The Taj Story

The Taj Story (October 31, 2025) is an Indian Hindi-language courtroom drama written and directed by Tushar Amrish Goel and produced by C.A. Suresh Jha under Swarnim Global Services Pvt. Ltd. The film explores controversial questions surrounding the construction of the Taj Mahal, challenging conventional historical narratives of one of the world’s most iconic monuments.

The story features an ensemble cast led by Paresh Rawal, Zakir Hussain, Amruta Khanvilkar, Namit Das, and Sneha Wagh. Additional cast members include Shishir Sharma, Akhilendra Mishra, Brijendra Kala, Latika, Shrikant Verma, Garima Agarwal, Karamveer Choudhary, Vishwa Bhanu, Gauri Shankar, Börje Lundberg, Prateek Kumar, and Roshni Bhagat.

Officially announced in November 2023, the first-look poster depicted the Taj Mahal with a saffron flag atop it and its reflection forming a Shiv Linga. Paresh Rawal confirmed his involvement on May 28, 2024. Filming began on July 20, 2024, spanning 45 days at multiple northern India locations, including Dehradun, Agra, the Taj Mahal, Mehtab Bagh, and surrounding areas. Certain restrictions, such as the inability to bring flowers inside the Taj Mahal, were imposed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Principal photography was completed in November 2024.

Following the announcement, the film sparked controversy online. Commentators noted similarities to claims made by P.N. Oak in 1989, asserting the Taj Mahal was originally a Hindu temple named Tejo Mahalaya—claims widely dismissed by historians and archaeologists. The CBFC conducted an extended review of the film, requiring the submission of detailed historical documents and references to substantiate the film’s claims.

In September 2025, a motion poster by Paresh Rawal depicting a Shiva idol emerging from the Taj Mahal’s dome received widespread criticism, prompting the actor to delete the post and share a disclaimer stating that the movie does not deal with religious matters and focuses solely on historical facts.

The film was previewed for Anil Agarwal, chairman of the Vedanta Group, and held special screenings at the House of Commons in London in April 2025. These screenings were positively received, with a subsequent celebration at London’s Riverfront Studios attended by over 200 dignitaries.