A recent wave of Indian cinema seeks to ‘correct’ historical narratives, and the latest entry is Tushar Amrish Goel’s ‘The Taj Story’. Following the lukewarm reception of ‘His Story of Itihaas’, this film garners significant attention due to its provocative claim: the Taj Mahal is, in fact, an ancient Hindu temple. Fronted by veteran actor Paresh Rawal, the movie taps into an ongoing public discourse.
The filmmakers are explicit about their objective: to challenge perceived inaccuracies in historical education and rectify ‘historical errors’ that they believe the current political climate is ripe for. ‘The Taj Story’ employs a ‘what-if’ narrative, fulfilling a long-held fantasy for a segment of the audience eager to see certain communal theories brought to the silver screen.
The Taj Story (Hindi)
The film centers on Vishnu (Paresh Rawal), an Agra tour guide firmly convinced that the Taj Mahal is a Shiva temple. After being suspended by the predominantly Muslim Guide Association, Vishnu takes his crusade to court through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The courtroom becomes the battleground for a debate over whether Shah Jahan constructed the Taj Mahal from the ground up or merely transformed an existing palace belonging to Man Singh into a mausoleum for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
Crafted to inflame majoritarian anxieties, the film paints the Taj Mahal as a symbol of ‘atrocities’ and genocide, squarely blaming ‘leftist historians’ for ‘intellectual terrorism’. It accuses them of selectively focusing on colonial rule while allegedly exonerating Mughal rulers, branding them as ‘great’ figures embodying love and secularism, despite what the film suggests is a starkly different reality. However, in its zeal to counter established scholarship, the script often devolves into polemics and struggles to offer a balanced argument.
Without explicitly naming them, the movie rehashes previously debated claims by figures like P.N. Oak and Marvin Miller as if they were groundbreaking new evidence. While it stops short of advocating for the excavation of the world wonder, it champions the carbon dating of the monument, a demand that frequently surfaces in contemporary news. The concluding montage, showcasing a litany of similar petitions pending in various courts, strongly suggests that ‘The Taj Story’ itself serves as a publicity stunt, designed to keep this contentious issue simmering in the public consciousness.
Despite its ambitious premise, the film exhibits peculiar oversights; for instance, the production designer inexplicably misspellings ‘archaeology’ as ‘archeology’. This lack of attention to detail perhaps inadvertently reflects the film’s foundation in half-truths and unsubstantiated claims.
The narrative structure mirrors that of ‘The Kashmir Files’, aiming to propagate divisive messaging. Much like Anupam Kher’s steadfast performance anchored the former, Paresh Rawal masterfully carries ‘The Taj Story’, effectively navigating the film’s obfuscating agenda. Recognizing that overt propaganda can be easily discerned, the filmmakers attempt to include opposing viewpoints, with characters self-consciously asserting their claims are not merely ‘WhatsApp forwards’.
Rawal, merging his political beliefs with his acting prowess, injects vitality into the courtroom scenes. Alongside Zakir Hussain, who portrays the advocate defending the Mughal narrative, he creates moments of both drama and unexpected comic relief. There are instances where an amicable resolution between Rawal and Hussain’s characters seems plausible. Yet, the film’s underlying intent becomes glaringly obvious through its stereotypical portrayal of one community, often reduced to skull caps, beards, kohl-lined eyes, and perpetual frowns.
The Taj Story is currently running in theatres.