Cinemas

Asoka

A Preview.

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


The 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. But she loves the commander-in-chief of Ashoka's forces (Rahul Dev).

So, Ashoka attacks Kalinga. Several bodies lie 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 script of Ashoka was narrated to Shah Rukh Khan by Sivan when he was shooting the Chaiyya Chaiyya song atop the train as a cinematographer of Dil Se.

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.

For those of you, who have seen Santosh Sivan's Terrorist, will know to expect the best of cinematography from the film.

The title of the film was changed from Ashoka the Great to Ashoka to Asoka.