Eklavya: The Royal Guard
Encyclopedia
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.
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 as India's official entry to the Oscars to be considered for nomination in the Best Foreign Film
category for the year 2007.
Eklavya: The Royal Guard was originally titled Yagna. Production began in early 2005. The principal shooting of the film was completed in November 2005. The primary location for shooting was in Rajasthan
, at Devigarh
and in 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. 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,
Shantanu Moitra
who was the music director of Parineeta
(2005) composed the music for the film. The global distributor for the film is Eros International.
), 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 the 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 queen leaves a letter for her son in which she tells him that his biological father is actually Eklavya.
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. Jaywardhan instructs his brother Jyotiwardhan to kill Eklavya in a fit of rage but his brother betrays him and kills him and also his driver(Rajjo's father). And amidst the mayhem, the safely guarded secrets of the fort are unveiled.
Eklavya suspects Jyotiwardhan and his son, Udaywardhan (Jimmy Shergill
), are responsible for Jaywardhan's death. He kills Udaywardhan and leads Jyotiwardhan to Udaywardhan's body, intending to kill him and fulfill his oath, whereupon Jyotiwardhan reveals to Eklavya that it was the prince who ordered the death of the king. Shouting in denial, Eklavya kills Jyotiwardhan, knowing he must face the young Prince Harshwardhan, his own son, in order to finally fulfill his dharma
.
Harshwardhan overcome with guilt reveals his own hand in the murder of Jaywardhan to Rajjo, who leaves him because his actions also caused the death of her father. When Eklavya comes to the palace to kill the Prince, he explains why he killed the king. The King had murdered the Queen when she in her semi-conscious state kept muttering Eklavya's name. Eklavya finally fulfills his dharma, by sparing his son's life and declaring the original Eklavya wrong. Rajjo eventually forgives Harshwardhan because she believes that he is truly sorry for his actions and Pannalal Chohar finds a suicide note saying that Udaywardhan and Jyotiwardhan scared that they were about to be caught jumped in front of a train.
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
film directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Vidhu Vinod Chopra is an Indian director and producer. Chopra is the head of his own company, Vinod Chopra Productions, and is particularly known for producing the Munna Bhai films and 3 Idiots.-Early life:Born in a Punjabi family of Kashmir,...
which was released in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 16 February 2007.
It stars Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...
, Saif Ali Khan
Saif Ali Khan
Saif Ali Khan is an Indian actor known for his work in Bollywood films. He is the son of the late former Nawab of Pataudi, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and actress Sharmila Tagore. He has two sisters: Saba Ali Khan and actress Soha Ali Khan....
, Sharmila Tagore
Sharmila Tagore
Sharmila Tagore is an Indian film actress. She has won National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards for her performances.She has led the Indian Film Censor Board from October 2004 till March 2011...
, Sanjay Dutt
Sanjay Dutt
Sanjay Dutt is an Indian Hindi film actor and politician. Dutt, son of Hindi film actors Sunil and Nargis Dutt, made his acting debut in 1981.-Personal life:...
, Vidya Balan
Vidya Balan
Vidya Balan is an Indian actress, who appears in Hindi films. After graduating with a degree in sociology, she started her career starring in music videos, television shows and commercials, before appearing in feature films....
, Raima Sen
Raima Sen
-Early life:She is the daughter of Moon Moon Sen and the granddaughter of legendary actress Suchitra Sen. Her sister, Riya Sen, is also in the Bollywood industry. Their father Bharat Dev Varma is a member of the royal family of Tripura. Her paternal grandmother, Ila Devi, was the princess of Cooch...
, Jackie Shroff
Jackie Shroff
Jackie Shroff is an Indian actor. He has been in the industry for more than 28 years and has appeared in over 150 films.-Personal life:...
, Jimmy Shergill
Jimmy Shergill
Jasjit Singh Gill , popularly known as Jimmy Shergill , is an Indian actor.-Early life:Shergill was born in a Jatt Sikh family in Gorakhpur, India and studied there till 5th Grade in St. Paul's School. Then, his family shifted to Patiala...
and Boman Irani
Boman Irani
Boman Irani is an Indian film and theatre actor and photographer. Irani began his acting career in theatre and moved to film in 2000 at the age of 44 with a role in Josh...
. The film marks Vidhu Vinod Chopra's return to directing after seven years. This movie was chosen as India's official entry to the Oscars to be considered for nomination in the Best Foreign Film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
category for the year 2007.
Production
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, at Devigarh
Devigarh
Devi Garh Palace is a heritage hotel and resort, built in the 18th century Devi Garh palace in the village of Delwara, nestled in the Aravalli hills, 28 km northeast of Udaipur, Rajasthan and forms one of the three main passes into the valley of Udaipur ....
and in Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
. 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. Eklavya's cottage was built from scratch.
The action sequences were to take place in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
but the sequences took place near Bikaner. 600 camels were involved in the shoot,
Shantanu Moitra
Shantanu Moitra
Shantanu Moitra is an Indian music director who has composed music for the Hindi film industry, and is most known for his score in films Parineeta , Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi , "Lage Raho Munnabhai" and 3 Idiots , and private albums, Mann ke Manjeere and Ab ke Saawan sung by Shubha Mudgal.-Early...
who was the music director of Parineeta
Parineeta (2005 film)
Parineeta is a Bollywood musical film adaptation of the 1914 Bengali novella, Parineeta by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Directed by debutant Pradeep Sarkar, the film was based upon a screenplay by the film's producer, Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film featured Vidya Balan, Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt...
(2005) composed the music for the film. The global distributor for the film is Eros International.
Plot
Contemporary India. A majestic fort. A royal dynasty that no longer rules. A king without a kingdom. Yet Eklavya (Amitabh BachchanAmitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...
), 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 the 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
Saif Ali Khan
Saif Ali Khan is an Indian actor known for his work in Bollywood films. He is the son of the late former Nawab of Pataudi, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and actress Sharmila Tagore. He has two sisters: Saba Ali Khan and actress Soha Ali Khan....
), has stayed away in London. But the sudden demise of the queen, Rani Suhasinidevi (Sharmila Tagore
Sharmila Tagore
Sharmila Tagore is an Indian film actress. She has won National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards for her performances.She has led the Indian Film Censor Board from October 2004 till March 2011...
), forces the Prince back to the kingdom he had left behind. The queen leaves a letter for her son in which she tells him that his biological father is actually Eklavya.
The Prince's return brings a rush of joy into the moribund fort. His mentally challenged twin sister, Princess Nandini (Raima Sen
Raima Sen
-Early life:She is the daughter of Moon Moon Sen and the granddaughter of legendary actress Suchitra Sen. Her sister, Riya Sen, is also in the Bollywood industry. Their father Bharat Dev Varma is a member of the royal family of Tripura. Her paternal grandmother, Ila Devi, was the princess of Cooch...
) and his childhood love Rajjo (Vidya Balan
Vidya Balan
Vidya Balan is an Indian actress, who appears in Hindi films. After graduating with a degree in sociology, she started her career starring in music videos, television shows and commercials, before appearing in feature films....
) 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
Boman Irani
Boman Irani is an Indian film and theatre actor and photographer. Irani began his acting career in theatre and moved to film in 2000 at the age of 44 with a role in Josh...
), influenced by his brother, Rana Jyotiwardhan (Jackie Shroff
Jackie Shroff
Jackie Shroff is an Indian actor. He has been in the industry for more than 28 years and has appeared in over 150 films.-Personal life:...
), 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
Sanjay Dutt
Sanjay Dutt is an Indian Hindi film actor and politician. Dutt, son of Hindi film actors Sunil and Nargis Dutt, made his acting debut in 1981.-Personal life:...
), 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. Jaywardhan instructs his brother Jyotiwardhan to kill Eklavya in a fit of rage but his brother betrays him and kills him and also his driver(Rajjo's father). And amidst the mayhem, the safely guarded secrets of the fort are unveiled.
Eklavya suspects Jyotiwardhan and his son, Udaywardhan (Jimmy Shergill
Jimmy Shergill
Jasjit Singh Gill , popularly known as Jimmy Shergill , is an Indian actor.-Early life:Shergill was born in a Jatt Sikh family in Gorakhpur, India and studied there till 5th Grade in St. Paul's School. Then, his family shifted to Patiala...
), are responsible for Jaywardhan's death. He kills Udaywardhan and leads Jyotiwardhan to Udaywardhan's body, intending to kill him and fulfill his oath, whereupon Jyotiwardhan reveals to Eklavya that it was the prince who ordered the death of the king. Shouting in denial, Eklavya kills Jyotiwardhan, knowing he must face the young Prince Harshwardhan, his own son, in order to finally fulfill his dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
.
Harshwardhan overcome with guilt reveals his own hand in the murder of Jaywardhan to Rajjo, who leaves him because his actions also caused the death of her father. When Eklavya comes to the palace to kill the Prince, he explains why he killed the king. The King had murdered the Queen when she in her semi-conscious state kept muttering Eklavya's name. Eklavya finally fulfills his dharma, by sparing his son's life and declaring the original Eklavya wrong. Rajjo eventually forgives Harshwardhan because she believes that he is truly sorry for his actions and Pannalal Chohar finds a suicide note saying that Udaywardhan and Jyotiwardhan scared that they were about to be caught jumped in front of a train.
Cast
- Amitabh BachchanAmitabh BachchanAmitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...
as Eklavya - Sanjay DuttSanjay DuttSanjay Dutt is an Indian Hindi film actor and politician. Dutt, son of Hindi film actors Sunil and Nargis Dutt, made his acting debut in 1981.-Personal life:...
as Pannalal Chohaar (inspector) - Jackie ShroffJackie ShroffJackie Shroff is an Indian actor. He has been in the industry for more than 28 years and has appeared in over 150 films.-Personal life:...
as Rana Jyotiwardhan - Saif Ali KhanSaif Ali KhanSaif Ali Khan is an Indian actor known for his work in Bollywood films. He is the son of the late former Nawab of Pataudi, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and actress Sharmila Tagore. He has two sisters: Saba Ali Khan and actress Soha Ali Khan....
as Prince Harshwardhan - Vidya BalanVidya BalanVidya Balan is an Indian actress, who appears in Hindi films. After graduating with a degree in sociology, she started her career starring in music videos, television shows and commercials, before appearing in feature films....
as Rajjo - Sharmila TagoreSharmila TagoreSharmila Tagore is an Indian film actress. She has won National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards for her performances.She has led the Indian Film Censor Board from October 2004 till March 2011...
as Rani Suhasinidevi - Boman IraniBoman IraniBoman Irani is an Indian film and theatre actor and photographer. Irani began his acting career in theatre and moved to film in 2000 at the age of 44 with a role in Josh...
as Rana Jayawardhan - Jimmy ShergillJimmy ShergillJasjit Singh Gill , popularly known as Jimmy Shergill , is an Indian actor.-Early life:Shergill was born in a Jatt Sikh family in Gorakhpur, India and studied there till 5th Grade in St. Paul's School. Then, his family shifted to Patiala...
as Udaywardhan - Raima SenRaima Sen-Early life:She is the daughter of Moon Moon Sen and the granddaughter of legendary actress Suchitra Sen. Her sister, Riya Sen, is also in the Bollywood industry. Their father Bharat Dev Varma is a member of the royal family of Tripura. Her paternal grandmother, Ila Devi, was the princess of Cooch...
as Nandini - Parikshat SahniParikshat SahniParikshit Sahni is an Indian film and television actor, who is most known for playing the lead in TV series Barrister Vinod, Gul Gulshan Gulfaam and Gaatha ....
as Rajjo's father (driver) - Pankaj JhaPankaj Jha- Filmography :* F.O.S.L.A. * Teen Patti * Gulaal - Jadhwal* Black Friday - Anwar Theba* Anwar * Matrubhoomi - Rakesh* Company - Anees* A Very Very Silent Film...
as a peasant villager - Meeta Vasisht as Eklavya's mother
- Swanand KirkireSwanand KirkireSwanand Kirkire is an Indian lyricist, playback singer, writer, also a television serial writer, assistant director, dialogue writer, both in television and Hindi films.Kirkire won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics twice...
Music
The soundtrack to Eklavya: The Royal Guard was released in 15 February 2007.| # | Title | Singer | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Revelation | Pranab Biswas, Ravindra Sathe | 3:25 |
| 2 | Chanda Re (The Moon Song) | Hamsika Iyer Hamsika Iyer Hamsika Iyer is an Indian singer based in Mumbai—born in Pune and brought up in Mumbai. She studied at the SIES college of Arts and Science in Sion. She is a regular voice with ad world jingles, Marathi tele-serials, and has sung songs in Tamil and Hindi movies.-Biography:Hamsika received her... |
4:36 |
| 3 | The Gayatri Mantra Theme | Ravindra Sathe | 2:27 |
| 4 | Jaanu Na | Sonu Nigam Sonu Nigam Sonu Nigam is an Indian playback singer whose songs have been featured in numerous Hindi movies, as well as films in Assamese, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi and Kannada language. He has also released numerous Indi-pop albums and acted in a few Hindi feature films... , Swanand Kirkire Swanand Kirkire Swanand Kirkire is an Indian lyricist, playback singer, writer, also a television serial writer, assistant director, dialogue writer, both in television and Hindi films.Kirkire won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics twice... |
4:29 |
| 5 | The Killing | Sunidhi Chauhan Sunidhi Chauhan Sunidhi Chauhan is an Indian playback singer, best known for her Hindi film songs in Bollywood. She has also recorded songs for Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Assamese and Gujarati films and is credited with over 2000 songs.... , Pranab Biswas |
4:33 |
| 6 | The Theme Of Eklavya | Pranab Biswas | 4:28 |
| 7 | The Love Theme | Hamsika Iyer Hamsika Iyer Hamsika Iyer is an Indian singer based in Mumbai—born in Pune and brought up in Mumbai. She studied at the SIES college of Arts and Science in Sion. She is a regular voice with ad world jingles, Marathi tele-serials, and has sung songs in Tamil and Hindi movies.-Biography:Hamsika received her... |
2:26 |
| 8 | Suno Kahani (The Legend Of Eklavya) | Swanand Kirkire Swanand Kirkire Swanand Kirkire is an Indian lyricist, playback singer, writer, also a television serial writer, assistant director, dialogue writer, both in television and Hindi films.Kirkire won the National Film Award for Best Lyrics twice... |
3:22 |