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Taj Mahal
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'Taj Mahal' Worth A Watch

By Nikhil Kumar
Film critic, ApunKaChoice.Com

To make a movie on one of the seven wonders of the world is indeed a daunting task. To narrate an age-old story of love between emperor Shahjahan and Mumtaj Mahal, to depict the greed of Aurangzeb and to recreate the last days of an emperor who spent his old age in captivity, is a big cinematic challenge. Akbar Khan, the director of ‘Taj Mahal’, succeeds, but only partially.

‘Taj Mahal’, made at an estimated mammoth budget of Rs 70 crores, tries to authentically recreate the Mughal era through opulent sets, royal costumes and jewellery. But the movie is more than just a mere costume drama. It is a very simply told tale of love.

The

movie begins with the battles between Aurangzeb (Arbaaz Khan) and his three brothers Dara Shikoh, Suja and Murad. Blinded by his greed for power, Aurangzeb kills his three brothers and sends the severed head of Dara Shikoh (Shahajan’s favorite son) to his ageing father Shahjahan (Kabir Bedi).

Aurangzeb accedes to the throne and holds his father Shahjahan and his elder sister Jahan Aara (Manisha Koirala) in captivity.

Spending the last days of his life in captivity, a frail and nostalgic Shahjahan begins to narrate to Jahan Aara the tale of his love with Mumtaj Mahal.

The movie goes into flashback and we see a young Shahjahan aka Prince Khurram (Zulfi Syed).

During one of his rides in the jungle, Prince Khurram sees a beautiful Arjumand aka Mumtaj Mahal (Sonya Jehan) and falls in love with her.

But this match is not acceptable to Khurram’s scheming stepmother, Noor Jahan (Pooja Batra), who wants the prince to wed her daughter from another marriage, Ladli Begum (Kim Sharma). Noor Jahan wants to ensure that in future the throne passes on to someone from her lineage.

Shahjahan’s love for Mumtaj Mahal is unshakable. He marries her. But their lives are still stirred by the politics played by the members of the family. As Mumtaj Mahal breathes her last, Shah Jahan promises her to build a monument in the memory of their love.

Akbar Khan should be credited for condensing the entire story within 2 ½ hours. And the story that is told is moving enough. But it may only have selective audience. For, only a few of the present X-generation would care to witness the tale of an era long gone by.

The movie gets slow paced at many times, particularly in the second half, and the songs – only a few of which manage to catch your fancy – are basically a drag.

Despite these shortcomings, Akbar Khan’s passion still comes through. The movie is visually rich. Save for some poor set recreations of the palace, and some terrible make-up at times (Dara Shikoh’s severed head, for instance), meticulous attention seems to have been paid to details.

Language in a historical movie is very crucial. The dialogues in ‘Taj Mahal’ are very comprehensible despite a generous use of chaste Urdu.

Zulfi Syed’s performance stands out in this multistarrer magnum opus. As the young Shahjahan, Zulfi looks convincing and brings forth the romantic and mellow shades of his character believably enough.

Sonya Jehan, too, fits in her role well, but her dialogue delivery leaves much to be desired. The lady’s earthy beauty is simply a delight to the eyes.

Arbaaz Khan makes an impact as the brutal Aurangzeb. He brings out the dark sides of Aurangzeb so well that you can’t help hating the character he plays.

Pooja Batra indeed needs a mention for her performance as the cunning Noor Jahan. The actress, so rarely seen in movies nowadays, has sprung a surprise with her brilliant display of acting skills.

Kabir Bedi, as usual, towers high playing the old and infirm Shahjahan. The actor for sure has an imposing screen presence perfectly suited to his character. Manisha Koirala’s role in the movie is very marginal.

In a nutshell, ‘Taj Mahal’ is a film worth watching once, despite all its shortcomings. The movie delineates, in detail, the story of Shahjahan’s love, Noor Jahan’s intrigue and Aurangzeb’s greed. The movie’s end leaves you with a sad and heavy heart.

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