After bringing princess Jodha to life in Jodhaa-Akbar with a beautifully restrained performance, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is all set to enter royal territory again by playing Mumtaz Mahal in a film based on the Taj Mahal.The film will have a budget of 30 million US dollars and will get more international coverage than Jodhaa-Akbar as Sir Ben Kingsley will play her co-star, Emperor Shah Jahan. The film, called Taj is produced by Kingsley’s newly launched SBK Productions. It is an epic and will be shot on location in Agra and Fatehpur Sikri. Co-incidentally, Aishwarya’s father-in-law, Amitabh Bachchan has worked with the legendary actor in the upcoming Teen Patti and was blown away by his talent and knowledge of cinema. In fact, he was nervous about shooting with him.
Ben Kinglsey has spoken about the film in the international press. He is thrilled about the project which revolves around the building of the Taj Mahal. He had spoken to Ash about the film when they were shooting The Last Legion. The screenplay is being penned by British actor, playwright and novelist, David Ashton. The multi-million dollar film will also include Shah Jahan’s time spent in isolation. The film will go on the floors next year.Kingsley is really fond of India and its people and this movie will give him a chance to spend time in India and connect with the people and audiences.Kinglsey is charmed by Ash’s pristine, universally-appealing beauty and couldn’t think of casting anyone else. It obviously helps that Ash is an Indian and the face of Bollywood cinema in the west, which is why it makes for apt casting of her in the role of the legendary beauty.Kingsley’s wife, Brazilian actress Daniela Lavender will play Persian princess Kandahari Begum.
As for those who are skeptical about an Englishman playing the Mughal Emperor, it is time to watch Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi. Not many people know that Ben Kingsley was born Krishna Bhanji in the UK. His father, Rahimtulla Harji Bhanji was of Indian descent. Kingsley won an Oscar for his splendid, nuanced performance and it was hard to tell him apart from the real Mahatma. He is best remembered for that role.Bharat Bala Productions have wanted to make a film on the Taj Mahal with Aishwarya Rai since a very long time but the project hasn’t taken off. Earlier, Akbar Khan made the ambitious Taj Mahal with Sonia Jehan and Zulfi Sayed. The film also starred Kabir Bedi, Manisha Koirala, Kim Sharma and Arbaaz Kham, among others.
After being stuck in the cans, it released in 2005 and flopped. Let us see how Kingsley’s film turns out. Will it be doomed like its predecessors?
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