Kingsley to play Shah Jahan to Ash's Mumtaz Mahal

Mumbai, Sep 27 (IANS) Ben Kingsley is all set to play Mughal emperor Shah Jahan opposite Aishwarya Rai's Mumtaz Mahal in his yet to be titled film on Taj Mahal.

To be produced by Kingsley's newly established production company, SBK Pictures, the epic film will be shot in Agra and Fatehpur Sikri in the middle of 2008.

Confirming this, Kingsley said, 'Its a project on the building of the Taj Mahal. Aishwarya and I spoke about it while we were shooting 'The Last Legion' last year. She very generously agreed to do the project with me. I and Aishwarya will be playing Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal.

'My production company is right now working with a screenwriter. I've clear ideas about my approach to this subject. The romance will also include Shah Jahan's abject isolation for years in a prison cell.'

This is not the first time Kingsley is playing a historical Indian character. He played Mahatma Gandhi in Richard Attenborough's 1982 film 'Gandhi', for which he bagged an Academy Award for the best actor.

Asked whether people will forget Gandhi after they see him play Shah Jahan, Kingsley said, 'I hope not! Maybe for a little while they will. But I hope I continue to be remembered by Gandhi... We want to beat the monsoons when we shoot next year.'

'I've always been very attached to India and its people. I don't get to visit the country as often as I'd like to. This is my opportunity to do so.'

Earlier, she was to star as Mumtaz Mahal in a film to be produced by Bharat Bala. Nothing has been heard of the project since then.