User Reviews

Likeable, but long, quasi drama, quasi musical with a little comedy thrown in about intrigues of a family of an Indian Raj. This won't be everybody's cup, but if you stay with it, the story delivers a satisfying conclusion.

The actors are attractive and enjoyable, the battle scenes were enhanced by NOT using CGG. By keeping shots local, on real actors, as opposed to long distance pans of computer generated people, it simply looked better. CGG, as shown in the movie THE PATRIOT; looked phony and to a viewers intuition, felt phony. Kudos to the producers for keeping it real.

My only beef was the time length of the film, and just a few too many melodramatic moments of pathos. This kind of going for the heart-strings style of screenwriting can backfire, if one goes to the well too often.

The music and dance numbers were pretty terrific, albeit through my western eyes. Their tempos were sweetly romantic, or heartfelt in their display of sadness, depending on the case. All were artistic, interesting and entertaining.

ASOKA, the biography of an Indian Prince, is recommended.

It's really hard for me to evaluate Indian films. Although they appeal to me, I live in a world totally alien to theirs. What I see as a film being interrupted by unnecessary music videos, they might see as the marriage of two vibrant, vital aspects of their culture.

That said, Asoka is a film that I enjoyed very much. The story is epic, complex, and deeply layered, and it almost had me crying in the end (VERY few films can do this). The cast is fantastic, and they did an excellent job. The costumes and the sets were equally great. It's runtime is at 2 hours 45 minutes, but I was left hoping it was going to go a little bit longer. I wanted to know what happened to Davi, and I wanted to learn a few things from Asoka's latter days --when he embarked on his journey towards peace.

This film is great, and I'm looking forward to seeing it again.

Asoka is a movie by acclaimed cinematographer and director Santosh Sivan, and it is clearly evident from his latest venture that he is about to change the celluloid world forever. The movie is an epic and the first example of International Indian cinema on a wide scale, bigger canvas and projected through the eye of a master filmmaker.

The film begins with the young Prince Asoka (Shah Rukh Khan) as a boy who watches his father accept Jainism, a peaceful religion that encourages him to toss aside his sword, which has caused much bloodshed. The young boy is intrigued by the weapon and picks up the new toy, masters it and soon learns that with the power of yielding this sword comes a great price. A warrior is born who fights many battles yet it is quickly established that this young man is very much fighting human wars, quenching a thirst for power and balancing this with his love for his family, particularly his mother. His mother renounces her son's violent ways and requests him to undergo the greatest education any person can: a journey.

On his journey as an ordinary traveller, the prince encounters friends and learns to eat peasant food with his trusty horse Pawan, who mirroring an opposite reflection to Asoka's seemingly black heart, is pure white with eyes that steal the heart of anyone who gazes into them. While exploring through a forest he meets the Princess Kaurwaki (Kareena Kapoor), whose eyes mesmerise one moment and warn off invaders in a blink. She is the embodiment of beauty and the prince introduces himself as Pawan to her, only to find there is a price on her head and she, accompanied by General Bheema (Rahul Dev) and young Prince Arya (Suraj Balaji), are on their own journey to make it alive to Kalinga where their destiny awaits them.

The journey of Asoka continues with trials and love, jealousy and betrayal, all making up cornerstones of what Prince Asoka experiences along the way. He falls flawlessly in love with Kaurwaki, and she becomes his soul and purpose of living, but destiny strikes a blow only to begin a mission born in rage and spread by blood. To reveal the rest of the movie would be taking too much from the audiences' viewing pleasure but the journey for Asoka is far from over.

A story of a traveller's travels, his education that is the journey, the loves and losses and wars and redemption all encompass this 173 minute epic that grips the viewer from the moment the camera pans down onto Asoka, as if indicating it is descending onto a mountain full of riches within, up until the deeply disturbing ending, which leaves the viewer with a ray of hope before the credits flash to announce not the end of the story but the beginning.

Santosh Sivan's camerawork and direction are par excellence, as his unique flash-technique and use of many shots to accentuate a minor detail in a scene all add together to create a cleverly woven story immortalised on film. In some sequences the camera cuts like a sword with flashes of residue left lingering both on screen and in the viewer's mind, yet in others following, he uses less shots and still manages to maintain rhythm. A film such as Asoka cannot be appreciated on a single viewing alone as upon initial contact one is simply bombarded with an onslaught of visual delights, spellbinding sounds and a story that emerges from our past but still reaches into the depths of every man's soul.

Performance wise Shah Rukh Khan is the life of the movie. His acting prowess is detailed to the fullest in emotional gut-wrenching scenes, that portray innocence, rage, peace and longing all through his demeanour and eye-language. Asoka's arrogance and clarity of his every action, coupled with the consistent river of flowing energy is evident through the actor's performance which to his credit leaves one finding the line which ends with the character and turns into actor. Asoka could not only be Shah Rukh's greatest screen incarnation, but also a clear message to international cinema of his screen presence, dedication and mastery of his art.

Kareena Kapoor, as the warrior princess who acts as sister and mother figure to Arya, a cautious then enduring lover to Asoka and emerges as someone on her own personal journey, in search of her identity and sense of belonging while juggling her duties, heart and mind in a three ring circus, Kareena gives what is by far her finest performance to date. After her innocent and natural debut in Refugee, she is finally allowed to once more realise her potential and play a character that only she could do justice to. Her look sans make up, except a few lines accentuating her eyes as the window to her soul, is as pure as the princess herself and the image of her going to get milk, fully wrapped except for her eyes is of sheer cinematic delight. Kareena has mastered the art of acting with her whole body in a short span of time and her performance in Asoka proves this. One hopes her potential is continually unlocked and her future holds many more performances and films of this calibre.

It is ironical that a film inspired by history is destined to make history itself by being the first Indian masterpiece to be shown at so many festivals, in so many countries and shown nationwide breaking into mainstream British cinema. It is certainly one of Indian cinema's finest offerings and deserves the attention it is bound to receive, missing out on this homage to true cinematic form would be like missing history. Go see it.

Fuad Omar.

Granted, Asoka doesn't really bring anything new to Indian cinema but then when do many films? This film should be given its due in that its better than most Indian movies of the day - way better. Therefore immediate criticism is harsh.

The music first of all is...very cool. Yes, its not yr typical music of the Indian setting but if u listen, Anu Malik has done something very interesting with the classical instruments of the age. This music has an evolved feel to it, that actually serves the movie very well. Its was an ambitious move that the director pulled off. So many bollywood films have the same songs, the same formula, the same dreary uninventive sound - these songs were different sounding, even if they touched on the same typical subjects. And the lyrics are beautiful in a lot of them (granted not the 'tayar hoja').

the script wasn't amazing but far surpasses the embarrassing lines of some many other Indian movies but it served its purpose. the actions scenes were better crafted then most Indian cinema pieces - the use of cgi would have been tacky and poor - until we have an industry that can create a war scene on full scale its a bad idea.. Shah rukh khan did a good job, kareena kapoor was beautiful (and I'm not a big fan). no one acted cringingly as so many Indian actors do.

finally, yes, the movie may have achieved something more had it been historically correct, but u r warned as a viewer that the film isn't historically correct and some features are fictional. who cares? its still good cinema. not everything needs a wonderful sweeping message.

While this engaging film wonderfully depicts the evolution of a young man into the ferocious killing machine emperor called ChandAshoka (Wild Ashoka) it pays little attention to the much more vital legacy as DharmAshoka (Faithful Ashoka). Cutting two songs, and adding another 10 minutes of exposition to show his evolution into the enlightened and compassionate meesenger of Buddhism would have made the film much more complete, and raised it to the level of highest achievement. Ashoka made Kalinga into a centre of Buddhism that endured more than a millennium, until the Shaivaite and Vaishnavite Hindu Renaissance of the 12th and 13th centuries. His legacy as a prophet of multiculturalism, peace and tolerance was insufficiently explored. It might have helped to have had an English translation of the beautiful and profound rock edicts that were shown only as a visual element in the opening and closing credits. It is a shame that Ashoka's Greek ancestry is not even acknowledged in the film. His grandfather Chandragupta, who is seen as convert to the ultra-pacifist Jain faith in the opening scenes, married the daughter of rht edfeated Greek general Seleucus Nicator, who led Alexander the Great's forces to defeat in the Punjab. Ashoka was born of one of Bindusara's Indian wives, which makes Ashoka at least one quarter Greek -- he was the very fusion of the Greco-Indian classical tradition, snd it was he who caused to be erected the collossal Buddhas at Bamiyan, destroyed earlier this year by the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Despite these minor failings it is a superb film, and even today you can wander the sand dunes of the River Daya (Compassion) in southeastern Orissa (formerly Kalinga) and experience the fullimagining of the Ashokan battlefield. Best regards Satya

I've finally got down to viewing Asoka in its entirety, given that my closest shave was when it screened on television some years back, but I got interrupted with an extremely long phone call, which left me with only 10 minutes into the start, and the last 10. Yes, I knew how it ended, but who's satisfied without getting at the meat? Moreover, the complaints that surrounded the film also intrigued me, as it really seemed that the dramatic license taken to interpret a BC-era story had met with plenty of objections for not being historically accurate.

Given India's rich history, there isn't a lack of stories involving kings of the past, such as that portrayed in Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodhaa Akbar. Asoka took on similar romantic proportions, in that at its core it has a love story to tell, rather than one focused on waging war throughout the lands, although this was touched upon in the latter half of the film, stemming from a death of his heart, and the embracing of a rage against the known world.

The first half introduces us to the star-crossed lovers, and the usual boy-meets-and-woos formula. Asoka (Shah Rukh Khan), being the favourite son of the Magahda empire, is in line for the throne, to the detest of his brothers. Rather than allow the family to disintegrate into chaos, his mum sends him away in exile to his objection, but his love for his mom meant obedience, and he journeys into rival kingdom of Kalinga incognito as a commoner. That of course still doesn't stop his brothers, especially the next in line Susima (Ajit Kumar) from continuous plotting his eradication.

Then there's Kareena Kapoor (credited as Karriena Kapoor, in her first pair up with SRK and looking more voluptuous than her skinnier self now) as Kaurwaki, the princess who together with the king-in-waiting Prince Aryan (Sooraj Balaji) and their trusted general Bheema (Rahul Dev) are in hiding because of a plot from someone in the democratic senate out to murder them to take over the throne. So you have set up a Romeo & Juliet circumstance, where descendants of the royal households fall in love, and also have to deal with the rubbish politics back home which bays for their blood.

The film paints a very emotional Asoka that Shah Rukh Khan excelled in bringing out, especially when three women in his life played an important part in his life-changing decisions, such as his mom's involvement for him to see the outside world, Kaurwaki in being his first true, and unattainable love that he yearns and pines for, and his eventual wife Devi (Hrishitaa Bhatt), a Buddhist who would be instrumental in his embracing of the religion after coming to his senses in the aftermath of his most brutal war waged just because of his insatiable appetite for more territory, though of course done in the name of uniting India.

But with romance out of the way, SRK also showed off the result of his training in the numerous swordfights he gets put into. The designers here had made his calling card, a "demonic" sword that has a bloodlust, resemble a little like He-Man's power sword, but without mythical influences of course. The other weapon that he wields, which is the more impressive of the two, is a double-bladed bendy-sword, which functions more closely as a whip. Nasty piece of equipment that, though Kareena herself do have set action sequences dedicated to her and showed she's no pushover too.

While the story shows how Asoka transforms through the stages, the middle section surprisingly was the best part, as it was the bridge between the two distinct halves which straddles the romance and the warrior aspects. Here Santosh Sivan and Saket Chaudhary's screenplay takes on liberties into bridging the two together, and it's quite engaging, with that sense of dramatic irony always omnipresent, and Fate having a field day with the characters involved, providing a catalyst for that inevitable charge toward change. It's somewhat predictable of course, but presents that sense of impending doom and gloom that the narrative turns towards.

For a film made in 2001, the editing here did seem a little jarring, but further research explained that this was inherent to the version of the DVD viewed, which included a very obvious missing Interval title-card, which splits the film into two given the industry's run time for films. The song sequences of the movies now try not to have spatial and time warps and transportations, and for a film back then, it's still a technique (if you will) used to put the romancing characters in far out locales and situations. I'm not complaining, since my favourite song of the film has this incredible dance sequence between King Khan and Kareena (choreographed by Farah Khan) beautifully filmed against some surreal, haunting backdrops.

I feel that this interpretation for the screen would also suffice, though stopping short at what Asoka is more renowned for, the propagation of Buddhist teachings across asia, and his emblem, the Chakra, emblazoned on the Indian flag of today.

This film is not intended to be derogatory towards Buddhists, but does indeed enact the historical beginnings of Buddhism. King Ashoka was a vicious warrior before he was shown the 8-fold path but his conversion did not occur until much blood was spilled in his land. It is unfortunate that other viewers have a skewed version of the conception of Buddhism and take this film to be negative. Nevertheless, I was impressed at the historical accuracy, the strength of the acting, and the vividness in the vision of the director. He chooses very unique positions to shoot the scenes and uses stop-time in very emotionally effective manners. I recommend this film not only for the story but for the visual elements and as an example of an Indian film that offers more than just song and dance.

Ashoka was a great emperor of India and his contribution towards the uplift of Indian people (Hindus and Bhuddists) is an indelible trait of his towering personality but unfortunately it has not been properly projected in this historical movie.

Instead, the young Ashok (icon of the Mauraya Hindu Kingdom) is depicted like a replica of the medieval uncivilized conqueror Chengez Khan. Why has the conversion of Ashok to Bhuddism, his contribution towards the alleviation of the Indian people by undertaking various welfare and development works has not been highlighted in the film ? He is mostly remembered as a people's King of ancient India like Cyrus was for the Persian people.

The director's money minting mentality can be amply read as he has endeavored to reveal the early gory and cruel picture/character of the future just and altruistic ruler of ancient India. Why has the author and director overshadowed Ashoka's pious, pitiful, resilient and people friendly trait that was the hallmark of his personality after the bloody battle of Kalinga which was fought during his youth ?

There is definitely much more than meets the eye after viewing this picture. A second part of this movie should be made which should elaborate the great achievements of Ashoka in the field of early spread of Bhuddism and his public welfare campaigns and works.

I understand that movies are made for the sake of entertainment, but I am ashamed that the only type of entertainment that is appreciated by Indian viewers is romance, which this movie is really about. I read the comments section of this movie and I see a lot of people make excuses to why so much romance was involved in what should have been a serious dramatization of Asoka the tyrant and Asoka the saint. They say that without romance the movie would not have been entertaining. The ones that say this likely have never seen the real good stuff such as Lawrence in Arabia.

Seriously, imagine Lawrence of Arabia movie, not imagine if several scenes portraying his multilayered character were replaced with some romantic scenes with a scantily clad beauty in the desert. That movie would have been laughed at globally. A similar form of adulteration was done in the plot of Asoka. I am startled by the kind of praise this movie has received despite the utter dilution and corruption of topic at hand.

The problem with general Indian audience is they do not even know what makes a good movie. If someone made the movie Asoka without romance and mostly focusing on conquests and spiritual messages, the same fans who are praising this movie would have loved it and probably called their all time favorite. Problem with Indian movie making industry is you very rarely get movies that have been flawlessly directed and focused on a certain topic. This has made the fanbase laud mediocrity.

I am terribly disappointed in Santosh Sivan who went this route, possibly at the behest of producers. I do not doubt Sivan's credentials, but someone like Gowariker would have probably made a far superior flick by condensing the romance to about 10% of what we saw. Sivan and SRK probably took this route to earn profits, but this movie was a huge disappointment at the box office. I believe that if this movie got a Gowariker treatment where he would not give two f***s about catering to the masses, the movie would have done much better.

2001, in spite of everything, might be remembered as the year Bollywood met Hollywood in the flesh. Years from now, film historians, critics, and fans will remember this film as a landmark, an unparalleled achievement. This incredible film really needs to be seen on the big screen to be appreciated fully.

Santosh Sivan, the gifted cinematographer best known in the USA for the art-house hit "The Terrorist," and in India for his work with director Mani Ratnam, switches gears completely. While "The Terrorist" was a tiny, contemplative drama, "Asoka" is bigger than big, a total opposite. In fact, I read that the war sequence was the largest of its kind ever filmed in the history of Indian cinema.

Asoka, a little-known figure in the West, was a bloodthirsty maniac who became a bastion for peace and tolerance through Buddhism in the 3rd century, ce. The film is a journey, a character study, of Asoka's progression to the time when he first embraced the Buddha. Some have complained that there is nothing in the film about his conversion to Buddhism, but that is really not the film's point. The events that led up to this transformation are what the film is really about.

Particular attention needs to be made to the cinematography and editing--it is nothing short of extraordinary. Done with an uncanny sensitivity, Sivan brings third century India to breathing, bustling life in a way that, perhaps, no one else could deliver with such vitality and beauty. However, portions of the editing are a little too MTV for my taste, with white flashes and jump-cuts interrupting establishing shots. It functions well, though, during the fight scenes. It is a strange dichotomy between art and commercial cinema. You'll never see swordplay in the same way again.

Pay attention to the acting, too--it is excellent. Kareena Kapoor proves that she's a much finer actress than her older sister, Karisma, and Shahrukh Khan, currently India's biggest star, gives the performance of his life. Both show incredible nuances. Also, Suraj Balaje, who plays the young prince Arya, shows a surprising maturity, and even comedian Johnny Lever, in a cameo role as a soldier, is excellent. If you are not familiar with commercial Indian cinema, the acting may seem like it is a bit over the top, but here, the entire cast, especially the leads, shows tremendous restraint. Know, however, that the over-the-top acting style, a staple of commercial Indian cinema, has a direct connection to traditions that are hundreds and hundreds years old, in the classical styles of the Sanskrit and Parsee theater.

The inevitable comparisons between "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Asoka" are warranted. This is the first commercial Indian film to receive nationwide distribution in the US, in this case through the independent First Look Pictures, and it is poised to bring an otherwise unknown filmmaking tradition in the American mainstream to a wide US audience. Both films are sumptuous recreations of history, although this film is based on an actual historical figure and CTHD is based on a novel. Both films have amazing fight choreography, "Asoka's" done without the aid of computers. Personally, I am biased toward commercial Indian cinema because it holds much more of a mystique. Sadly, because of the image that commercial Indian cinema holds in the USA, it may never see the wide audience that this film so deserves.

Whereas the Hong Kong action picture has heavy doses of martial arts, the commercial Indian film has songs, akin to musicals but, in this case, more like music videos. There are five songs in the film, and they may be a turn-off to those not familiar with mainstream Indian cinema. However, they are well-integrated into the story line, and they are among the best filmi (Indian film songs) I have ever heard, combining modern and ancient instruments with just a touch of electronica. The film really loses some of its impact if they are cut--they are that important. They are well-picturized (term for the filming of musical numbers in Indian cinema) and provide additional atmosphere. The influence of MTV is apparent in the editing style that takes over during the song sequences; this may interrupt the film's rhythm and impact, but they are part of the overall story. Unfortunately, I believe that the song sequences are being cut severely for international release, although I was lucky enough to see them in full DTS digital sound. Because of the need for Indian cinema to appeal to as wide an audience as possible (the all-India film), and because film-going in India is a family experience, films try to appeal to all members of the family. This means that violent scenes can turn into comedy, many genres are often combined, and there is neither sex nor nudity, not even kissing on the lips, because of a puritanical society. Overall, this may be seem cheesy to American audiences, but this is one of the pleasures of commercial Indian cinema. It is strange, though, with its lack of any nudity or sex, which are all suggested but never shown, that the film received an R rating. Yes, it is VERY violent, but the violence is quite stylized and often uses the power of suggestion rather than actual representation. I hope sincerely that, when First Look releases the DVD, the film is completely uncut and complete, with ALL the songs.

The film's last song, "Raat Ka Nasha," would be my Oscar pick for best song, an exemplar of superior filmi. The film itself definitely deserves an Oscar for Best Foreign-Language Film. It is a big bonus to see a film of such high production values devoid of any references to Western civilization or without any Western aesthetics. Incredibly entertaining, something for everyone (music, drama, romance, violence), with unparalleled high-quality production values and a moving story, "Asoka" is a dynamite cinematic experience. It is that good. Peace.

Bollywood makes more movies than Hollywood. The most popular film star in the world is from India (and most of the western world has not heard of him). India movies have a style of their own and one that does not always get readily accepted by mainstream western audiences.

Based on the Legend of Asoka the great Indian prince this movie follows his personal journey and so should not be considered an epic.

The acting and story telling ranges from fantastic to the sort of thing you would expect in an episode of Hercules or Xena. Being an Indian movie there are of course songs with lots of dancing. Some of these songs enhance the plot and some are just there because it is an Indian movie and you have to have songs.

Asoka is Indian cinemas attempt to break into western markets and like its predecessors from other countries (Hero from China and the The Tube from Korea) it is neither a good attempt at Western cinema or a good representation of Indian cinema.

It is enjoyable if you can suspend believe and care about the love story. Unfortunately most ancient legends don't delve enough into the psychology of character transformation and this is reflected in this story.

My main disappointment was there were not fight scenes involving the big bending sword thing that Asoka uses. This is a traditional Indian weapon and is part sword, part whip. Watching experts with this weapon fight is fantastic but requires a lot of skill to master (and I assume not cut off your own head).

Oh, and one other thing, despite what a previous reviewer said, in ancient India they did in fact where less clothes and shorter skirts than now with current standards of dress being a failure modern invention. So endeth the history lesson.

Watch with your brain in low gear and you will enjoy it.

A trashy movie that is not only boring, but extremely misleading. This is a film that is supposed to be happening in 2-3rd century BC, and at least be sketching the life of king Ashoka, The Great. The film fails miserably to do any justification to its title, which unfortunately has been used shamelessly as a gimmick to sell this trash mainly to Indian cosmopolitan and western audience. The film in the beginning claims not to be accurate, but it is no excuse for abandoning the truth altogether. The film is boring, and has copied some of the ideas from GLADIATOR, and BRAVEHEART. The war scenes are ridiculous. From the typical Bollywood formula movie angle, it is an average movie. Cinematography and songs are good.

the film revolves around a real life incident of India's ancient emperor Asoke the great.

the beginning of the film is simply marvelous, with the emperor Chandragupta Mauriya, renouncing the throne and advising the young prince Asoka not to use the sword.

the story moves quickly onwards projecting asoka as a competent, even brilliant general but ruthless and ambitious. he is embroiled in intrigues with his step brothers, and with his father who is under the power of his step mother who is hostile to his very presence. unable to tame the haughty prince his mother forces him to go into exile.

the plot meanders a little until he meets the princess kaurwaki. interesting sequences follow with a heartbreaking partition of the two lovers and the eventual betrayal of asoka by his brothers.

the emotional parts are fantastic with poetic cinematography. there is some thing for everyone in this film.

Shah rukh khan once again proves that when it comes to the Indian film industry, there are few who can equal him. his screen presence is immense, and once he is on, there is nothing else you can help notice.

Kareena kapoor is good, as the destitute yet haughty princess Kaurwaki.

Supporting castes are excellent, with a special mention of Danny denzongpa, who acts his part to perfection.

the conclusion of the film is in the massive battle of Kalinga. here the fight sequences are real (not animated), with real time filming. hence the effect is great. the stunts though look like expressive ballet at times.

the only thing lacking is an all too brief exposure to the spiritual side of the event,(of the emperor renouncing violence). since this was the turning point in his life a little more on this and a little less on the romance between Asoka and Kaurwaki would have made this a definite hit.

all in all, a marvelous piece of cinema. a must watch for ANYONE.

The worst part about the film was the Musical numbers that kept popping up whenever I start liking the film.The songs come and ruin my taste. They were dreadful and irritating and I hated them.

This is a fine entertainment and a surprisingly decent Historical epic that had a chance to be really good.But the film suffers from a Weak plot and poor storyline and ineffective romance.

This is a story about the Ruler Asoka who won many battles in India and was close to becoming king.Until,when his mother and other jealous people saw him rising to power and would do anything to become the King,decided to put him down.His mother orders him to go away from the Kingdom because it only brings lust and greed for power.The only thing Asoka loves more is his mother and his mother realizes that the present Kings order can have her and her son destroyed.So,accepting his mothers request,he gives up his power,his throne and leaves his kingdom in order to find peace.He converts to Buddhism under the name of Bhuvan and travels on the mysterious land of India with his horse as an ordinary man.The problem with the film begins when Bhuvan catches a woman singing and falls for her.She is Kaurwaki,a Princess who is hiding her real identity because everyone is looking for her and her brother,to obtain a price on them.Bhuvan falls for her completely and slowly Kaurwaki too falls for him,knowing many truths about herself and not knowing who Bhuvan really is, on the way.But then,Asoka gets the news that his mother is sick ,and so he leaves Kaurwaki and promises to return.But when he does,he gets devastating news about Kaurwakis getting killed. Asoka has lost everything he loved.He is willing to give up his life which has no purpose for him.He doesn't care about anything anymore and is in deep pain.So,to ease his pain,he returns back to his kingdom and decides to fight in battles until he is killed.But after being severely wounded and is taken cared of by a woman ,Devi.During an attempt to kill Asoka,by his brothers,Devi saves him and also losing the chance to getting married with a wealthy man.Asoka,then decides to marry her.But as his throne and army slowly slaughters and kills their way to the top,Asoka finds himself controlled by power and tends to go on until he has won everything.His sword,that once comes out,only wants blood ,has taken him to the most evil and barbaric victories in his life and Asoka still wants more.And so,begins his downfall from that.

This film is Inappropriately titled.It doesn't at all focus on the title character.Instead it focuses on the love story between him and Kaurwaki.The love story is the weakest part of the film.It drags the film a lot and it's poorly executed.The film lacks focus.

The love story hampers the film from being a success.This was suppose to be about Asoka ,not about the love story.It's more about Bhuvan-Kaurwaki love angle.It spends a significant amount of time developing that conventional love story and becomes the weakest point of the film.The love story is poorly conceived and leaves no effect on the audience and has no emotional impact.And that is where most of the god-awful musical numbers also pop up ,destroying the only good thing about the love angle.

The film doesn't at all concentrates on the lead Character.It begins with appeal,then slows down as the lead character assumes someone else's identity and falls in love,and the film drags.Then the film takes a surprising turn and the film picks up,very slowly.And then leads us to an exciting climax with a good enough battle sequences not relying on CGI,which even if they did they couldn't have achieved perfection of the Hollywood CGI effects,and then ends with satisfaction.The film has a dark tone and feels strange at times.

This is one of the better bollywood films out there.It had the potential to become a really good film and it's only a handful of Bollywood films that I had appreciated.But it lacks character focus ,with unappealing love story which makes this film an Above average film.A noble effort nevertheless.

The problem lies largely in the plot.I really wanted to like this film but then again, it's bollywood.It does however ,sustains an intriguing atmosphere throughout,with visual flair.I really hated the musical numbers which ruined my mood.They served no purpose to the film at all,an absolutely sluggish move.There is a good score as well and impressive cinematography.

Shah Rukh Khan was really fit for the role as Asoka,but since the Character was half-baked,he doesn't get the chance to show his talent,in which I think he could've nailed it if the character were better written.

Kareena Kapoor is annoying and gives a lame performance until she gets all heated up towards the end.She is a waste of talent and is only there for the half-hearted love story.

A good attempt by the Director who gave the film a distinctive look.It's stylized but it has its moments.Too bad ,films like these from Bollywood only come once in a while.

Well,it's worth watching once.

I have to say, that after thinking about it for awhile, I really enjoyed this movie. Its growing on me, even now.. It was visually stunning... really beautiful to look at. Of course, most Hindi films are really vivid, but this was exceptional, I think. Really well done by Santosh Sivan.

If you are not a veteran of Hindi films, then you may not fully appreciate this movie... You kinda have to be used to the subtitles, used to the music/dance sequences, and the basic formula that all Hindi films follow, in regards to romance. I mean, the story doesnt focus on Asoka's romantic life, but it does play an important role... Once you get past the first 15 minutes or so, the story really takes off. The story basically is how Prince Asoka rose to power to become King Asoka, and can happen when one is overcome with blind vengeance, despair and hatred...

Shahrukh Khan (Asoka) has got to be by far, the best male Indian actor Ive seen, besides maybe Om Puri. He has great chemistry with Kareena Kapoor and overall, the movie is well-acted.

Asoka is more reminiscent of Braveheart (excellent film), not Gladiator (terrible garbage), which the liner notes suggest. If there is a weak point, it might be the editing...alot of times, after a cut, I felt like there was too big a jump and a scene missing....

Overall an A. I recommend it, especially if you are interested in Indian culture...its based on real events around 3rd century BC.

Asoka is loosely based on the story of prince asoka who became a great but cruel warlord around 100BC. After realising the terror his wars had caused among the indian population he became a buddhist and lived a peaceful life.

the film uses this story to portray shah rukh khan in one of his best performances ever. the film is beautifully shot, all aspects of the movie have gotten supreme attention, from the scenery, the swordfights, the gigantic battles to the story. The story has all kinds of twists and turns and shows very believably how the young asoka turns from a wise traveller to an evil overlord after losing everything he loves.

The movie can be compared to kurosawa's 'RAN' which also portrays gigantic battles being fought over personal intrige at the court. Asoka's battle scenes are fantasticcally shot and the costumes are really great, looking very detailed and breathing the mood of the time when india was divided into many independently ruled states.

Some bollywood movies require some patience and understanding of indian culture to sit them out (almost all bollywood movies take at least 3 hours of your time) but Asoka keeps you intrigued for the full 150 minutes even if you're not into Bollywood movies at all !!!!

As you may have guessed i think 'asoka' is one of the best bollywood movies ever made, and also a great introduction to the genre if you've never seen a bollywood movie before.

a 10 out of 10 !!! at least !!!!

Was this a movie? I have seen a lot if Indian movies (natural being an Indian) but I have rarely come across something as bad as this. Truly speaking, Shahrukh Khan simply didn't have the funds to make this sort of a movie. Asoka, the greatest among the Indian kings is reduced to a dacoit, never he does come across as the Empreror whose kingdom spanned across India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Myanmur. The acting was average to say the least. Don't get me wrong, Shahrukh Khan is a great actor and he may be the king of bollywood but he can not potray some one like Asoka on the screen. His best roles have been in movies like Dil to Pagal hai, Dilwale..... and he should stick to that! This was a mockery!

In India, about 260 BC in the Empire of Magadha, the Prince Asoka (Shah Rukh Khan) survives to many betrayals of his brothers, leaded by the evil Susima (Ajit Kumar), who wants to kill him to inherit the throne. Asoka's mother orders him to leave Magadha to save his life, and while traveling, he meets Princess Kaurwaki (Karriena Kapoor) and her brother, Prince Aryan (Sooraj Balaji) from Kalinga, who are undercover and protected by General Bheema (Rahul Dev). Asoka and Kaurwaki falls in love for each other, but the mother of Asoka calls him back to Magadha. When he returns to Kaurwaki, he does not find her, since she was attacked by traitors of Kalinga and was hidden in the house of a loyal vassal. When Asoka's mother is killed by a man of Susima, Asoka becomes mad, kills all his evil brothers but Sugatra, who escapes to Kalinga. Asoka decides to conquer Kalinga, but in the end, he concludes that he has not built an empire, but conquered only corpses and destroyed everything, and he decides to spread love and the Buddhism with his son and his daughter.

"Asoka" is a spectacular epic from Bolywood. In Brazil, there are very few Indian movies released on DVD, but all of them are excellent. "Asoka" is one of the best, with a beautiful romance, very dramatic situations and great actions scenes, and a touching conclusion. The actress Karriena Kapoor is extremely beautiful and sexy, and has a great chemistry with Shah Rukh Khan. The boy Sooraj Balaji has a great performance in the role of a prince. Unfortunately the lyrics of the songs have not been translated in the Brazilian DVD. From other Bolywood movies, I am sure that the songs are very important, since they always tell something about the feelings of the characters in that moment. By the way, the music score is excellent. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): "Asoka"

If I was a Buddhist, I would be totally offended by this movie. Asucka, is a story of one man's journey into Budh-dhoo-ism (Hindi word for stupidity, not to be confused by Buddhism). If Buddha, a great man of peace, saw this movie, he may be tempted to beat up the director. If real Asoka saw this movie, he would have to struggle a lot harder with his decision to give up violence.

Shahrukh Khan, who is a great actor, should understand he does not possess talent to produce movies. Somehow he managed to turn the life-story of a great Indian prince, into a plot of a 'B' Indian movie. Only Shahrukh can accomplish that! All Indians should write a personal thank-you note to Shahrukh, that he did not choose his subject as Nehru or Gandhi!

The sad part is that for some un-explained reason, this movie is available at all Blockbuster stores. That's where I got it! Too bad 'Lagaan', an Oscar nominated movie is not, and this crap is. It would be a true tragedy if world forms its opinion on Indian movies, and great prince Asoka, based on this travesty.

I think this was an excellent movie for the past. Still, Now a great movie, and this movie excellently shows the biography of Great ruler Asoka. But this is a mistake for People as the movie has some changes to the real story,and this movie CGI is very poor and many scenes look like a normal movie.

Whatever this good for normal people and PG-13 Kids. My opinion it is the best movie for Bollywood. This movie cinematography awosame. I think this was too much songs and this Action Very poor, the movie Drama was Great, actor SRK Great Acting Asoka's character and Suppting Actors Great acting for this movie overall this was good movie.

Asoka is one of the greatest figures in world history. Santosh Sivan is the brilliant director/writer of the deeply moving film "The Terrorist." How then can this shallow excuse for battle scenes and carnage see the light of day? What is Asoka's Motivation? Romantic love, that's all. Why do people kill? To ascend the various thrones, that's all. What is the role of Buddhism here? Buddhists tended to Asoka's wounds, that's all. Why does Asoka kill so cruelly? Because he grieves for his sweetheart, of course.

I gave it 3/10, and that's only because there was beautiful photography. The rest of it is too stupid to bother with. How long will it be before someone does the subject justice? We may wait an awfully long time. But I would say the real tale of Asoka will be told by a Thai filmmaker, not an Indian.