revelation	Pranab Biswas, Ravindra Sathe	3:25
2	Chanda Re (The Moon Song)	Hamsika Iyer	4:36
3	The Gayatri Mantra Theme	Ravindra Sathe	2:27
4	Jaanu Na	Sonu Nigam, Swanand Kirkire	4:29
5	The Killing	Sunidhi Chauhan, Pranab Biswas	4:33
6	The Theme Of Eklavya	Pranab Biswas	4:28
7	The Love Theme	Hamsika Iyer	2:26
8	Suno Kahani (The Legend Of Eklavya)	Swanand Kirkire	3:22

[edit] References