| This
film focuses on the battle for the throne between Aurangzeb and his
three brothers, Dara, Suja and Murad.
During
the long fight, Aurangzeb (Arbaaz Khan) succeeds in ascending the
throne. He imprisons his own father, Shah Jahan (Kabir Bedi) and
elder sister Jahan Ara (Manisha Koirala) in the process.
As
an aged Shah Jahan looks through his prison window, he sees his
creation from a distance - the Taj Mahal.
As
he stares at this magnificent monument, he recollects his life with
his wife Arjumand (Soniya Jehan) later known as Mumtaz Mahal. The
film then goes into flashback.
Having
spent years making this film, director Akbar Khan deserves credit
for getting his historical facts right with minute details such
as the devious schemes of Noor Jahan and her secret affair, which
has been given a brief mention in history books.
But
having said this, the director fails to bring reality to the story
on screen. Some of the sets may appear grand but on close inspection,
others appear to be somewhat cheap and tacky.
We
can excuse the director for this minor flaw as he has thoughtfully
added the songs and dance sequences in between the narration.
The
film is further elevated with a magnificent performance by Kabir
Bedi.
Zulfikar
Sayed as Prince Khurram and Soniya Jehan as Mumtaz Mahal impress
with their acting talents and screen presence. Pooja Batra as Noor
Jahan deserves a mention.
On
the whole, director Akbar Khan's historic epic might have some memorable
scenes but these are too few and far between to impress a UK audience.
Reviewed
by Manish Gajjar,
BBC Shropshire Bollywood
|
