Aśoka
2001 · Directed by Santosh Sivan
Original language: Hindi
- action
- adventure
- drama
- history
- romance
- war
The story
A young Prince Asoka works to perfect his skills in battle and also deals with family conflict. During a struggle with one of his step-brothers, his mother urges Asoka to escape to stay alive. While away, Asoka meets Kaurwaki and falls in love, but must use his skills as a warrior to protect her. A dangerous and heartbreaking web of conspiracy follows, which leads Asoka to embrace a Buddhist path.
What it’s like
Sweeping widescreen frames of sun-baked plains, palace courtyards of carved stone, and saturated saffron, indigo and gold costumes give it the warm, painted richness of an ancient epic. Torchlit interiors contrast with dusty, wide shots of marching armies, which cut to tight, sweaty close-ups in combat. The score swells with drums and strings, and quieter passages let wind and crowd noise settle. Its mood is grand, melancholic and operatic, well suited to a long afternoon when you want to be carried into another world, or to a comfort-epic rewatch with the lights low. The pacing is stately, with bursts of action between stretches of court intrigue, and the emotional register shifts from bravado and tender romance toward grief and a hard-won stillness. Its central figure is a proud warrior whose sense of himself is slowly broken and remade. Intensity is significant: frequent battle violence with bloodshed, executions and courtly cruelty, plus several heavy scenes of death and suffering. The romance is lyrical and restrained. It is best for viewers who love historical spectacle and redemption arcs and can handle war and brutality.
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