Asoka (2001)
Movie Overview
Release date: 2001
Runtime: 155 min
Genre: Action, Biography, Drama, History, Romance, War
Starring: Kareena Kapoor, Shahrukh Khan, Hrishita Bhatt, Danny Denzongpa, Rahul Dev, Ajith Kumar, Johny Lever, Raghuveer Yadav, Suresh Menon,
Director: Santosh Sivan
Produced by: Juhi Chawla, Shahrukh Khan
Critics (1)
Users (8)
My Rating
Prince Ashoke (Shahrukh Khan), heir to the Magadha Kingdom, bowing to his mother's (Shilpa Mehta) demand forsakes his princely status and goes to live in the wild for awhile. There he meets and falls in love with Kaurwaki (Kareena Kapoor). He identifies himself as Pawan, not wanting to disclose his identity yet. Ashoke has to return to Magadha, but when he returns to find and wed Kaurwaki, he is told by Bheema (Rahul Dev) that Kaurwaki and her brother Arya have been killed. Devastated Ashoke returns home. On the way home he is attacked and Devi (Hrishitaa Bhatt), of the Buddhist faith rescues him and tends to him till he gets well. As a result, Devi's marriage to her groom is cancelled. Ashoke weds her and brings her to Magadha, only to be told by his father that since Devi is not of the same race as he, she cannot be welcomed. Ashoke leaves with Devi and lives in Ujjaini. Soon Devi gets pregnant, and this arouses jealously and hatred amongst Ashoke's step-brothers. As a result they plot to kill Devi, however, their plans are foiled by Ashoke's mother, who is killed. Ashoke swears to avenge his mother's death by killing his step-brothers one by one, except for one, who has led to Kalinga. Ashoke asks the ruler of Kalings to turn over his step-brother to him, and they refuse. Ashoke swears to raze Kalinga to the ground. Ashoke is unstoppable. Even his close friend, Virat (Danny Denzongpa), too, is unable to stop Ashoke. Ashoke proceeds to war, little knowing that the queen of Kalinga is none other than Kaurwaki, who is still alive.
Critics Reviews
Everything about this film is great fun--and if you warm to the style and feel of it all, it's surprisingly moving too.
The story is terrific, and extremely well told by director-cowriter Sivan (The Terrorist).
... Full Review
User Reviews
Bignas1234 | 2008-03-01
Historic movie, tells about the fight for the thrown beween 2 brothers and a battle for cities With SRk and Kareena in main leads
Spectacular Epic
Claudio Carvalho@imdb | 2006-07-17
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... Read more at imdb.com
Another 10 minutes would have helped
das-7@imdb | 2001-11-01
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... Read more at imdb.com
One of Indian cinema's finest offerings
fuaad45@imdb | 2001-10-30
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... Read more at imdb.com
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