Five films on Taj write postscript to love
17 September, 2003
The Taj Mahal itself may be swamped by politics and pollution, but there's no way Bollywood will let go of its story of immortal love, moonlit romance, jealousy, intrigue and all the ingredients it holds dear. It is as if an industry, starved of hits, is looking to this white-marbled archaeological wonder for salvation. No fewer than five films are currently in progress, seeking to capture the essence of the Shah Jehan-Mumtaz Mahal saga.
The first, scheduled for an October release, is debutant director Robin Khosla's Rs 7-crore bilingual Taj Mahal — A Monument of Love. Next comes film-maker Akbar Khan's Rs 65-crore magnum opus Taj Mahal-An Eternal Love Story, featuring newcomers Zulfikar Syed and Sonia Jehan as the lovers, with veteran Kabir Bedi and Manisha Koirala playing the ageing royal couple. Bharat Bala's Taj Mahal, India's first IMAX film, has actress Aishwarya Rai playing Mumtaz Mahal. The Rs 40-crore project is half way done, and scheduled for a March 2004 release. Also in the making is the low-budget Haider Mahal, produced by film-maker D.K. Goel. A Hollywood studio is in the process of finalising a deal for producing the fifth Taj Mahal film, according to industry sources.
Inevitably, each film-maker is claiming that his film is 'different.' Akbar Khan, in fact, strongly objected when his film was compared to Khosla's: "It's not in the same league as mine," he sniffed. The two have been at daggers drawn, each claiming to have conceived of the project first. "It's usually oversized egos that prompt filmmakers to make films on the same topic," said film analyst Amod Mehra.
