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‘Mughal prince’ aims to put the record straight

DUBAI — A self-proclaimed Indian prince, currently on a visit to Dubai, has accused the recent Indian film, Jodhaa Akbar, of ‘deliberately distorting’ historical facts and demanded that the director remove the name ‘Jodhaa’ from the film.

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By Preeti Kannan (Our staff reporter)

Published: Sun 20 Apr 2008, 9:37 AM

Last updated: Sun 5 Apr 2015, 4:51 PM

Prince Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy, who claims to be one of the direct descendants of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor of India, also said he was the rightful heir to the historical monument Taj Mahal.

Determined to convey his disapproval internationally , the ‘great great grandson’ of the last Mughal Emperor hopes that his cause would gather momentum in the emirate, a hub for Bollywood films.

The Hyderabadi prince told Khaleej Times he had filed a petition in the Supreme Court a fortnight ago, demanding that the filmmaker, Ashuthosh Gowariker, replace the name Jodhaa “since Akbar never married Jodhaa Bai because she was the daughter-in-law of Akbar and depicting her as his love and wife is nothing but a flagrant travesty of history,” he said. “The film is a character assassination of the great king who had fought many battles. Showing him romancing Jodhaa or any other woman is quite foolish as when he married his wives were as young as 12 or 15,” he said.

Prince Tucy said that though the film had been released and screened in many parts of India and the world, despite several similar objections, he wanted to put an end to this ‘slaughter of history’ so that future generations were not misled. He also said he had consulted various books and eminent historians to support his claim.

Prior to its release, the film starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan, ran into several controversies causing an uproar in the subcontinent. The film was initially banned in some parts of the country, but the ban was lifted on the order of the Supreme Court.

After the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board’s declared that the Taj Mahal was the Waqf’s property three years ago, Prince Tucy said his family was the actual caretaker. “If the custodianship of the Taj Mahal has to be transferred, it must go to the rightful descendant of Emperor Shah Jahan and my family and I are the emperor’s descendants,” he said.

Nevertheless, he added that the 17th century marble monument and one of the wonders of the world was the nation’s property and belonged to its people. “It is the people’s property and is as much mine as it is of every Indian’s,” he said.

Preeti Kannan (Our staff reporter)

Published: Sun 20 Apr 2008, 9:37 AM

Last updated: Sun 5 Apr 2015, 4:51 PM

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