The Taj Story movie review:
If you’re watching The Taj Story on Lionsgate Play after it whizzed past you in theaters, then buckle up! This courtroom drama, starring the dependable Paresh Rawal, starts with a big idea, sparks big debates, and never shies away from taking big risks. It’s the kind of film that sparks conversations, though not everyone may agree with it.
Based on real events, we meet Vishnu Das (Paresh Rawal), an experienced Taj Mahal tour guide whose life takes an unexpected turn when his casual, drunken comment about the history of the Taj goes viral. From there, things escalate to a courtroom showdown between Vishnu Das and the masses.
Paresh Rawal is the heart and soul of this film. His performance feels genuine, nuanced, and keeps the film going even when it sags. The supporting cast, including Zakir Hussain and Amruta Khanvilkar, are decent, though their characters don’t work very well.
And that, in turn, is like the movie itself – big on concept, a little inconsistent in execution. The courtroom drama, of course, can be gripping, but it can also be a little too repetitive. And at 2 hours and 45 minutes, the second half could have been trimmed.
The way in which the movie approaches its daring subject is, in that sense, both a strength and a weakness. It’s big on ambition, trying to get you to think about history and perception, but sometimes it’s too reliant on spectacle and argument and not enough on perspective. It’s food for thought, and that’s what matters, but it’s also food for thought that could have been served in an even more compelling way.
Visually, there are moments that are quite smart, quite gripping, but they’re inconsistent. The movie flashes moments of brilliance, and then it’s boring, particularly in the scenes that are too dialogue-heavy and exposition-heavy.
The verdict? The Taj Story is big on ideas, short on execution, but it’s worth watching, particularly if you enjoy movies that challenge conventional thinking, and that’s thanks in large part to Paresh Rawal’s performance, which is excellent. Just don’t expect too many answers – it’s more about asking the questions.
