Eklavya heads to 19th Palm Springs International Film Festival

Eklavya - The Royal Guard has been selected for the 19th Palm Springs International Film Festival. The festival is host to a number for premiers and Foreign Language submissions to the academy and It's known from past experience that the films that win the FIPRESCI award have automatically been nominated for the Academy.

The screening dates for Eklavya are -
Thursday, 10th Jan at 7:30 PM
Saturday, 12th Jan at 1 PM.

So if you're in and around LA/Palm Springs around that time, you can catch Amitabh Bachchan as Eklavya on the silver screen.

“Eklavya – The Royal Guard” is India’s official entry at the Oscars

Eklavya – The Royal Guard has been voted as India’s official entry to the Oscars. This is the third time Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra will be going to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His short non-fiction film, An Encounter with Faces was one of the first Indian films to be nominated for an Oscar in 1980. In 1989, Parinda was sent to the Oscars as India’s official entry.

Commenting on this news, Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra said, “I’m elated by the news. But this was only the first battle. The real one is still ahead. I’m leaving for the US on 2nd October and will start my groundwork there. I’m banking on my previous experiences at the Academy and the overwhelming support the film has received in the West. I hope to make India proud.”

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.”

The critics have also been unanimous in their praise:

Something about "Eklavya: The Royal Guard" suggests a lost film by David Lean.
- LA Times

“… Gives any House of Flying Daggers set piece a run for its money.”
- Metro, UK

“Vidhu Vinod Chopra is a poet on celluloid”
- Times of India

“Far from typical. Very strong and very Shakespearean”
- The Sunday Telegraph, UK

“Robustly unassuming and entertaining”
- Guardian, UK

“This is robust storytelling, with blood and thunder pumping through its veins, and real whiskers on its face.”
- LA Weekly


“Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s propulsive ‘Eklavya – The Royal Guard’ has epic sweep.”
- LA Times

Eklavya to be screened at the Billy Wilder Theater in Los Angeles on Aug 12, 2007

India Splendor is inspired by a deeply held belief that the arts have a unique role to play in building bridges between people and between cultures. Presented by India’s Mglobal Trust, in association with the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, India Splendor will screen Eklavya – The Royal Guard, at 7:30 pm on Sunday, August 12, 2007, at the Billy Wilder Theater in Los Angeles to celebrate the wealth of Indian innovation in the arts, spirituality and technology while building bridges to the USA.

LA Times Review

MOVIE REVIEW 'Eklavya: The Royal Guard' Vidhu Vinod Chopra's propulsive 'Eklavya: The Royal Guard' has epic sweep.
- By John Anderson Special to The Times February 16, 2007

Maybe it's the trains.Maybe it's the camels.Maybe it's the intermission. No matter: Something about "Eklavya: The Royal Guard" suggests a lost film by David Lean.With some muted echoes of "Hamlet." And a whiff of "Rigoletto."

Like so many Indian movies that make their way to Los Angeles, "Eklavya" - based on the low-caste warrior hero of "The Mahabharata" - is a movie masala.Unlike so many, thisstirring dramatic feature by Kashmiri director Vidhu Vinod Chopra, his first in seven years, marries its varied elements - in this case modernity and classicism,current-day India and its feudal past, contemporary corruption and blood tradition - in a coherent and propulsive fashion.There may be songs,but they are not sung by kohl-eyed virgins in rainstorms; there may be excess, but "camp" is thelast thing one would call "Eklavya." Something is rotten in Devigarh, an ancient Shangri-La of royal pretense, where the aging but still lethal Eklavya (Bollywood vet Amitabh Bachchan) protects the all-but-powerless king (Boman Irani). When the queen (Sharmila Tagore) calls out on her deathbed for Eklavya, the jealous sovereign strangles her, unleashing a tempest that will bring the brooding prince, Harshwardhan (Saif Ali Khan), home from London, and a whole world tumbling down. Chopra and co-writer Abhijit Joshi's portrayal of characters according to sex or caste is a bit dubious. Harsh's Ophelia-like twin, Nandini (Raima Sen), is more silly than disturbed; Rajjo (Vidya Balan) is Harsh's Sabrina (she's even the chauffeur's daughter). And the "untouchable" policeman, Pannalal (Sanjay Dutt), is simply a goofball. Harsh himself might have seemed the more obvious choice of protagonist in this melodrama of honor and revenge, but it is Eklavya who provides the far more potent and complex hero. He is faced with an insurmountable dilemma: Whether to honor the code of the royal guard or spare the life of his son. Chopra and his cinematographer, Nataraja Subramanian, create startling images that are used for seduction or, just as often, alarm: The shift in energy and rhythms and the velocity of the action keep the viewer off balance yet always in the flow of the story. There are dry spots, but Chopra is aspiring to epic cinema, both in his themes and his visuals, and most of the time it works. And, yes, there really is an intermission, just in case one needs to catch one's breath.

Lage Raho stuns Cannes

Mumbai 21st May, 07:

Lage Raho Munnabhai is still winning hearts across the globe. A packed screening on the 19th with the director Rajkumar Hirani present, the film was a huge hit with the entire the entire audiences. Producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and director Rajkumar Hirani were in Cannes for the screening but producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra had to return just before the screening as his mother took ill.

The screening of the movie at the Festival saw people sitting on the aisles as the theatre was completely packed. The film was screened in the ‘Les Cinemas du Monde' section which screened the best of world cinema on 19th of May 07. The 200 seater theatre was packed to capacity and had 80% of White audiences. There was also a big group of French students and clapped till the credits were finished.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya will be showcased at Cannes in the same section on the 24th of May

Eklavya - The Royal Guard completes 100 days

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Lage Raho Munnabhai & Eklavya at Cannes this year

After having got several prestigious awards and appreciation by the audiences and the industry, Lage Raho Munnabhai will now be showcased at Cannes this year. The film will be screened in the ‘Les Cinemas du Monde' section which screens the best of world cinema on 19th of May 07.

Inaugurated by the Festival de Cannes in 2005, the ambition of 'Tous les Cinemas du Monde' section is to illustrate the vitality and diversity of cinema throughout the world, the dynamism of its young creative talent and the involvement of its institutions in promoting international cinema.

Along with Lage Raho, Vinod’s own directorial film EKLAVYA will also screened at Cannes on the 24th of May. The film is being screened in the market section.

Eklavya is all set for an art house release in the US this summer.

UCLA Screening

EKLAVYA STUNS HOLLYWOOD


Mumbai 26th March, 07:
Eklavya- The Royal Guard, Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s stylish epic stunned Hollywood luminaries at a special screening on Saturday, March 24 at UCLA. The screening was jointly sponsored at the Billy Wilder theater by UCLA and MCorpGlobal. The audience viewed the film in awed silence which was broken only for the prolonged applause and standing ovation at the end of the film.

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 expressed hope that the film will become India’s official entry for the Oscars. Dr. Rob Rosen, the Dean of UCLA’s film program found the film to be a kin of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s magic realism. Lionel Wigram, Producer of the Harry Potter films, said “he had seen nothing like this." Jeffery Silver, Producer of the film 300, found it to be “a thriller that elevates to the level of art.” Before the film, Ashok Amritraj introduced Vidhu Vinod Chopra to the audience as India’s “terrific” director

Tonight - IOL review

Movie Review: Eklavya

February 23, 2007 By Debashine Thangevelo
Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Jimmy Shergill and Raima Sen
Classification: TBA
Rating : ****

If Eklavya is the result of Vidhu Vinod Chopra's six-year absence from the director's seat, I'm all for him taking more breaks. His last movie, Mission Kashmir (2000), also enjoyed rave reviews, with Sanjay Dutt and Hrithik Roshan heading the cast.Chopra has bagged Bollywood's finest veterans headed by Amitabh Bachchan, Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff and Sanjay Dutt, for his latest venture, which he also penned.As Rani Suhasinidevi (Sharmila Tagore), the queen of Devigarh, a centuries-old citadel in Rajasthan, lies on her death bed, she cries out for Eklavya (Amitabh Bachchan), the royal guard. Eklavya's family has been protecting the fort, the king and its secrets for nine generations. King Rana Jaywardhan (Boman Irani), horrified by the queen's deception, strangles her. Not long after that, Prince Harshwardan (Saif Ali Khan), who stayed in London to escape the suffocating traditions of his land, is summoned back to the fort to perform the last rites for his mother. His mentally challenged twin sister, Princess Nandini (Raima Sen) and childhood sweetheart Rajjo (Vidya Balan), are ecstatic about his return . But all is not well in the kingdom. Against the backdrop of angry farmers who have had their land taken away, the king is plotting the demise of Eklavya, who, as it turns out, is the prince and princess' real father.Meanwhile, inspector Pannalal Chohar (Sanjay Dutt) is called in to investigate a death threat received by the king.Chopra has woven a spellbinding tale that is dexterously executed. Each character is well-etched and all the stars get ample scope.Bachchan delivers a first-rate performance as a father torn between his duty and his love for his son. Ali Khan plays his character with flair, while Dutt and Balan are adequate in their respective roles. The lavish sets capture the royal era magnificently and the traditional garb and costume jewellery lend authenticity to the narrative. Excellent cinematography pits rustic splendour against regal opulence.This is a truly remarkable film that will keep you rivetted from start to finish.

Radiotimes - Eklavya review

Eklavya: the Royal Guard (2007)
****
Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra brings his trademark visual panache to this contemporary tale of intrigue, love, and betrayal set in Rajasthan. Amitabh Bachchan plays a royal guard to one of the kings of the ancient Ruritanian dynasty, whose loyalty is severely tested following the death of the queen and the return of the prince (Saif Ali Khan). As the peasants suffer under the weight of the king's murderous authority, terrifying secrets are revealed. Bolstered by a mighty performance from Bachchan, Eklavya delivers a particularly visceral kind of historical spectacle that Bollywood audiences haven't seen in decades. Also superb is Vidya Balan who is utterly convincing as Khan's love interest.

The Guardian review

Eklavya - The Royal Guard
***

Peter BradshawFriday February 16, 2007The Guardian

Here's a robustly unassuming and entertaining Bollywood melodrama starring Amitabh Bachchan and Sanjay Dutt, set in a romanticised contemporary Rajasthan. It begins with a quotation from Shakespeare - thus underlining an interestingly persistent resemblance between the contemporary Bollywood genre and idioms of popular English drama from Shakespeare's day: kings, queens, fantasy, intrigue and romance.
Bachchan plays the decent, loyal manservant and royal guard to one of the Ruritanian "kings" of modern Rajasthan; he stumbles upon court plotting and soap opera-ish parentage secrets; there are terrible truths to uncover and revenges to carry out. Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra puts it over with some panache.

LA weekly review

Bloody Royals
Eklavya unites the best of Bollywood past and present
By DAVID CHUTE
Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 6:00 pm

It’s all in the beard. (Eros International) The first good sign is Amitabh Bachchan’s real beard. As the eponymous royal bodyguard in writer-director Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya: The Royal Guard, a battered human relic whose ancestors have protected the same family of Rajisthani kings (or Ranas) for nine generations, the most popular movie actor in the world sports a magnificent set of bristling whiskers, like a pair of Victorian muttonchops that have grown together and taken over his face. Not prosthetic fur, you understand, but actual follicles the busy Bachchan took time to grow out of his familiar neatly trimmed goatee. With this plumage, a costume that consists of turban, boots and jeweled dagger, and a pair of expressively watery bloodshot eyes that seem tailor-made for screen-filling close-ups, Bachchan is the perfect visual emblem of the central conflict of this story: the continued survival, in the present, of the crumbling splendor of the past.On the surface, Eklavya is vintage Bollywood melodrama, complete with fratricidal murder plots, revelations of illegitimate paternity, and a glorious final spasm of revenge that a bloodthirsty Elizabethan could envy. The Ranas of Devigarh, the ancient feudal clan Eklavya serves, are a royal family that in democratic modern India have been stripped of all but their ceremonial authority. But you’d never guess this from the life inside their hivelike palace, which feels self-contained and lost in time: It comes as a bit of a shock when, at one point, a helicopter touches down in the garden.The revelation that drives the plot is almost diabolically well-chosen: an issue of paternity that gnaws at the vitals of a patriarchal system. It occurs about two minutes in, so it isn’t exactly a spoiler. Nor does it seem at all far-fetched that the clan’s upstanding and responsible heir apparent, Harshwardhan (Saif Ali Khan), was actually sired not by the ineffectual current titleholder, Jaywardhan (the gifted comic actor Boman Irani, overdoing the sniveling depravity), but rather by Eklavya himself.Eklavya was filmed in two actual Rajasthan palaces, one for the endlessly receding gilded interiors and the other for the piled-up crumbling façade. But the action that unfolds in these enormous spaces is almost a chamber drama, all intense two-shots and vehement whispered exchanges. And because the entire cast (with the single exception of the national treasure in the title role) has been carried over en masse from the last several films produced by director Chopra (including Munnabhai MBBS and Parineeta), the movie often feels like a work created for a snug repertory company, with roles tailored to the talents of each familiar performer. Sanjay Dutt is note-perfect as the openhearted Dalit policeman, and Saif Ali Khan — in real life a hereditary Nawab, the Muslim equivalent of a Rana — looks like a Hindu hero out of the Ramayana in one shirtless funeral-pyre scene.Chopra had a privileged upbringing by Indian standards, but he was not a member of Bollywood royalty who went into the family business. Having abandoned an Oxford scholarship to join the first class at the arty National Film Institute at Pune, he was denounced as an apostate when he left the self-serious world of Indian “parallel cinema” for Bollywood in 1989, writing and directing the Bombay gangster drama Parinda. But the seriousness of his beginnings has survived in Chopra’s popular work, and in films like 1942: A Love Story (1993) and Mission Kashmir (2000), he has managed to revitalize the fulsome expressive conventions of old-school Bollywood music-drama. Eklavya contains only one song sequence, a lovely set piece for leading lady Vidya Balan (Salaam-e-Ishq), but it embraces the imperatives of dynastic family melodrama as fervently as any classic of Bollywood’s golden age. This is robust storytelling, with blood and thunder pumping through its veins, and real whiskers on its face.

DNA - Audience reviews

Mumbai Mirror- Audience reviews ......

Eklavya sees a 109% jump in collections on day 2 in North America

-International distributors say this jump is historic -

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya-The Royal Guard which released on, Friday 16th February has been getting rave reviews from across the world. The LA Times called it the “Lost work of David Lean”. The Indian press has described it as …poetry on celluloid…masterpiece and …a must watch. The critical acclaims and rave reviews are matched by its box office collections.

The film saw a 109% jump in collections on day 2 in the North America a first for any Hindi film. Commenting on this enormous increase, Ken Naaz, Eros International says, “A good film usually gets a 30 % jump in collections due to word of mouth and good reviews. A very good film gets a 50-60% jump but with Eklavya we saw a 109% jump in collections on day 2, which is unprecedented and indicates its growing popularity.”

The box office collections in Mumbai have also been outstanding. The film superseded the collections of Lage Raho Munnabhai which was a blockbuster hit. The Mumbai territory first day collections for Eklavya are Rs. 1.78 crores, 35% more than the Rs 1.32 crores of Lage Raho Munnabhai. The first three day collections of Eklavya are approaching over Rs. 5.5 crores, which is same as the blockbuster hit Lage Raho Munnabhai’s first three day collections.

The Delhi figures for the first weekend of Eklavya are Rs. 1.85 crores. IMDB, the biggest movie database has given Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya a 9 out of 10 rating.

LA Times - Eklavya review

MOVIE REVIEW 'Eklavya: The Royal Guard' Vidhu Vinod Chopra's propulsive 'Eklavya: The Royal Guard' has epic sweep. By John Anderson Special to The Times February 16, 2007

Maybe it's the trains.Maybe it's the camels.Maybe it's the intermission. No matter: Something about "Eklavya: The Royal Guard" suggests a lost film by David Lean.

With some muted echoes of "Hamlet." And a whiff of "Rigoletto." Like so many Indian movies that make their way to Los Angeles, "Eklavya" - based on the low-caste warrior hero of "The Mahabharata" - is a movie masala.Unlike so many, thisstirring dramatic feature by Kashmiri director Vidhu Vinod Chopra, his first in seven years, marries its varied elements - in this case modernity and classicism,current-day India and its feudal past, contemporary corruption and blood tradition - in a coherent and propulsive fashion.There may be songs,but they are not sung by kohl-eyed virgins in rainstorms; there may be excess, but "camp" is thelast thing one would call "Eklavya." Something is rotten in Devigarh, an ancient Shangri-La of royal pretense, where the aging but still lethal Eklavya (Bollywood vet Amitabh Bachchan) protects the all-but-powerless king (Boman Irani). When the queen (Sharmila Tagore) calls out on her deathbed for Eklavya, the jealous sovereign strangles her, unleashing a tempest that will bring the brooding prince, Harshwardhan (Saif Ali Khan), home from London, and a whole world tumbling down. Chopra and co-writer Abhijit Joshi's portrayal of characters according to sex or caste is a bit dubious. Harsh's Ophelia-like twin, Nandini (Raima Sen), is more silly than disturbed; Rajjo (Vidya Balan) is Harsh's Sabrina (she's even the chauffeur's daughter). And the "untouchable" policeman, Pannalal (Sanjay Dutt), is simply a goofball. Harsh himself might have seemed the more obvious choice of protagonist in this melodrama of honor and revenge, but it is Eklavya who provides the far more potent and complex hero. He is faced with an insurmountable dilemma: Whether to honor the code of the royal guard or spare the life of his son. Chopra and his cinematographer, Nataraja Subramanian, create startling images that are used for seduction or, just as often, alarm: The shift in energy and rhythms and the velocity of the action keep the viewer off balance yet always in the flow of the story. There are dry spots, but Chopra is aspiring to epic cinema, both in his themes and his visuals, and most of the time it works. And, yes, there really is an intermission, just in case one needs to catch one's breath.

Eklavya IMDB User Rating - 9/10

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0459605/ratings

User Ratings for
Eklavya (2007)

59 'IMDb users' have given a weighted average vote of 9.0 / 10

Demographic breakdowns are shown below.

Votes	Percentage	Rating
28	47.5%	10
5	8.5%	9
6	10.2%	8
5	8.5%	7
2	3.4%	6
3	5.1%	5
2	3.4%	4
2	3.4%	3
3	5.1%	2
3	5.1%	1

Arithmetic mean = 7.8. Median = 9

This page is updated daily.

---

See user ratings report for:

	Votes	Average
Males	42	8.6
Females	12	9.5
Aged 18-29	42	8.5
Males aged 18-29	33	7.3
Females aged 18-29	9	9.3
Aged 30-44	9	9.4
Males aged 30-44	7	9.2
Females aged 30-44	2	9.5
Aged 45+	2	9.5
Males aged 45+	2	9.5
Top 1000 voters	5	9.5
US users	11	9.5
Non-US users	42	7.8
All votes	59	9.0

Rediff - User Reviews !

Eklavya is one more movie coming from the stables of Vidhu Vinod Chopra and it really deserves to be called one of the finest crafted movies in recent times. Having roped in a heavy starcast with the VC Banner regulars like Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan, et. al. as well as getting Amitabh Bachchan to work with him for the first time, he does bring out the best of all of them to narrate a story which took 5 years to write and was equally difficult to portray.
- Shrikant Shenoy


This movie deserves more than 5 STARS. A TRULY MAGNIFICIENT MASTERPIECE DIRECTED WITH FLAWLESS DIRECTION BY VIDHU VINOD.
- Bhupinder Singh



Its a genuine " Master Piece". Its amazing right from the word "GO"
- Shekhar Choudhary


This movie has superb cinematography and artwork, very intelligent direction, and some awesome acting from Amitabh and Saif.
- Akaviri


GREAT! 5 STAR FOR THE FILM AND OUR MR. AMITABH BACHCHAN. ITS A MASTER PIECE WITH THE LEGEND Mr. BACHCHAN GIVING ONE OF THE BEST PERFORMANCE.
- Amit Mistry

Glamsham.com review - 4/5

By Martin D’Souza, Bollywood Trade News Network

Long after the movie is over and the credit lines have rolled past the screen, you sink in your seat and enjoy what is left of the moment. You linger a while longer in this make-believe world before shaking yourself back to reality. Then, you stand and applaud. Good cinema is alive and kicking. Welcome back Mr Vidhu Vinod Chopra! What a comeback after MISSION KASHMIR, his last directorial venture, almost seven years ago. The screenplay is brilliant, background score is riveting, add to it super cinematography (Natraja Subramaniam), tight editing (Raviranjan Maitra) peppered with brilliant performances from the star cast and you have what VC calls EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD. It’s difficult to compare the Amitabh of BLACK to the Amitabh of EKLAVYA. Also, it will be unfair, nay challenging to say which his better performance is. If BLACK was brilliant, EKLAVYA is simply out of this world. One can go on and on about AB but this much is enough to say; he attacks each role with the inquisitive mind of a child who is given a new toy to play with. That’s what sets him apart from the rest of the clan. Instead of resting on his laurels, he is always in pursuit on polishing his craft. And in a way, woh toh GURU ka bhi baap hai! If a good picture says a thousand words, Vidhu Vinod Chopra shows us that a good scene needs no words. Especially the scene in the beginning when Saif Ali Khan, who returns from England for his mother’s funeral, meets with Amitabh. No words are exchanged. The background score and crafty camera angle does the trick. The film is set in contemporary India. For nine generations Eklavya’s (Amitabh Bachchan) family has guarded the Kings of Devigarh. He has only one purpose: to protect the Devigarh dynasty, the fort and the king. Eklavya has vowed to himself that whatever secrets he knows of the family will die with him on his funeral pyre. Having served the royal family all his life, he is getting old and blind.

The heir of the throne, Prince Harshwardhan (Saif Ali Khan) tired of the unfair customs ruling the land escaped to London but reluctantly returns for the funeral of his mother Queen Suhasinidevi (Sharmila Tagore). The kingdom is overjoyed with his return as is his mentally challenged twin sister, Princess Nandini (Raima Sen) and his childhood sweetheart Rajjo (Vidya Balan).However the kingdom is torn because the farmers are being stripped of their lands. King Rana Jaywardhan (Boman Irani) along with his brother Rana Jyotiwardhan (Jackie Shroff) support the injustice to the farmers.

Saif Ali Khan has matured as an actor. After PARINEETA and OMKARA, Saif has proved once again that his performance is no flash in the pan. Jimmy Sheirgill (note the spelling change) is promising in a negative role while Sanjay Dutt provides comic relief. Raima Sen and Vidya Balan have given off their best in the limited screen time allotted to them. Jackie Shroff proves that with the right role he can still work his magic. In VC’s 1942 – A LOVE STORY, his entry was greeted with ceetes and taalis. His performance here is clap worthy. The first scene itself grips the viewer: Rana Jaywardhan snuffing the life out of his wife, Queen Suhasinidevi in front of his mentally deranged daughter Princess Nandini because she calls out for Eklavya in her unconscious state. Boman Irani’s body language and facial expression, as he chokes his wife, speaks a thousand words. The mood is set. The cameras begin to roll and VC is firmly in control of things. He gives his artistes a grand canvas on which to exhibit their talent with lavish sets and extensively scoured locales. For the viewers, well, he leaves them breathless.

The movie should be called EKLAVYA - A ROYAL TREAT. Ratings: 4/5

New York Times Review - 3/5

http://movies2.nytimes.com/2007/02/15/movies/16roya.html?ref=movies#secondParagraph

Dharma, the Elizabethan Way

By ANDY WEBSTER
Published: February 15, 2007
Dharma, the time-honored concept of proper conduct, is a recurrent notion in "The Royal Guard," a somber drama directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra ("Kareeb"), and while the film takes place in the present, it clearly has a heart for the classics, particularly those of Eastern philosophy, Shakespeare and genre cinema.

A dying aristocratic matriarch reveals her long-past affair with the devoted family sentry, Eklavya (Amitabh Bachchan), prompting the ire of her husband. Soon it is revealed that her son, Harshwardhan (Saif Ali Khan) — alienated by the strictures of his home, he has been in London and has only recently returned — is Eklavya's progeny.
When the patriarch is killed by his brother and nephew, the loyal Eklavya, a fading warrior still handy with daggers, is compelled to avenge him. He must also come to terms with his son, and with a police officer (the Bollywood veteran Sanjay Dutt) who suspects him of murder.
Shakespeare's 18th Sonnet ("Shall I compare thee ...") is twice invoked in "Guard," and the film's dark palace interiors and scheming evoke "Macbeth." But the swooping camera movements, slow motion and dexterous derring-do conjure martial arts movies; arid desert scenes suggest the western; and a spooky confrontation in a villain's screening room almost plays like the 1960 British thriller "Peeping Tom."

The main tribute in "Guard," however, is to Mr. Bachchan, an aging Bollywood monument (and father of the rising actor Abhishek Bachchan), whose sunken, heavy-lidded eyes, grizzled countenance and noble bearing indisputably convey the presence of a seasoned star.
THE ROYAL GUARD
Opens today in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area.
Produced and directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra; written (in Hindi, with English subtitles) by Mr. Chopra, Abhijat Joshi and Swanand Kirkire; director of photography, Nataraja Subramanian; music by Shantanu Moitra; production designer, Nitin Chandrakant Desai; released by Eros International. Running time: 107 minutes. This film is not rated.

WITH: Amitabh Bachchan (Eklavya), Saif Ali Khan (Prince Harshwardhan), Sanjay Dutt (Pannalal Chohaar), Vidya Balan (Rajeshwari), Boman Irani (Rana Jaywardhan), Jackie Shroff (Jyotiwardhan), Jimmy Shergill (Udaywardhan), Raima Sen (Nandini), Parikshit Sahni (Omkar Singh) and Sharmila Tagore (Suhasini Devi).

IndiaFM Movie review - 4/5

http://www.indiafm.com/movies/review/12558/index.html

By Taran Adarsh, February 16, 2007 - 11:13 IST

Roll out the red carpet,Blow the conch shells,Beat the drums…Put your hands together for one of the finest films to come out of the Hindi film industry!In his illustrious career, Vidhu Vinod Chopra has helmed a number of poignant and path-breaking films. Back in the director’s seat after a seven-year hiatus [after MISSION KASHMIR], Chopra serves moviegoers a fare that supersedes his earlier accomplishments.

EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD, his new endeavor, is a brave effort. Here’s why:
Chopra has assembled a mammoth star cast, but every actor -- from the towering Bachchan to the talented Shergill -- have been cast in roles that are a far cry from their earlier works.
The film packs in a solid punch in those 12 reels/1.50 hours. In fact, Chopra wastes no time and gets down to business soon after the titles conclude. The drama commences at the very start and the plot only thickens as the minutes tick by. The turn of events catch you unaware, with the suspense in the pre-climax coming as a bolt from the blue. Not once does the film fall prey to mediocrity or gets into the same-old rut.

Casting and scripting apart, Chopra’s style of narrating the subject defies convention. Let’s face it, EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD is a difficult film to make. It’s not the usual ho-hum masala that packs in juvenile comedy, hollow content and superfluous item songs to woo the moviegoers. Chopra targets the human minds since it’s the mind that plays games. There are absolutely no shortcuts here. Another reason why EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD stands out is because the marriage of technique and content is splendid. A number of sequences leave you tongue-tied:
The ghungroo sequence -- a blindfolded Bachchan separating the ghungroo from the pigeon -- is awe-inspiring.
The assassination of Boman Irani minutes before the intermission, the train speeding by and the camels running helter-skelter is electrifying.
The murders of Jimmy Shergill and later, Jackie Shroff are hair-raising. Jackie being thrown at a speeding train is superb.Even otherwise, EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD bears the stamp of a master storyteller from Scene A to Z.In a nutshell, EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD is an almost flawless product that should make every moviegoer euphoric. In the future, if you discuss qualitative movies that accorded Hindi cinema a certain dignity, you’d surely include EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD in that magnificent list!

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. 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.With a running time of less than two hours, EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD offers more drama and twists-n-turns than the usual Hindi film. The screenplay [writers: Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Abhijat Joshi] is cohesive, the plot doesn’t veer into sub-plots, there’s just one song [soulful; you don’t feel the need for more songs] and there are enough moments to keep your attention arrested.Any shortcoming? Oh yes, minor ones though! The dialogues [sync sound] aren’t audible at places and the pace slows down in the middle of the second half. Also, from the writing point of view, Saif’s disclosure could’ve been more dramatic. Besides, Vidya’s turnaround [forgiving Saif for committing a sin] looks a bit too sudden. Nonetheless, these are minor blemishes. Chopra’s direction is exemplary. He handles the material with maturity and also keeps the length in check, which is so vital these days. The visuals [cinematography: S. Natarajan Subramaniam] are superb. In fact, every frame looks like a painting on celluloid. Dialogues [Swanand Kirkire] accentuate the impact of several scenes. Stunts [Tinu Verma] are tremendous and expertly executed. The interiors of the palace [art: Nitin Desai] give the film an opulent look. The background score as well as the sole song ‘Chanda Re’ [Shantanu Moitra] are appropriate.Every actor in EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD stands out for terrific portrayal. Just when you thought that Bachchan can’t pull off any aces after sterling performances in BAGHBAN, KHAKEE, BLACK, SARKAR and VIRRUDH, you need to watch EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD. The actor is in solid form and every emotion he displays is simply incredible. Add one more striking performance in an illustrious and enviable repertoire!That Saif has evolved into a fine actor is known to all and sundry by now, we don’t need proof of it, especially after KAL HO NAA HO, EK HASINA THI, PARINEETA and OMKARA. But watching him emote with amazing precision makes you realize the giant strides he has taken as an actor. If OMKARA last year won him plaudits and awards, it’s time for an encore with EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD.Sanjay Dutt has a brief role, but he’s fantastic all through. The film ends with a vital sequence featuring him and we assure you, the conclusion will make you grin from ear to ear. If there’s one character the hardcore masses will carry home, it’s that of Sanju.Vidya Balan is superb yet again. There’s no stopping this actress! Boman Irani is first-rate in a negative role. Watch him interact with Sharmila Tagore in the very first scene and with Jackie subsequently to know the range of this gifted actor. Jimmy Shergill introduces you to a hitherto unknown facet of his talent. He excels in a negative role. Jackie Shroff gets a meaty role yet again in a Vidhu Vinod Chopra film. He’s wonderful. Raima Sen leaves a mark in a significant role. Sharmila Tagore exudes class in a cameo. Parikshit Sahni is efficient.On the whole, EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD is an opulent film, with a gargantuan cast, gripping story seeped in Indian emotions and values, striking visuals and topnotch making as its trump cards. Without a shred of doubt, it’s one of the finest products to come out of the Hindi film industry. At the box-office, EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD has so many factors going in its favor:
Post 26th January [SALAAM-E-ISHQ], there has been a dearth of a big film in the marquee. EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD fills the void. It comes at the right time and is embellished with superior content.
The [holiday] weekend coupled with the multiplexes performing 12/14/16/18 shows every single day will result in the first weekend as well as the first week business reaping rich dividends.

With no major release till 2nd March, EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD has ample time to conquer and consolidate its status at the ticket window. Post MUNNABHAI M.B.B.S., PARINEETA and LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI, the brand Vinod Chopra Films has only got stronger and EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD will reap the benefits for this reason as well.To cut a long story short, EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD has its heart in the right place. A must for every cinegoer!

Article In Hindu - Feb 10th,2007

`I hate to be preachy'
Back as a director after seven years, Vidhu Vinod Chopra talks to SANGEETHA DEVI. K about his film and gifting Amitabh Bachchan a silver Rolls Royce Phantom
WORRY FREE Chopra on the sets of `Eklavya' with Sanjay Dutt and Amitabh Bachchan
Spearheading films that are both critically acclaimed and commercially successful has become a habit for Vidhu Vinod Chopra. He broke free from the clutter and directed memorable films like Parinda, 1942 A Love Story and Mission Kashmir. He stepped aside, only to become a full-fledged producer. Munna Bhai MBBS, Parineeta and Lage Raho Munna Bhai followed.
Regal splendour
Eklavya - the royal guard, which he has directed seven years after Mission Kashmir, is up for release. Having given a string of hits, Chopra isn't worried about expectations. "As a student, when I topped the university for the first time, I was aware that each time I appear for exams my parents and friends would have expectations from me. But I wasn't the kind of person who'd get bogged down; I enjoyed the process. This is what I do even today," he says.
Eklavya tells the story of the royal guard, Amitabh Bachchan, who protects the royal family and fiercely guards its secrets. The obvious question is what took Chopra so long to direct Eklavya. "I started writing the film soon after Mission Kashmir. When I write, I like to focus only on that script. But Parineeta, Munnabhai MBBS and Lage Raho Munna Bhai were produced in the meantime. I co-wrote those films as well, so I didn't want to do a rush job with Eklavya. It took me five years for me to get the script ready and then begin shooting," he explains. "One reasons why it took time was because I wanted to make the film entertaining rather than preachy though it talks about values that have gone missing today. The Munna Bhai films succeeded because we didn't get preachy. I hate to be preachy."
The film, which Chopra describes as a "contemporary dramatic thriller," stars Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Jimmy Shergill, Raima Sen, Vidya Balan, Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff and Sharmila Tagore, most of whom have worked with Chopra earlier. "When you see the film you'll know that each one has a definite role to play. I have a simple way of working: I work with actors who like to work with me. All these actors are committed, disciplined and are good human beings. I feel comfortable working with them."
Shot extensively in Jaipur, Devigarh and other areas of Rajasthan, the film is also being noticed for the looks sported by the star cast. But Chopra doesn't belong to the clan of film-makers that harps on making their films a case study in designer dreams. "The script is my Bible and the look of each actor has to be dictated by it. I wouldn't trade the importance of the script for designer looks. Having said that, I must add that Raghavendra Rathore has done some good designing for us."
An enviable ensemble star cast, great music and a promotional book with breathtaking photographs have got Eklavya its initial publicity. Add to that some kudos coming from Ralph Fiennes and the news of Chopra gifting Bachchan a silver Rolls Royce Phantom. "Ralph Fiennes saw the film, was touched by Amitabh Bachchan's performance and stood up and clapped," recollects Chopra. On gifting Big B the dream machine, he quips, "See the film and you'll realise what a wonderful job he's done. If you had the money, even you would get him such a gift!"
When Eklavya opens on the big screens, watch out for the promos of Chopra's next productions - Munna Bhai Chale Amerika and Talisman. By mid 2008, Chopra plans to revive his English film, 64 Squares, that will have an international star cast.

Article in TIME OUT ....

Raghuvendra Rathore dresses up Eklavya!

By Rohini Bhandari
3 February 2007, 01:50 PM MUMBAI:

If you thought only period films could be referred to as 'costume dramas', think again! Next week's release, Eklavya – The Royal Guard, a contemporary story of the royal family in Devigarh, Rajasthan, required logical designing of ethnic Rajasthani costumes for its multifarious characters and actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Boman Irani, Vidya Balan and many more.

This film marks the return of Vidhu Vinod Chopra as a director after a gap of seven years; and Chopra, wanting to leave no stones unturned to ensure the accuracy of each frame, signed on fashion designer Raghuvendra Rathore, who is himself based in Rajasthan and hails from the princely clan of Jodhpur. Trained at the Parsons School of Design, New York, Rathore worked at DKNY and at Oscar de la Renta before launching his own label in 1994 under the Rathore Jodhpur brand.

In a chat with Businessofcinema.com, Rathore spoke about his Eklavya experience and working closely with a plethora of actors, in his very first Bollywood venture.

"The script of Eklavya was very interesting for me because it was based in Rajasthan and I too hail from there. Also when Vidhu Vinod Chopra explained how the film was going to look on screen, I realised it would be silly for it to be done by any other designer," smiles Rathore.

While designing clothes for the film, Rathore worked closely with the director, music director Shantanu Moitra and visual director Pradeep Sarkar. Even as the script was being formulated and the film was tentatively titled Yagna, he asked Chopra to come down to Rajasthan with his core team so that he could show him real people and places, which would in turn provide authenticity to the film.

Rathore didn't limit his expertise to designing just costumes. He admits, "I called Maharani Gayatri Devi and arranged for Chopra to see the rooms of the City Palace (Jaipur), which have been kept locked for many years now. So Saif and his sister's room have been shot in the palace, which has never before been opened for shooting. I also arranged for them to shoot at the Devigarh fort in Udaipur, where most of the external scenes have been shot."

Of the clothes, he says, "In Eklavya, the script is just 50 per cent without the clothes; but the clothes are just 10 per cent of real fashion. The idea was to forget fashion and dress up the storyboard and characters. Since the movie is spread over three days, each actor had about four to five outfits."

Rathore ensured that there was nothing 'fashionable' about the clothes, "They are pure Rajasthani clothes and the fabrics used are from Jodhpur, Bikaner and Udaipur. Occasionally you will see a shawl from Kashmir." The three fundamental elements the designer worked with were the ghagra odna, safari suit and breeches, which have been replaced by chudidaars.

On being queried as to why he stayed away from Bollywood for so long. He says, "It is too big an expanse for me to get into without having any knowledge. It was quite a cumbersome approach to create the entire movie in photographic form, with each photograph having many options! I had to first take a photo of the actor and then work on a software to put clothes onto him. In coordination with the art director Nitin Desai, I had to take photographs of the background and superimpose my creations to synchronize with color combinations of the costumes," he reasons.

Rathore, who worked closely with Subarna Rai Chaudhari, costume designer for Chopra's Parineeta and Munnabhai, details the look of each character.

A Royal present for the Royal Guard

-Thrilled with Amitabh’s performance in Eklavya, Vinod presents him a Rolls Royce-

Vidhu Vinod Chopra waited thirty years to work with Amitabh Bachchan. His dream finally came true with Eklavya -- The Royal Guard. The director was so impressed with Mr. Bachchan's performance in the film that he decided to express his admiration by presenting him with a very special gift : A Silver Phantom Rolls Royce.

“Mr. Bachchan’s performance has been simply stunning in Eklavya and I felt such an accomplished performance deserves an extra special acknowledgement and what better than a Rolls Royce for a person who has a passion for cars”, said Vidhu Vinod Chopra of his symbolic gesture. The stunning car was presented to Mr. Bachchan at his office in Juhu in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Eklavya- The Royal Guard, a contemporary dramatic action thriller is about Eklavya, loyal guardian of a royal dynasty whose duty is to protect the erstwhile royal family in Devigarh, Rajasthan. The cast of characters includes Prince Harshwardhan (Saif Ali Khan), an irreverent police inspector (Sanjay Dutt), the King's (Boman Irani) scheming brother (Jackie Shroff), his son (Jimmy Sheirgill) and the Prince's childhood love (Vidya Balan). What follows is a story of deceit, revenge, drama and action. Set in present day India, the film has a special resonance for today’s world, beleaguered by hate and violence born from fanatic belief.

Eklavya promises to give its audiences a visual treat whilst showcasing brilliant performances with edge of the seat action sequences shot in never before seen locations on celluloid. The film is slated for release on 16th February 2007

Press release - DNA After Hours

Etching ‘Eklavya’
After Hours Correspondent
Sunday, January 21, 2007 22:01 IST
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amitabh Bachchan credits director Vidhu Vinod Chopra for his authentic look in the film.

Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra is a stickler for perfection. But his penchant for details reached new heights in his forthcoming directorial ‘Eklavya - The Royal Guard’.

Chopra wanted the right look for all the characters in this film, especially for his lead protagonist Eklavya played by Amitabh Bachchan.

Chopra says, “The look had to be contemporary at the same time have a hint of Indian tradition in keeping with the character. A lot of effort was also taken for getting the right beard for Mr Bachchan. He was gracious enough to toil through the numerous beard and costume sessions.”

Fashion designer Raghuvendra Rathore with Chopra’s regular costume designer Subarna Rai Chaudhari created a blue print of the costumes. Since Raghuvendra hails from the royal clan of Jodhpur, his inputs were sought to ensure authenticity.

Also, when Bachchan was shown the sketches, he got so excited that he immediately told his personal trainer that he should be exercising harder to resemble the sketches as closely as possible.

Bachchan says, “With Vinod being the perfectionist that he is, he tried his level best to convince me to grow a real beard. Since that wasn’t possible, we ended up having several beard trials to get the right hair colour!

Bachchan adds, “Then we went on to the turbans and later the costumes, which took months. I like Vinod’s attitude. It’s wonderful to be told after 35 years in the industry that ‘You are wrong and this should be done in this manner’. That’s what Vinod did and I appreciate that. I hope people will like the final look.”

Article in Indiafm

Ralph Fiennes is bowled over by Big B

By Subhash K. Jha, January 29, 2007 - 01:48 IST

Last week Vinod Chopra invited that very fine actor Ralph Fienness from Schindler's List and An English Patient to watch Vinod's new film Eklavya.

Says the director, “Ralph Fiennes was here for his Unicef work. It was a private visit. He saw my Ekalvya with me. There was just the two of us. He sat two seats away from me. He was so moved. He told me he wept." Fienness insisted on meeting the Big B.

Smiles Vinod, "At the end of the film, he applauded spontaneously. On an impulse he went with me to Mr Amitabh Bachchan's house. For once Mr Bachchan seemed completely moved by the compliments. Here was one of the greatest actors in the world praising Mr Bachchan telling him his performance in Eklavya was among the best he has seen. For once I think Mr Bachchan took me seriously. I keep telling him Eklavya is his career's best."

http://www.indiafm.com/news/2007/01/29/8747/index.html

Article in Indiafm.com

'Eklavya': excellent book

By Taran Adarsh, February 1, 2007 - 04:37 IST

Vidhu Vinod Chopra does things in style! The film-maker has come up with a book on EKLAVYA – THE ROYAL GUARD, which is a class apart and different from promotional books seen over the years. The book not only gives an insight into the characters, but also boasts of several breath-taking visuals from the film.

That’s not all, it also enlightens the reader about the locations and sets that were built for this magnum opus, besides giving a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the film.

The icing is the leather jacket that envelops this book, which gives it a royal presentation. Great job, Vidhu!

http://www.indiafm.com/news/2007/02/01/8782/index.html

Press Release - Hindustan Times 'Brunch', 28th Jan, 2007

Press Release - Excerpts of Vidhu Vinod Chopra In Conversation with the stars of Eklavya

Watch the stars of Eklavya in never seen before conversation with Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Catch Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt in never seen before conversation with Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The telecast schedule is as follows :

AAJ TAK:
On 29/01/2007 at 20:30HRS Amitabh Part 1
On 30/01/2007 at 20:30HRS Amitabh Part 2
On 31/01/2007 at 20:30HRS Saif/Sanju
On 03/02/2007 at 21:00HRS Best Of All

HEADLINES TODAY:
On 29/01/2007 at 21:00HRS Amitabh Part 1
On 30/01/2007 at 21:00HRS Amitabh Part 2
On 31/01/2007 at 21:00HRS Saif
On 01/02/2007 at 21:00HRS Sanju
On 02/02/2007 at 21:00HRS Best Of All

Channel V:
On 29/01/2007 at 22:00HRS Amitabh Part 1
On 30/01/2007 at 22:00HRS Amitabh Part 2
On 31/01/2007 at 22:00HRS Saif
On 01/02/2007 at 22:00HRS Sanju
On 02/02/2007 at 22:00HRS Best Of All

MUSIC INDIA:
On 29/01/2007 at 23:00HRS Amitabh Part 1
On 30/01/2007 at 23:00HRS Amitabh Part 2
On 31/01/2007 at 23:00HRS Saif
On 01/02/2007 at 23:00HRS Sanju
On 02/02/2007 at 23:00HRS Best Of All

Stunning Images from Eklavya

Stunning Images from Eklavya

Stunning Images from Eklavya