Taj Mahal
After hard work for number of years, Akbar Khan's magnum opus 'Taj Mahal' is finally gearing up for release. The story behind the timeless wonder 'Taj Mahal' hardly requires an introduction. But the movie packs much more than just the building up of the great monument. In addition, it tells the story of a family that witnessed fierce battles for the quest of supremacy. A battle that saw bloodshed all over with brothers destroying each other and even the father not being spared.
The story begins with the golden period of the Moghul empire when Emperor Jhenagir [Arbaaz Ali] was the ruler. A just king, he was known for giving justice to the right. Noor Jehan [Pooja Batra] was the empress who had a scheming mind and was always on lookout for the most opportune moment when she could fulfill her long cherished desires. In this ambition of hers, she also controlled her daughter (from her first husband) Ladli Begum, a bubbly and energetic girl who herself wanted to be the Empress of India one day.
Things took a twist when Jehangir's son Prince Khurram [Zulfi Syed] fell in love with Arjumand [Sonya Jehan], the niece of Noor Jahan. The young lovers faced resistance but eventually got united. Their romance continued to blossom amidst the power struggle and conspiracies looming large all over. Still Prince Khurram made his way to the highest throne and was known as Emperor Shah Jehan, while Arjumand was known as Mumtaz Mahal.
After a relationship of 19 years, all the good things came to an end for the lovers with the death of Mumtaz Mahal in 1631. Not able to bear her loss, Shah Jahan began work on creating his monument of love, Taj Mahal that took an astonishing 22 years to be made. Devoting his time entirely to see his memory take a physical shape, Shah Jahan [Kabir Bedi, in his older years] indeed turned out to be the biggest lover of all times. On his death, his body was laid down next to his love hence resulting in the culmination of their love after death.
Meanwhile at the family front he didn't have great times with the only his daughter Jahan Ara [Manisha Koirala] on his side during the last few years of his life. His rightful successor Dara Shikoh [Vaquar Sheikh] had all the qualities in him to take over once he was gone but his execution too was arranged by the younger brother Aurangzeb [Arbaaz Khan], who wanted to occupy the throne. If this was not all, Aurangzeb got his other brothers out of his way and even his father house arrested. This way he reached the top by capturing the glorious Moghul throne.
As per producer-director Akbar Khan, "The message of my film is that love lives through the rise & fall of empires & unruffled by the tide of time. That the magic of beauty could even take shape in stone. Taj Mahal makes a living example of eternal love & unsurpassed beauty".