'Taj Mahal' was Akbar Khan's big budgeted grand epic. The fact that it didn't do too well is another story altogether. Now he's ready to do a much smaller film 'Taxi Driver'.

He's said, "It's the story of a single mother with a ten-year old kid...sends out a great message against terrorism. It's a subject that's been close to my heart."

The buzz is that he's been having problems finding the right lady to play the part.

Lara Dutta was apparently a top contender for the part, but she's already playing a mother to a growing son on Shah Rukh Khan's special request in Priyadarshan's 'Billoo Barber'. Other heroines are not too keen on playing a mum.

Or are they scared that Akbar Khan would not give the film a fair treatment? But Khan hasn't given up and is seriously looking for the young sexy mom in 'Taxi Driver'.

Also at the same time, he's trying to revive interest in his last project 'Taj Mahal'.

He's hoping to cash in on Zulfi Syed's recent 'Bigg Boss' popularity to do it. He had played Shah Jehan in the movie.

He hopes it will attract a larger audience for his neglected epic.

He says, "God has his own ways of deciding who and what to bless at what time. Zulfi will be joining me in Goa later this month for the 'All India Premiere Of Akbar Khan's Directors' Cut Of Taj Mahal'. I'm glad Zulfi is out of 'Bigg Boss'. I was hoping he'd win and we could've a double celebration in Goa."

Says Khan, "Starting with the Dubai film festival last year, a great momentum has been created for my film. I've now made a director's international cut. I've cut some of the songs and edited the material to suggest a European and American sensibility. I've pruned the songs and cut the length by 25 minutes."

On November 24 he also took 'Taj Mahal' (released three years ago) to the Cairo International Film Festival. He's also planning an overseas release of the movie.

He says that the film's bad marketing was only responsible for its poor show at the box-office.

He says, "You cannot attribute the film's low opening in India to the lack of stars. Some of the biggest hits of all times like 'Bobby', 'Hero' and more recently, 'Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na' and 'Rock On' have starred newcomers. Any good product marketed badly fails. I was a victim of various marketing failures."

It's not that he's going to stick to only smaller films now. He's also planning a film on the life of Changez Khan and it would be a big budget film too.