The Taj Story - Labor of Love

 

The Taj Story

2025, Hindi

Genre: Courtroom Drama

 

Director:  Tushar Amrish Goel

Stars: Paresh Rawal, Zakir Hussain, Namit Das, Amrita Khanvilkar, Sneha Wagh

 

Mohan's Measure  ⭐⭐

 

Almost all of us will remember at least the movie version of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code.  This movie, though fictional, presented controversial theories that have been around for centuries in an entertaining way. In doing so, however, it has awakened the world to a refreshing new look at long held beliefs. The Taj Story should be complemented for attempting to bravely follow in similar footsteps.  However, the execution of the story makes some very effectively researched ideas fall flat.

 

Paresh Rawal gives, as he always does, a powerful performance as a suspended Agra tour guide who attempts to prove that his personal views on the Taj Mahal are based on some logical argument. The association of tour guides to which he belongs is certainly reputable enough to ensure his education and erudition.  But to make him aware of legal proceedings to the point of representing himself in court is quite a stretch.  What to speak of his homemaker daughter-in-law serving as his legal aid?

 

Then there is the American journalist who serves as impetus to the whole thing.  Her desire to uncover hidden secrets should have made her take accountability and at least serve as a character witness. Instead, she spends most of her time in phone calls while lazing in her high-class hotel room.

 

The film has left itself a lot of cushion to present a decent story.  With the possible exception of one author, the books and their respective authors are real, in as  too are the clippings and historical references. What is lacking, however, is depth to the characters and suspenseful scenes which draw us towards them and what they are defending.

 

In short, the difference between this and an effective conspiracy movie are like "knight" and "dei."