Sunday, February 4, 2001		Article

Capturing the grandeur of Taj Mahal on screen
By Aditi Tandon

COMING April may see a young boy from the city make a distinct mark in the world of sensible cinema. As the first ever English international feature film on the Taj Mahal, titled the Taj Mahal: A Monument of Love, gets ready for release this April, the unassuming director of the film, Robin Khosla, prepares to see a dream being realised.

For a 23-year-old, doing justice to the so-sensitive theme behind the greatest monument of the world, and perhaps the only one inspired by love, would not have been easy. But going by the strong film lineage Robin has, belief in his mettle as a director comes easy. Armed with a Masters degree in Film Direction from Philadelphia’s famed Temple University, Robin already has many documentaries to his credit. His first commercial venture, Tum Karo Vada, in which he launched the famous singer Anaida, worked wonders in the West. Subsequently, he worked on the poignancy of Kashmir situation in the telefilm titled Chand Grahan which is due for release on Doordarshan anytime.

This and many more small film ventures apart, the most significant of Robin’s works is the film on the Taj Mahal which seeks to bare the feeling behind this elegy in marble. Robin, nowadays in India, spoke to The Tribune in an exclusive interview about the film which was highly appreciated at the American Film Market, which Robin attended recently. The film is already being rated so high that it has been dubbed in Hindi, Tamil, Telegu, Arabic, Spanish and French.

In lead roles are Purnima, the youngest sister of Bhagyashree, who plays Arjumand Banu (Mumtaz Mahal) and Raghuraj, a stage actor from Canada who plays prince Khurram (Shah Jahan). Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Moon Moon Sen play Jahangir and Noorjehan, respectively. Aided with fine music by a new comer Santosh Nair and the wonderful renderings by Jagjit Singh, the film proceeds to unravel the romantic encounters of Khurram and Arjumand Banu against the backdrop of Kashmir valley. When asked why he has cast fresh faces, Robin replied, "It always serves to take a fresh cast when you are dealing with subjects of immense historical importance. Established actors rather draw attention of the public away from the real theme. Both Purnima and Raghuraj have performed exceptionally well."

Talking about how he was inspired to make this film, Robin recalled his days in America where his friends would often tell him that they wanted to visit the Taj. "That was when I realised that Taj was synonymous with India. People would ask me stories about the creation of the monument, and also if there was more to it that the fact that it was built in memory of a queen. I began to realise that the world had been misled from the real inspiration behind the Taj Mahal. It had now become a brand name for hotels, tea, casinos, etc. "

The idea behind the film was to tell the world of the intense love which inspired Shah Jahan to perpetuate the memory of Mumtaz for immortality. The film reveals the finest sepulcher ever created." The best part of the film, which Robin screened in portions for The Tribune at his Sector 5 residence, is the successful blend of history, romance and music it offers. Robin added: "There have been films reflecting drudgery of India, but none reflecting its grandeur. I felt morally responsible to bare historical facts that resulted in the creation of Taj Mahal, the spectacular structure. Subject of the film is well-researched and it unfolds the majestic mystery behind the Taj, while at the same time reflecting the power of love."

Most of the outdoor shooting has been done in the Kashmir valley. "This was essential to add a touch of reality to this immortal story of romance which actually bloomed in the valley. We were shooting even while we heard the grenade shots. The movie seems to have been shot with great sensitivity. Music adds to the existing grandeur, and it almost overpowers the viewer, especially in the sequence sung by Jagjit Singh picturised on Shahbaaz Khan. The story proceeds through a foreigner (played by Sabrina Avilla) who discovers the greatness of love with the help of a guide who takes her through the Taj Mahal which was Shah Jahan's expression of a dream. Most of the story is in the flashback.

Associated with this film are established professionals of the film world. Cinematography has been handled by Venu Gopal, and costumes have been designed by Nita Lulla, the same woman who designed costumes for Aishwarya Rai in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Art director Nitin Desai of the fame of Salaam Bombay and Kamasutra needs no introduction whatsoever. The same is true of editor Sreekar Prasad whose recent film The Terrorist has won international acclaim.