Film-maker Akbar Khan's love affair with history has taken the shape of the most expensive motion picture in the history of Indian cinema. Taj Mahal shot with a 'budget ' of over Rs 75 crore, is likely to hit theatres in November this year.

The man behind two of Indian Television 's most magnificent historicals The Sword of Tipu Sultan and Akbar the Great, however, says that his small-screen experience came in handy to keep the outlays under control. "If it were some one else, he would have needed at least Rs 150 crore.

He adds in a lighter vein that he is the only stupid producer who can afford Akbar Khan as a director. "I believed in Akbar Khan's honesty , so I closed my eyes to the extravagances."

Khan explains that all his spending has been on the production values as he believes that his "subject is the superstar." That also explains his choice of new faces - for the role of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Incidentally 300 actors were auditioned before Khan settled model Zulfikar Khan and Sonya Jehan. He quips "Now my actors will have struggle to get out of the image trap."

He says that this movie is apt in today's time because the audience is tired of seeing "on-screen acrobatics and re-hashed Hollywood flicks."

He feels that his story has drama, romance, action, song and dance woven into the script. Khan says "my movie is a visual trip backed by romance and action."

Miniature paintings of the Mogul period were used to design the thrones, corridors, ceiling and floor decor, costumes and various other artifacts. To give authenticity to the film, 22 sets were constructed to depict the epoch - including Diwan-e-Khaas, Diwan-e-Aam, Rang Mahals,Tehekhanas and even a Meena Bazaar.

The movie throws up some other interesting numbers that reflect its grandeur and scale. For instance 3000 people re-enacted the famous battle of Samurgarh, in the scorching Jaipur heat. About 119 junior artists were deployed in capturing the various war sequences. A lakh and a half metres of 'cotton-silk' cloth was used. Four lakh feet of raw stock cans were used in making the movie that has taken close to two-and-a half-years to complete.

Khan is optimistic of breaking into the league of classics like Mughal-e Azam and Devdas with this silver screen directorial venture. His earlier tryst with the big screen was Haadsa, which proved to be a dud at the box office but garnered critical acclaim.

However, Khan has found no distributors for the film and has decided to take up that job too. Khan justifies "No distributor can afford my film. Besides distribution is a terrific source of revenue, so I decided to do it myself."

Taj Mahal - the movie will also be dubbed in English for a North America and sub-titled for Europe. Besides English, the movie will also be dubbed in Persian and Arabic. "Since the Taj Mahal finds a mention in every promotional material about India, I feel the movie can reach the world," says producer-director Akbar Khan.