Web Series Review | Taj: A not-so-royal saga of succession – Deccan Chronicle
Interval dramas are a deal with to look at and usually are an enormous hit on streaming platforms. Historic accuracies aside, the sheer scale on which the drama is mounted coupled with some eye-catching costumes and units is charming sufficient. Nevertheless, there’s a restrict to watching the identical story repeatedly.
Emperor Akbar is one such character who has been a darling of filmmakers as a lot as he has been of historians. Over a interval, we’ve had a number of films and sequence telling us in regards to the palace intrigues, the sibling rivalry amongst his sons, the combat for one-upmanship amongst his wives, his benevolence and proficiency as an administrator, and so forth.
‘Taj: Divided by Blood’ at the moment streaming on Zee5 as soon as once more makes an attempt the identical and therefore suffers closely from the last-mover drawback. It collapses beneath a heavy feeling of déjà vu.
To start with, your entire solid seems visibly drained and largely sleepwalks by way of their performances. Moments of rigidity and intrigue are far and between.
‘Taj’ largely comes throughout as a household saga that’s on the verge of descending right into a saas-bahu drama quite than a contemporary historic tackle an emperor’s quest to seek out his successor.
As a substitute, what one will get is epicurean royals, blood, wine, gore, cliched battle scenes, titillating sounds emanating from the harem, incest, and a homosexual prince.
Naseeruddin Shah who performs an ageing Akbar seems fatigued on a regular basis. Aashim Gulati because the philandering prince Salim does seem to have some enjoyable however is not any match to the opposite actors who’ve essayed a younger prince Salim thus far. Taaha Shah as Shah Murad does get a meatier character and makes essentially the most of it. Shubham Kumar Mehra who performs Shah Daniyal, the eternally religious prince with a dear-in-the-headlights look, is the most effective among the many three on the display screen.
Director Ron Scalpello appears to have resolved to pay a tribute to different creations dealing with the identical topic quite than creating something new. Whereas inventive and historic liberties actually have been taken, doing so has not fructified within the viewers’s favour.
On this mediocre drama that unfolds at an insufferably languid tempo, a shocking character and efficiency is that of Raja Birbal by Subodh Bhave. Subodh is thought for his performances in Marathi and this appears to be his breakout efficiency in Hindi. Birbal proven in ‘Taj’ just isn’t your normal courtroom jester recognized for his wit and repartee. Right here, Birbal is the voice of consciousness and sanity and is a diplomat who isn’t afraid of talking the reality even in entrance of Akbar.
Sandhya Mridul and Zarina Wahab don’t have a lot to supply. Aditi Rao Hydari and Rahul Bose are an entire waste.
In case you have been a fan of ‘Recreation of Thrones’ or ‘Siyaasat’, or ‘Jodha Akbar’, or ‘Mughal-e-Azam’, and predict one thing related, keep away. If you happen to haven’t watched a single historic drama thus far, then it’s possible you’ll watch ‘Taj’, an pointless and ridiculous reimagination of historical past. As a result of there’s additionally a blink-and-miss cameo by veteran actor Dharmendra in the beginning of the story. For all different veteran viewers of the style, it’s a uninteresting, uninspiring, and unintentionally drained piece of labor. It’s by no means a case of ‘Wah, Taj’.
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