/> After having pulled itself out of the clutches of the professional protestors of Hindustan Jodhaa-Akbar seems to be on the way to becoming a big success.

"Frankly it's a relief. I first had to deal with the film's uncontrollable length. It isn't as if I set out to make long films. But Lagaan turned out to be 3 hours 42 minutes long. Jodhaa-Akbar was comparatively shorter.

But still not short enough. Anyway the length issue has been resolved in the audiences' mind. No one is complaining about it.

Maybe I should make a short and racy thriller next just to prove I can make shorter films. I'm yet to feel a sense of triumph that I should be feeling. But it's been a long battle.

And we've managed to get the film extricated in MP and UP. But Rajasthan where the film belongs remains a sore point.I feel Jodhaa-Akbar belongs to Rajasthan. How can it not be released there?"

Meanwhile Jodhaa-Akbar has had a triumphant release in Telugu. "The film is doing really well in its Telugu version, not that well in the Tamil version.

How do we explain that, since the Hindi version was released in both Andhra and Tamil Nadu before the regional versions? Distributors tell me the Hollywood period film 10,000 BC was released in Tamil Nadu alongside Jodhaa-Akbar. So...."

Ashutosh seems unconvinced by that logic. But you can't argue with the boxoffice. And the boxoffice has been utterly kind to Jodhaa-Akbar.

"I don't know the facts and figures," shrugs Gowariker. "But the fact that it has been seen to be a good story and an engaging film is enough for me. The success of Jodhaa-Akbar has given me the freedom to make my next film. That's what matters for me."

Ashutosh is currently trying to recuperate fully from a back problem. He's also trying catch as much of the plays and books out there as possible.

"For two years I've only been living in the world of Jodhaa-Akbar totally insulated from all other influences. Now I'm absorbing everything from Mohan Rakesh's Hindi novels to Marathi plays. You could say I'm grazing, hoping that my next film would emerge from my creative curiosity."