The Taj Story director Tushar Amrish Goel spoke too us about the idea behind making a film on a topic like that, and how it was ideated and took shape. The filmmaker also dismissed taking inspiration from PN Oak's book Tejo Mahalaya
The Taj Story writer and director Tushar Amrish Goel
Paresh Rawal's The Taj Story created quite a stir when it was released. With objections against its release, calls for a ban and many even raised questions on the intent of the makers. Written and directed by Tushar Amrish Goel, the film boldly tackles a provocative and less-spoken about topic. It questions history while raising powerful points about the origin of Taj Mahal. Despite, the setbacks, the film received an overwhelming response from the audience.
We got a chance to have a chat with the man behind the film, the writer and director, Tushar Amrish Goel, and here's what he had to share with mid-day.
Tushar Amrish Goel about the inspiration behind The Taj Story
Given a topic both sensitive and thought-provocative like that, we asked Tushar how he got the idea of making a film like this. He shares how he was aware of such debates around the Taj Mahal, but he did not have proper knowledge. He shares, "Actually, a lot of petitions were already being filed on this topic. So I was reading a lot of petitions. But I didn't know if a film would be made on this topic or not, I hadn't done any historical research, I didn't read the facts."
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He adds, "One day, my producer, Suresh Jha, called me and asked what my opinion was on Taj Mahal. He asked me, 'I have heard a lot about it. So what is your opinion on it?' I said, I haven't done any research on it. I have heard a lot of petitions being filed on it. So he said, 'Do some detailed research on it. We have to find out if we can make a film on it or not.'"
"I started my research and did a lot of detailed research. Then I realised that the facts of both sides are very strong in the records. And we should make a courtroom drama film. We should make a debatable film. So I wrote a story. Then I wrote a screenplay and dialogue to concentrate all the research work in that. And then we met Suresh Jha again," he adds.
He also shared that there was a trigger point that led him to take the project forward, saying, "There was a trigger point. Because they have been filing petitions on it for many years. But they were saying Taj Mahal is Tejo Mahalya."
Tushar Amrish Goel opens up about Tejo Mahalaya theory
We asked him if he took inspiration from the book Tejo Mahalaya, authored by historian PN Oak, who proposes a theory of a Shiva temple under the current Taj Mahal. Surprisingly, Tushar denied taking inspiration from the book, saying he did not find proof on the claims made in it.
He shares, "During my research, I didn't find any evidence that Tejo Mahal is a temple and Shiva is there. There are facts that I have found that there can be Hindu idols under Tejo Mahal. Because it was the palace of the Hindu King Man Singh, which was acquired by Shah Jahan from his grandson, Raja Jai Singh. Since it is a Hindu palace, there can be a temple there. Because every palace has a temple."
Talking of the book, he adds, "P.N.Oak definitely researched really well. I have also gone through his book. But obviously, he said two or three things about Agraveshwar Mahadev and Tejo Mahal. But those things are just assumptions. I didn't find any proof of that during my research. It is true that it is an Indian architecture. And the ground plan of the Taj Mahal is definitely similar to that of a temple. In Cambodia, there is a Chandi Seva Temple, whose arrangement is exactly the same. So there might be something like that. But there is no concrete fact that it was the same. It depends on carbon dating. It depends on scientific dating. It all depends on that."
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