By Jilawatan

Breaking News! Bollywood Actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been offered the role of Mughal Queen Mumtaz Mahal by none other than renowned actor Sir Ben Kingsley, who was the lead actor in ‘Gandhi’ that won Oscar Awards 27 years ago. The 65-year-old Kingsley will play the role of Emperor Shah Jahan in his upcoming movie on Taj Mahal.

It is not confirmed yet whether Aishwarya Rai will accept the offer or not. Interestingly, Ben Kingsley’s wife will play the role of Kandahari Begum, who was the Shah Jahan’s first wife. The shooting of the film is expected to begin next year. Sir Ben had earlier worked withAishwarya Rai in the film, ‘ The Last Legion’ in 2007.

By Jilawatan

Twenty years back this actor has delivered an Oscar winning performance in the Hindi cinema by playing an ultimate role of our ‘Father of Nation’ Mahatma Gandhi. Now he is getting back in the Indian Film Industry for the flick ‘Taj’ with Amitabh Bachchan’s daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

In his forthcoming segment Ben Kingsley is back to India with his planning to play Mughal emperor Shahjahan with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Mumtaz Mahal in the epic love story ‘Taj’. Kingsley’s actress wife Daniela Barbosa de Carneiro will play Shahjahan’s first wife Kandahari Begum. This film is a tribute to India’s culture and heritage.

In this flick, the 65-year-old actor will portray the role of Shahjahan in the period romance with 34-year-old Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who will play the role of his beloved wife. Kingsley last worked with Aishwarya in ‘The Last Legion’ in 2007.

By Jilawatan

Ben Kingsley, the renowned Hollywood actor who enacted the character of Mahatma Gandhi with panache in Richard Attenborough’s Oscar winning flick ‘Gandhi’, is all set to play the part of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan opposite gorgeous Aishwarya Rai in upcoming flick ‘Taj’.

The movie is going to be made on a huge scale with its cost going upwards of Rs 125 crore and the shooting starting in the autumn of next year. The focus of the flick will be on the intrigue, pain, loss and the decisions that went into the making of the Taj Mahal.

The flick will especially portray the helplessness and loneliness of Shah Jahan, who had been one of the most powerful rulers of India. Ben Kingsley wants to bring alive the human aspects of jealousy, intrigue, etc, in Shah Jahan’s household that went during and after the making of Taj Mahal.

By Jilawatan

The cinematic genius Ben Kingsley and the world’s most beautiful lady Aishwarya Rai are coming together to re-ignite history’s most passionate & profound romance as they portray Shah Jahan & Mumtaz Mahal in the former’s next production ‘Taj.’

27 years after captivating the cinematic world with the projection of the revered Mahatma Gandhi in the Oscar-winning film ‘Gandhi’,Ben Kingsley has chosen to play the mighty Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the $ 25-30 million production under his company SBK pictures. Abhishek was rumored to play the emperor’s part but quenching all those rumors, Ben has publicly announced his ultimate decision. “With my passion for India and the Taj Mahal now becoming one of the seven wonders of the world, I am compelled to ask ‘why’ and ‘how’ this scream of grief frozen in marble came into being,” he quipped.

By Jilawatan

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan doesn’t let her guard down. And her smiles are measured these days. Is it because, as speculated, she doesn’t want laugh lines on her pretty face? Ash just flashes her pearlies in reply.

In Delhi to launch the new watch for luxury brand Longines, Ash is visibly tired of the one question everyone seems to be asking her — whether the recent weight gain indicates good news? “Oh, I knew this question will pop-up. We are married and in due time will be parents too. When it happens, you will definitely know. Right now it’s not the time.”

The actress minces no words in denying she’s at the helm of affairs at the revived ABCL banner. When asked if it’s true that ABCL ought to be rechristened as Aishwarya Bachchan Corporation Limited, she shoots back, “I don’t know whose figment of imagination that is. ABCL is what ABCL was.”

By Jilawatan

Actress Aishwarya Rai might be pitted against Ben Kingsley’s wife Daniela Lavender in his dream project “Taj”, a film about Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and his quest to build the Taj Mahal.

“Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will play Mumtaz in the movie, if she approves the script and loves it. Daniela would be playing Kandahari Begum, Shah Jahan’s first wife in the film,” Kingsley told reporters in Panaji Monday.

The actor, who is here as guest of honour for the 40th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), said he will play the emperor in the film.

But he feels that making “Taj” won’t be easy.

“I suppose it’s very foolish or very brave attempt to do a movie on Shah Jahan. If I can show him in a human way, if I can portray him as a man amongst us — I might be able to add to many explanations on how Taj was built,” Kingsley said.

By Jilawatan

Oscar-winning British actor Ben Kingsley, who portrayed Indian independence hero Mohandas Gandhi, this week announced that he will be returning to India to film Taj,a movie about India’s Mogul emperor who, for the love of his wife, ordered the construction of the famous landmark, the Taj Mahal.

Kingsley will play Shah Jahan while India’s Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will take on the role as Mumtaz Mahal in the US$30 million production, Kingsley’s production company SBK Pictures announced.

By Jilawatan

Aishwarya Rai has yet to consent to Ben Kingsley’s long awaited period drama Taj. She has been offered to play the role of Mumtaz Mahal in the film.

“Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will play Mumtaz in the movie, if she approves the script and loves it,” said Sir Ben Kingsley who is in Goa as guest of honor for the 40th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

“Daniela (his wife) would be playing Kandahari Begum, Shah Jahan’s first wife in the film,” he added.

Aishwarya confirmed from Delhi that she has received the final draft.

“After ‘The Last Legion’, Sir Ben and I were keen to work together in another project. He has now come with the final draft and he has just sent it over to me. Once we agree on everything, we will take the project forward. He will start scouting for the locations soon,” she said.

By Jilawatan

Actress Aishwarya Rai might be pitted against Ben Kingsley’s wife Daniela Lavender in his dream project “Taj”, a film about Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and his quest to build the Taj Mahal.

“Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will play Mumtaz in the movie, if she approves the script and loves it. Daniela would be playing Kandahari Begum, Shah Jahan’s first wife in the film,” Kingsley told reporters in Panaji Monday.

The actor, who is here as guest of honour for the 40th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), said he will play the emperor in the film.

But he feels that making “Taj” won’t be easy.

“I suppose it’s very foolish or very brave attempt to do a movie on Shah Jahan. If I can show him in a human way, if I can portray him as a man amongst us — I might be able to add to many explanations on how Taj was built,” Kingsley said.

By Jilawatan

Ben Kingsley, famous for his Oscar-winning portrayal of Indian independence hero Mohandas Gandhi, is reaching deeper into the country’s history with a new role as the Mogul emperor who ordered the construction of the Taj Mahal.

Kingsley will star as Shah Jahan in “Taj,” 27 years after his award-winning performance in “Gandhi.” Indian superstar and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will play Mumtaz Mahal in the $25-30 million production, the British actor’s production company, SBK Pictures, said in a statement Wednesday.

The Taj Mahal was built by Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1654 for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died while she was giving birth to their 14th child. Soon after its completion, Shah Jahan was deposed by his son and imprisoned at the nearby Agra Fort.