Ben Kingsley to play Aishwarya’s eternal lover in ‘Taj Mahal’
Spicezee Bureau

Mumbai: It’s not hubby Abhishek but Kingsley who is Aishwarya Rai’s ‘eternal lover’. Contrary to popular reports that the husband-wife duo Ash-Abhi will play legendary lovers Mumtaz and Shah Jahan on screen, it’s Hollywood great Ben Kingsley who will romance the classic Indian beauty as the famous Mughal emperor onscreen. So while father-in-law Amitabh will be seen with Kinsley in ‘Teen Patti,’ Ash will play his love interest in ‘Taj Mahal’.


Set to produced by Kingsley`s newly established production company, SBK Pictures, the epic film will be largely shot in Agra with Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri in the background.

Confirming the news, Kingsley told a daily, `It’s a project on the building of the Taj Mahal. Aishwarya and I spoke about it while we were shooting `The Last Legion` last year. She very generously agreed to do the project with me. I and Aishwarya will be playing Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. My production company is right now working with a screenwriter. I`ve clear ideas about my approach to this subject. The romance will also include Shah Jahan`s abject isolation for years in a prison cell.`

As for Kinsley, the actor has won accolades from far and wide for his role as Mahatma Gandhi in Richard Attenborough`s 1982 film `Gandhi`. Not only did he walk away with the Academy Award for the best actor, he also made him an authority in essaying historic roles.

As for India, the actor said, “I`ve always been very attached to India and its people. I don`t get to visit the country as often as I`d like to. This is my opportunity to do so.”