Subhash Ghai's "Taal"(1999) ...the beat of passion. "Taal" the movie in re-review and the making of Aishwarya Rai.

 

"Taal" (...the beat of passion) was released in late 1999 to much fanfare and publicity. It was touted as the 'magus opus' of Subhash Ghai the flashy Bollywood director/producer famous for his high profile (if slightly harebrained) entertainers. Ghai had hired for this film a technical crew that comprised the best and brightest the industry had to offer including, A.R.Rahman the famous musical director, cinematographer Kabir Lal, and art director Sharmistha Roy. Ghai had also put on board three different choreographers for the 11 varied dance numbers he had planned.

To top everything off as the icing on this giant cake of technical talent Ghai (also know as 'The Star-maker' he was know for having introduced to the screen Madhuri Dixit, Jackie Shroff, Manisha Koirala among others) had enlisted Aishwarya Rai, Anil Kapoor, and Akshaye Khanna in the leading parts.

The stage, and spin was set, the hype was spectacular, and the schmoozing 'darling' was out of this world. Subhash Ghai knew how to play the Bollywood dream machine and with "Taal" he would do it as he had never done before. Now all that was needed was to deliver the film.

 

 

In the end as the register receipts were tallied "Taal" was the biggest money maker and most watched movie of 1999. It was the most nominated film of 1999 at the Filmfare awards with 17.

"Taal" is not a great film or even that good of a film, but it is a film filled with bits and pieces of great and sometimes spectacular moments. The story is pretty much an uninspired rehash of the standard 'rich boy/poor girl' scenario. The editing and continuity are at times disturbingly awful. At times even the choreography is strangely awkward.

Then for a sequence, a single shot, or a whole song picturization Bollywood magic happens; A melodramatic dialogue free montage of the lovers practicing yoga on a mountain top. The soft focus lens lingers on the face of Aishwarya Rai partially hidden by a mist soaked wooden beam. The song "Ishq Bina" gracefully transitions in and then out of the story-line adding the main plot (and music) motif along the way. The music on a whole is mesmerizing.

The biggest revelation of "Taal" though proved to be Aishwarya Rai.

 

 

 Ash simply dominated "Taal" with her presence. Every single moment of magic is centered around her and she elevates the proceedings. There is something special happening and one can tangibly feel the excitement in this Aishwarya Rai fest of a 173 long minute of a film. Only two months earlier the film, "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam" another Ash starrer had been released to critical and substantial box office acclaim. Ash who had never had a 'hit' film was suddenly the major attraction of the number one and two blockbusters of the year.

If "HDDCS" was the artistic and critical hit of the year (some say the decade) then "Taal" was the popular hit entertainer. It is hard to say the impact on Ash's career if only one of the two films had been released that season. But the two films back to back created a sensation in the minds of the public.

"Taal" is the Aishwarya Rai love fest that followed "HDDCS", and it is the reason people went to watch it over and over again. It is the moment Ash truly blossomed into the Superstar she is today.

 

 

 

 

Links to Bollywood501 "Taal" photo galleries and related pages.

Taal Lobby Cards Gallery

Photo Stills from the film Taal.

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