Movie 'defames Mughal empire'

Prince Yakub Ziauddin Tucy, a sixth generation descendant of the last Mughal emperor of India, Bahadur Shah Zafar, and his family are upset by factual errors in the Bollywood movie Jodhaa Akbar.

The prince, who is on a private visit to Dubai, has filed a petition with the Supreme Court of India that the name Harkha Bai should be used in the movie instead of Jodhaa, so that the emperor Akbar and the Mughal dynasty will not be defamed.

The movie Jodhaa Akbar was produced and directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar. It tells the love story of Akbar and Jodhaa Bai.

"Akbar's reign is looked upon as the golden period of India. The movie shows Jodhaa Bai as Akbar's wife, which is incorrect.

"Jodha Bai was his daughter-in-law and wife of Prince Salem, who was known as emperor Jahangir.

"We as descendants of the Mughal dynasty will not accept the distortion of historical facts."

According to him, Akbar had four wives.

He got married to all of them when he was between 14 and 20 years old. His first wife was Ruquiya Begum, while his fourth wife was Harkha Bai, the daughter of Raja Bhasmal Kachwaha of Amer.

"Akbar did not marry Jodhaa Bai, the daughter of Mota Raja Udai Singh of Jodhpur. The truth is that Jodhaa Bai was born in 1572 and married to Akbar's son Jahangir.