Taj Mahal Comes To Life At Riverside Theatre

Sydney-based Swastik Productions stages one of the most successful
shows, Taj Mahal: A Timeless Love Story, at the Riverside Theatre in
Parramatta.
Dazzling costumes, sweeping dance performances, foot-tapping music and a tale
of love as immortal as time itself brought Taj Mahal: A Timeless Love Story to life
at Sydney’s Riverside Theatre in Parramatta on the eve of Diwali this year.
Featuring spellbinding sets and a cast of more than 120 performers, the show
created the 14th-century Mughal empire on stage.... Think chaotic bazaars, regal
courtrooms, majestic palaces and stately gardens, complete with fountains and
water pools.

At the heart of the production, however, was the story of the Taj Mahal – the
events that led to creation of the world’s most magnificent monument.
“Love is a very fierce emotion and through this play I wanted to show the full
scope of what love can accomplish,” says Sumati Lekhi, the artistic director of
Swastik Productions. “In today’s age of instant posts, instant likes and instant
everything, I feel the true meaning of love is lost on most people. But through the
story of Taj Mahal I wanted to show how deep, meaningful and intense love can
be, and what it can achieve.”
Everyone is familiar with the iconic façade of the Taj Mahal; some even know the
story of Mumtaz Mahal – the empress of Hindustan – in whose memory her
husband, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, built the Taj Mahal. “But there’s more
to this tragic tale of love and loss than meets the eye,” says Sydney-based Kunal
Mirchandani, the co-director, co-producer and scriptwriter of the play.
“This play brought to life a vibrant chapter of India’s history, showcasing three
generations of Mughal emperors and queens. Their intertwined lives and dreams
inspired the greatest expression of love that this world has ever seen, the Taj
Mahal,” says Mirchandani.

Set in 15th and 16th century India, the play traced three generations of love
stories of the Mughal dynasty – the unconventional love between Hindu princess
Jodha and Muslim emperor Akbar; the tragic tale of rebellious prince Salim and
court dancer Anarkali; and the eternal romance of Shah Jahan and his wife
Mumtaz, which culminated in the creation of the Taj Mahal.
The first half of the show clearly belonged to Shurobhi Banerjee and Gunjeet
Singh Chattha, who portrayed the timeless love story of Jodha and Akbar on

stage. Beautifully directed and choreographed, their swordfight scene was both
romantic and humourous in equal measure.
The second half, on the other hand, brimmed with the tale of Salim and Anarkali,
played by Dhruva Thorat and Manasi Kundap. Their young, rebellious love –
featuring standout dance performances by Kundap on tracks like Pyar Kiya To
Darna Kya – gave the show its quintessential melodramatic Bollywood moment.
In the end, though, it was the performances delivered by Kristy Gupta (Mumtaz)
and Satish Kala (Shah Jahan) that truly moved the audiences to tears. Mumtaz’s
passing away during childbirth and Shah Jahan subsequent grief was poignantly
presented on the stage.
Injecting these scenes of love, humour and grief were about a dozen dance
performances, created by different choreographers at Swastik Productions. Mohe
Rang Do Laal, Azeem-O-Shan Shehanshah and Khalbali were some of the most
stellar performances of the night. A truly spectacular show, all in all.