rediff.com spoke to some of the actors, and director Akbar Khan also explained his rationale behind making what is being billed as India's most expensive film yet.

Soniya Jahan
(Plays Mumtaz Mahal)

I was doing a textiles designing course in London. Since I was studying, I didn't say yes [to Khan] immediately. I watched a lot of Indian movies before saying yes to Taj Mahal. Akbar Khan waited for six months for me. Then he took a screen test. He wanted to see if I could deliver.

I went to Agra to get inspired. I would not have been able to act in the film if I had not seen the Taj Mahal. I did a lot of reading and research for my role.

I am the granddaughter of Noor Jahan, the yesteryear singer who settled down in Pakistan. My grandfather Shaukat Hussain Rizvi shifted to Lahore after the Partition of India. There, he started the ShahNoor studio in Lahore. It still exists.

My father was born here. My mother is French and my father is Pakistani. My mother is still in Karachi and works for the French embassy. So, I'm a cocktail! My childhood was in Lahore but I studied in London.

Now, I have settled down in New Delhi with my husband, who is a banker. I hope Taj Mahal makes it big. Then I can think of doing more films.

Text: Syed Firdaus Ashraf

Don't Miss: Romancing the Taj Mahal