By Jilawatan

Talking of Raavan, how can the conversation be complete without any mention of Sita, remarks Rapchik Rajni as she saunters into my boudoir.

Matlab? Meaning, she says that she has some scooplet on Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. And the point is that the actress hasn’t yet been finalised for Sir Ben Kinsley’s magnum opus on Taj Mahal. Never mind if Akbar Khan has tried and failed with his hocus-focus, Kinsley sir will be playing Shah Jahan in his costume extravaganza and was reportedly keen on Ashji to play Mumtaz Mahal.

Rajni claims to have got it from Ben saab himself that he’s only confirmed the casting for Zardari Begum so far, but isn’t telling yet. So whether Ashji will play his Mumtaz Mahal or not is something we’re all waiting to watch.

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

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

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.