I failed in History in school, says Ashutosh Gowariker

Ashutosh Gowariker has a penchant for history as we all know. Ironically, it wasn’t one of his favourite subjects in school, he points out at a promotional event for his film Mohenjo Daro. “I failed in history during my school days. I never remember dates. But I get drawn towards untold stories from the past. They fascinate me. It’s fascinating to know how people lived during a certain era.”

Tracking down history is what keeps the director busy for long stretches of time. “I do extensive research on my films — be it Lagaan, Jodhaa Akbar or Mohenjo Daro. That’s why it takes so long for me to make a film. I am glad I did this film, I hope I have done justice to it,” he says referring to his latest offering.

Interestingly, when the trailer of the film was released, the director had come under much fire for allegedly misrepresenting history. The name of the township was questioned, as it is supposed to be the modern name of the site, not what it was called when it was still flourishing. Reacting to the same Gowariker said, “I used the popular name, the way it was written by the archaeologists.”