EKLAVYA - THE ROYAL GUARD Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra Starring : Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Sharmila Tagore, Boman Irani, Jimmy Shergill, Raima Sen UK Release 16 February 2007

Contemporary India. A majestic fort. A royal dynasty that no longer rules. A king without a kingdom. Yet Eklavya (Amitabh Bachchan), their royal guard, lives in a time wrap. He lives only to protect the fort, the dynasty, and the king. For nine generations Eklavya’s family has protected Devigarh, a centuries old citadel in Rajasthan. His marksmanship is stuff of legends. His unflinching loyalty inspires ballads. Eklavya has spent his entire life serving the royals and closely guarding their secrets but now he’s getting old and increasingly blind.

Unable to cope with the suffocating customs of his land, the heir, Prince Harshwardhan (Saif Ali Khan), has stayed away in London. But the sudden demise of the queen, Rani Suhasinidevi (Sharmila Tagore), forces the prince back to the kingdom he had left behind.

The prince’s return brings a rush of joy into the moribund fort. His mentally challenged twin sister, princess Nandini (Raima Sen) and his childhood love Rajjo (Vidya Balan) are delighted to see him but the joy of reunion is short-lived.

There is unrest in the kingdom: farmers are been stripped of their lands. The king, Rana Jay wardhan (Boman Irani) influenced by his brother, Rana Jyotiwardhan (Jackie Shroff), supports the atrocities being forced upon the peasants. The king receives a death threat over the phone. An irreverent police officer, Pannalal Chohar (Sanjay Dutt), is called into investigate. But he might be too late. The fragile peace of the land is suddenly shattered by a barrage of bullets. And amidst the mayhem, the safely guarded secrets of the fort are unveiled.

What follows is a contemporary, edge-of-the-seat dramatic action thriller with a stellar ensemble cast – Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff, Jimmy Sheirgill, Raima Sen and Sharmila Tagore. The film marks the return of Vidhu Vinod Chopra who directs after a hiatus of seven years.