'Asoka' turns 20: 4 reasons to revisit Shah Rukh Khan's movie

There's no denying the fact that Asoka was one of the biggest and most ambitious films of actor Shah Rukh Khan's career. The film featured him in the role of the third century Maurya emperor and garnered a fair deal of attention because of its grand presentation. While the biggie did not do as well as expected at the box office, it attained cult status in the years to follow. On Tuesday, as Santosh Sivan's magnum opus turns 20, here is look a look at why it still makes for a splendid watch. 

Showreel for SRK the performer

Asoka, unlike a Happy New Year or a Chennai Express, is a shining example of  'intelligent' cinema that caters to a class audience. The film served as a showreel for SRK and encouraged him to push his limits as a performer. The actor rose to the occasion and highlighted the character's mean streak reasonably well especially in the first half. He was equally impressive in the war sequences and the emotional scenes. Everything about King Khan's performance -- right from his intense dialogue delivery to his look -- was as perfect as can be. In many ways, the film serves as a reminder of what SRK -- who has often been criticised for being part of underwhelming films like Zero and Jab Harry Met Sejal -- is capable of under the right circumstances.

Kareena shows her class

Kareena Kapoor, who made an impressive debut with Refugee, consolidated her standing in the industry with her lively performance in the film. While 'Bebo' wasn't the proverbial star of the movie, she made a solid impact with her striking screen presence in the San Sanana song. Her senes with SRK hit the right notes because of the tense reel equation between the two. The two subsequently reunited for Ra One, which hit the screens nearly 10 years after Asoka. Their work in Santosh Sivan's film indicates that this may be one of Bollywood's most underrated jodis. 

Rare combination

Ajith Kumar, a popular name in Tamil cinema, essayed the role of Asoka's half-brother Susima in what remains his only Hindi film till date. His scenes with the Baazigar star were an integral part of the narrative and catered to those fond of dramatic sequences. Post the release of Asoka, Ajith consolidated his standing in Kollywood with films such as Billa, Mankatha, Veeram and Vedalam, emerging as the industry's 'Thala'. It is a delight to see them together on the screen today as they are pillars of their respective industries.  

A technical masterpiece

Contrary to perception, Asoka was made on a lesser budget than Lagaan. Santosh Sivan managed to keep the budget under control as he decided against using special effects. The decision worked as each frame felt natural and organic. The general feeling is that Asoka serves as a strong example of how technical brilliance and not the scale is the key to top-notch production values.