Jodha-Akbar confirmed on October 12

For a long time now some of the more imaginative tabloids of Mumbai have been inexplicably eager to see a delay in the release of Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodha-Akbar. Several manufactured 'accidents' from the sets of Jodha-Akbar were reported, just to fuel the tantalizing possibility of a postponement in the release date of this eagerly awaited film.

In fact when contacted after the report of his most recent 'accident', Hrithik categorically said he had never suffered any accident during the shooting of Jodha-Akbar. But then the naysayers and sensation-hungry fiction writers can't get enough of the quick- fix method of news-making. Hence last week there was again a report that the release of Jodhaa-Akbar has been postponed.

"Not again! Not true at all!" laughs Ashutosh Gowariker as he speeds to a spectacular conclusion of his Mughal epic. "I've been reading stories of Jodhaa-Akbar being postponed every couple of months. These rumours are not true at all. We had locked in on October 12 as the release date since it coincides with Eid when audiences swamp to the theatres. We've to be stupid or careless to let go of such a coveted date."

So where does Ashutosh think these delay rumours are coming from? "Beats me! Probably because I've one song and one scene left to shoot, some people might be jumping to the wrong conclusions. But October 12 was, and is the release date for Jodhaa-Akbar."

There has also been some talk of Ashutosh returning to his first love, acting. "First love?" he laughs. "Direction is and always be my pehla nashaa. If after that I get some time off I may, mind you may, consider giving acting a try. And that too only if a friend is insistent."

However right now it seems unlikely that Ashutosh Gowariker would be able to take up any acting assignments, what with the grueling post-production of Jodhaa-Akbar awaiting his full attention.