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The prettiest of them all: Aishwarya Rai's old screen test pics as Mumtaz Mahal resurface

Aishwarya Rai was once very close to portraying Mumtaz Mahal in Ben Kingsley's movie on Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.

Published on: Jun 11, 2024 1:46 PM IST

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Aishwarya Rai was once in talks to star in Ben Kingsley's film on the beautiful Taj Mahal. She even had a screen test, the pictures from which recently resurfaced on Reddit.

Published on Jun 11, 2024 1:46 PM

Aishwarya Rai was once in talks to star in Ben Kingsley's film on the beautiful Taj Mahal. She even had a screen test, the pictures from which recently resurfaced on Reddit.

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The period film on Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal's love story would have seen Aishwarya opposite Kingsley with whom she had earlier acted with in the 2007 film, The Last Legion.

Published on Jun 11, 2024 1:46 PM

The period film on Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal's love story would have seen Aishwarya opposite Kingsley with whom she had earlier acted with in the 2007 film, The Last Legion.

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Aishwarya also talked about reading the script for the movie in 2009. “During the shooting of the The Last Legion (Kingsley) had shared the idea with me. I have just received the draft of the script and now we are planning to take it forward," she had said.

Published on Jun 11, 2024 1:46 PM

Aishwarya also talked about reading the script for the movie in 2009. “During the shooting of the The Last Legion (Kingsley) had shared the idea with me. I have just received the draft of the script and now we are planning to take it forward," she had said.

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"With my passion for India and the Taj Mahal now becoming one of the seven wonders of the World, I am compelled to ask 'why' and 'how' this scream of grief frozen in marble came into being," Kingsley had said in the statement. “It is an indelible monument to passion and love. How did the building evolve in the first place, that is the question we're looking at.” However, the project could never see the light of day.

Published on Jun 11, 2024 1:46 PM

"With my passion for India and the Taj Mahal now becoming one of the seven wonders of the World, I am compelled to ask 'why' and 'how' this scream of grief frozen in marble came into being," Kingsley had said in the statement. “It is an indelible monument to passion and love. How did the building evolve in the first place, that is the question we're looking at.” However, the project could never see the light of day.

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However, Aishwarya has starred in a bunch of period movies. This picture is from Umrao Jaan, a remake of the 1981 film starring Rekha in the lead.

Published on Jun 11, 2024 1:46 PM

However, Aishwarya has starred in a bunch of period movies. This picture is from Umrao Jaan, a remake of the 1981 film starring Rekha in the lead.

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She also played Jodha Bai in Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodha Akbar in 2008, opposite Hrithik Roshan. Akbar was the father of Jehangir, grand father to Shah Jahan.

Published on Jun 11, 2024 1:46 PM

She also played Jodha Bai in Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodha Akbar in 2008, opposite Hrithik Roshan. Akbar was the father of Jehangir, grand father to Shah Jahan.

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Most recently, she played Nandini, a powerful Chola queen in Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan I and II.

Published on Jun 11, 2024 1:46 PM

Most recently, she played Nandini, a powerful Chola queen in Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan I and II.

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