/> On 6 December the shooting of Jodha-Akbar came to a standstill in Rajasthan as its director Ashutosh Gowariker attended court to defend himself against a charge for having distorted historical fact. A notice was sent to Ashutosh following a petition by the Rajput community urging Gowariker to desist from wrongly portraying Jodhabai.

Says Ashu, "The next hearing is on the 20th December. The matter is sub-judice. But I'll say this much. I've no intentions of distorting history. I've researched for four years, been in touch with some of the most eminent historians and the Maharaja and Maharani of Jaipur.

I will never depict any community of the country, in this case the Rajputs, in an adverse lights. As for the controversies about Jodhabhai's identity, I can't comment on the various opinions about what I'm doing."

Ashutosh couldn't attend shooting on Wednesday. But his action director Ravi Dewan continued shooting a battle scene while the director attended court.

Ashutosh sounds cheerful in spite of her first ever visit to the courts. "I'm learning the hard way that when you're making a film about people who existed there are bound to be voices of dissent. The Chief Minister did drop by the other day. And that was a big morale booster for us."

In the meanwhile another group, the People For Animal (PFA) has filed a police complaint alleging that animals are being treated badly in the film, and urging the Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje to probe into the matter.

Says Ashutosh, "My take on this matter remains unchanged. 69 elephants, 50 camels, a 100 horses will be used to shoot battle sequences, 'and as such'. That's specified in my letter. I'm taking all the precautions possible. There are two vets on the sets.

Every four hours the animals are getting rest. Their holding areas are sufficiently large and roomy. There's no cruelty to the animals involved. I'm aware that today awareness about animal rights is much higher than in the days when Haathi Mere Saathi was made.

Dharmendra fought lions with his bare hands. Thank God animals aren't treated that way any more. I'm going completely by the law."