49. Shiraz; movie review

SIRAZ
Cert U
105 mins
BBFC advice: Contains very mild threat, violence

In our living room is a photograph of Mrs W and myself on Princess Diana's seat in front of the Taj Mahal.
I was glancing at it as I took in the BFI's restoration of the epic Indian movie about the designer of the world's most famous building.
Actually, Shiraz only makes very brief mention of the Taj Mahal at the end of Franz Osten's memorable silent movie of love and loss in ancient India.
What is difficult to comprehend is that the movie was made while the British were still occupying a united India and, therefore, played a significant role in the film.
However, the stars are very much homegrown and were the forerunners of the Bollywood stars of today.
Osten's film stars Himansu Rai as the title character - a potter's son who is brought up as brother to Selima (Enakashi Rama Rau), who unknown to both of them, was the sole royal survivor of an ambush when she was a very small child.
He has unrequited love for her and, when she is kidnapped and sold to slavery, tracks her down, at great risk, to the Palace of Prince Khurram (Charu Roy).
It is well known that many years later, the prince, when emperor, dedicated the Taj Mahal to Selima who became Empress Mumtaz Mahal but how he arrived at the design has been a matter of conjecture.
Therefore, Osten's film attempts to fill in the gap with a romantic notion of how Selima and the prince met and Shiraz's role in the creation of one of the wonders of the world.
His is one of the last great silent movies (the first talkie, the Jazz Singer his screens the year before Shiraz's 1928 release) and it is a classic both in ambition and execution.
I don't know about its relative budget but not a rupee appears to have been spared on the numbers of extras, beauty of clothing or even the camels and elephants.
Meanwhile, its story is powerfully engaging and its cast would win over any audience.
Thanks to the British Film Institute's programme of restorations, I have seen quite a few great silent films over the past few years but I have to say this is my favourite.
This may also be down to the wonderful new score by Grammy award winner Anoushka Shankar.

Reasons to watch: an epic Indian silent movie with a wonderful new soundtrack
Reasons to avoid: well, there is no deep dialogue

Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 9.5/10

The big question - What was the real story behind the design of the Taj Mahal

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