By: Somesh Vasishth

To the world, Taj Mahal is the celebration of love, exquisitely portrayed in marble. It is a story told numerous times but always from different perspectives. After years of research, Akbar Khan has just found his very own perspective to tell us the famous tale of Emperor Shah Jahan.

"The Taj Mahal is not just the story of a mausoleum, it is the story of a family. It is not only a romance, it is also a tragedy," he says.

Zulfikar/Kabir Bedi plays Prince Khurram Shah Jahan, the eldest son of Jahangir who ruled from 1627 to 1658. During his rule he erected many architectural beauties, of which Taj Mahal is most renowned. Shahjahan met his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal/Arjumand, played by Sonya Jahan, at the age of 15, and instantly fell in love with her.

After five years both got married and enjoyed 19 happy years together. She accompanied Shah Jahan in every walk of life. In 1630, she moved with him towards Deccan, and died there while giving birth to her 14th child. After her death, Shah Jahan was so much grief struck that his beard and hair went absolutely white in just few months and he declared mourning for two years. In 1631, he started with the construction of Taj and took 22 years to complete the great monument.

Emperor depended on his sons to govern his provinces and for that purpose empowered them with large armies and independent sources of revenue. The scene was set for clashing of arms, charging of horses and whipping off heads. The brothers destroyed each other, sons rebelled against father for the rivalry for the throne.

The greatest love story of all times was thus splattered with the blood of ambition. Aurangzeb, son of Emperor Shah Jahan, unleashed his longstanding vengeance by executing his eldest brother and imprisoning his father to ascend the throne.

Arbaaz Ali plays Jahangir a just ruler and the father who was very considerate for his son's love for Arjumand. Pooja Batra plays Noor Jahan, the Empress of India who treated everyone around her, including the Emperor, like pawns on the chessboard of her desires.

Ladli Beghum is played by Kim Sharma, the vivacious daughter of Noor Jahan from her first husband, Sher Afgan. She did not know her mind between Prince Khurram and Prince Shahryar but her heart craved for the crown of the Empress of India.

Manisha Koirala is Jahanara, the eldest daughter of Shah Jahan, who devotedly kept company to his father in the dying years of his life, and showered love and affections on all her brothers and sisters. Arbaaz Khan plays wildly ambitious Aurangzeb, the son who dethroned his father and barbarously killed his brothers Dara Shikoh and Shuja for the throne.

As a tribute to a beautiful woman and as a monument for enduring love, the Taj reveals its subtleties when one visits it without being in a hurry. Lets wait and watch, will Akbar Khan be able to portray these subtleties on screen?