I am thrilled to be back with Hrithik!: Ashutosh Gowariker

Post Jodha Akbar, Ashutosh Gowariker and Hrithik Roshan have teamed up for another period film, Mohenjodaro, one of the major cities of the Indus Valley civilization and which lies in Pakistan. Ashutosh is currently completing his TV series (fiction) Everest which he is producing after which he will begin his epic film.

A chat with the filmmaker on Mohenjodaro
Why did you choose the subject of Mohenjodaro as the backdrop of your story?
The Indus Valley civilisation has fascinated me since my schooldays when we read about it in history. Though I made other films Mohenjodaro always remained at the back of my mind. After Jodha Akbar I started reading on the subject in detail and as I researched more I realised that there is so little one knows about this period. Though a lot of romanticisation of these times have been done still we don't know much and yet there is constant talk about it as a forgotten world I could bring that to my film with a romantic touch. So I wrote a love story spread across those times. Though it is essentially a love story the core of the story is Mohenjodaro - seen through the eyes of the lovers.

Why Hrithik Roshan as the hero?
I want to say that I am thrilled to be back with Hrithik after Jodha Akbar. We had worked together last four years ago. I wrote my first draft of Mohenjodaro three years ago and I thought of him as my hero. I am glad Hrithik and I are working together on this. He will single-handedly bring great value to my film and enhance it tremendously with his presence. We have activated the research on various looks Hrithik and will be finalsing something soon.

Such a film requires great research.
I have done that. I have read all books of archeologists who have worked at those sites and met some of them. There's no book on Mohenjodaro that I haven't written. I have been to the Harappan city Dholavira, in India. Dholavuira is one of the cities of the Indus Valley civilisation that still exists today.

It's rumoured that you have approached various actresses from Anushka Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma as the female lead opposite Hrithik.
We have not approached any actress as yet but we will be short-listing someone soon within the next 10 days.

Hrithik Roshan says, "It's very rare to come across a vision that challenges every aspect of the norm. That defies your ability of the physical and mental. A film that is truly about spirit. Add to that an epic love story set in ancient india. The Indus Valley Civilisation is very centric to India - popular across not just our country, but of interest and intrigue for the rest of the world. But more than anything I am truly excited to once again be working with Ashutosh. I think the right words would be... "We're BACK!"