An unforgettable epic!!!. Review on Taj Mahal

The costliest film over a budget of Rs.100 crore, which has been in the making since 4 years,out of which it took 240 days for completing the shooting and 7 months of post-production,director Akbar Khan`s dream project ”Taj Mahal-An Eternal Love Story” has finally released.The film was being continuously delayed due to various reasons and its audio had released and its trailers had started on the television,in March 2005.Normally,after the release of a film`s soundtrack and after its promos have started to air on the television,it takes two months from then,for a film to release but ”Taj Mahal-An Eternal love Story”,took 8 months to release after its promos aired on the television.Rumours are that the film did not find any distributors due to its high budget and the lack of the presence of big or established stars.Therefore,Akbar Khan decided to distribute this film himself,too.”Taj Mahal-An Eternal Love Story” is not the kind of a film that we get to see usually.It has a different look,different story and different star cast from the usual Bachchans and SRKs of Bollywood.In short,this film tries to be very different from other films,in each and every aspect.This year,many historical and periodic films have released such as ”Kisna”,”Parineeta”,”Bose:The Forgotten Hero”,”Paheli”,”Bhaggmati:The Queen Of Fortunes”(It was not completely a periodic film,but half of the movie was) and the recently released animated movie ”Hanuman”.So,2005 is not only the year of comedies but it is also the year of periodic/historical films,but comedy films proved more successful.Akbar Khan has made his historical film,”Taj Mahal”,out of sheer love and passion and the final outcome is very impressive.

Mashreq Communications Ltd.`s ”Taj Mahal-An Eternal Love Story”,directed by Akbar Khan,stars Kabir Bedi,Zulfikar Syed, (introducing) Sonya Jehan,Arbaaz Khan,Manisha Koirala,Pooja Batra,Kim Sharma,Arbaaz Ali,Milind Gunaji,Vaquar Sheikh,Negar Khan and Bobby Darling. Akbar Khan (brother of actors/film-makers Feroz Khan and Sanjay Khan) decided to make his film ”Taj Mahal”,when he went to visit the mausoleum and the seventh wonder of the world,Taj Mahal about 9 years ago.He spent 5 years on scripting the film and 4 years on shooting and making the film.The former actor and now a producer/director,Akbar Khan claims that he spent 9 years of his life,only and only thinking about the Taj Mahal.He claims that this film will be a memorable one,which will be remembered by everyone till next thousands of years.Is the film really worth all it?

”Taj Mahal-An Eternal Love Story” tells us the story of the golden period of the Mughal era.It takes the viewers back in the 17th century,when the royal family of the Mughals was ruling India.The film starts with an ageing Shah Jehan (Kabir Bedi) imprisoned in a fort,who is in the last stages of his life.His sons are fighting in battles against each other to become the Emperors of India and the Mughal Dynasty.Everywhere,around him,there is violence and warfare.Endless killings and bloodshed are on the rise.Beheading of slaves and even brothers is no big deal for anyone.Imprisoned in a fort,the ageing Shah Jehan,looks at the mausoleum he made for the love of his wife,the Taj Mahal,where his favourite and beloved wife is buried.A sight of the Taj Mahal reminds him of his youth,of the past,when he was the Prince of India and how he fell in love. Shah Jehan was known as Prince Khurram (Zulfikar Sayed) (also the young Shah Jehan),when he was about 19 years old and he was the son of Emperor Jehangir (Arbaaz Ali).Khurram was his father`s favourite son,whom Jehangir wanted to be the future Emperor of India and Jehangir`s wife,Noor Jehan (Pooja Batra),was well aware of this fact and that is why she has wanted her daughter Ladli Begum (Kim Sharma),to get married to Khurram,so that she becomes the Empress of the Mughal Dynasty.Noor Jehan was earlier married to someone else,but when her first husband had died,Jehangir was fascinated by her and he married Noor Jehan.Ladli Begum was Noor Jehan`s daughter,from her first husband.Noor Jehan was a very practical lady,who wanted the best for herself and her daughter,Ladli Begum.She always used to lust for power,but her plans of making her daughter the future Empress of India,did not seem to work in the future when Khurram met Arjumand Bano (Sonya Jehan) (the future Mumtaz Mahal).Khurram had a passion for hunting and one day while hunting in a jungle,he met Arjumand Bano,and theirs was a love at first sight.Khurram got attracted to Arjumand Bano`s innocence and beauty while Arjumand was impressed of Khurram`s great personality.Arjumand Bano was Asaf Khan`s ,daughter,who was Empress Noor Jehan`s brother.Then,they met in the Meena Bazaar,where both of them declared their love for each other.Ladli Begum understood that both of them were in love,but she did not give up the idea of getting married to Khurram and she kept on wooing and trying to impress Prince Khurram.When Arjumand Bano and Khurram`s love became so strong,Noor Jehan felt that it was time to act.She decided to turn Emperor Jehangir against his own son Khurram and she succeeded.Noor Jehan,sent her secret lover and the warrior Mahabat Khan (Milind Gunaji) to fight against Khurram and to get Arjumand Bano,killed.Therefore,a war took place,in which forces were also sent by Emperor Jehangir against Khurram.When Khurram met Jehangir,he declared that Arjumand Bano was superior to him than the Mughal Dynasty.These turned relations even more bitter between the father and the son but Arjumand Bano,was a peace-loving person and she agreed to forget Khurram.Arjumand Bano asked Khurram to marry Kandahari Begum (Negar Khan),an Iranian Princess,who was chosen by Emperor Jehangir for Khurram.Khurram,due to Arjumand`s insistence got married to Kandahari Begum.On the other hand,Ladli Begum got married to Khurram`s brother.After Emperor Jehangir died,Khurram became Prince Shah Jehan and became the ruler of the Mughal dynasty.He finally got married to the love of his life,Arjumand Bano,who became Mumtaz Mahal,from then,onwards.They both lived happily but not for so long.An unfortunate event took place that Mumtaz Mahal,died while giving birth to her nineteenth child,as she used to accompany Shah Jehan in all his battles.During her last breath,Mumtaz Mahal asked Shah Jehan to construct her tomb in a beautiful mausoleum,which would be so beautiful,that it could express their love for each other,to everyone who would visit the mausoleum.Mumtaz`s death was the greatest tragedy for Shah Jehan,whose hair turned gray overnight after her after her death and after Mumtaz`s death,he was completely a reformed person.As Shah Jehan was a true lover,he started off to fulfill his wife`s last wish.The construction of Taj Mahal took place,which went on to become the seventh wonder of the world.Within,twenty two years,the mausoleum was constructed,where Shah jehan`s beloved wife,Mumtaz Mahal was buried.

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