TAJ- Reign of Revenge review: Dharmendra and Naseeruddin Shah elevate the show with their presence

Cast: Dharmendra, Naseeruddin Shah, Aashim Gulati, Shubham Kumar Mehra, Sauraseni Maitra Director: Ron Scalpello Language: Hindi Season one of _Taj_, which had the tagline Divided by Blood, now proceeds towards season two that has the tagline reign of revenge. With Aditi Rao Hydari eliminated from the show and the scene, it’s now up to Aashim Gulati, Shubham Kumar Mehra & Sauraseni Maitra to take the legacy forward and the actors are indeed earnest but also slightly out of depth in key scenes that require grit and gravitas. This series that’s now streaming on Zee5 has been credited with four writers and two cinematographers. So what happens is that the naïveté in the performances is often compensated by staggering camerawork. Expectedly, veteran stars Dharmendra and Naseeruddin Shah elevate the show with their presence and aura, and performances too. Dharmendra is nearing six decades of experience in acting and Shah five. With over a hundred years of collective experience in the same frame, the duo can do no wrong. Their Anil Sharma blockbuster Tahalka from 1992 is still a guilty pleasure. The subject and sub text of this show cannot be so, given it’s based on Mughal history and the conflicts Akbar went through, and some dialogues by both Shah and Dharmendra hit hard, the kind of likes one wishes to recite to friends and family in real. It’s nothing but a curse that whatever in this space has been attempted is compared directory to the world of Sanjay Leela Bhansali and SS Rajamouli. Taj cannot escape that monster. It does try its best to humanize nearly all its characters, especially that of Salim. He yearns for love more than pining for the throne. The first episode ended on an almost haunting note, the camera zoomed straight into the gleam in Anarkali’s (Hydari) eyes when she overhears the conversation between Salim and Jodha. Also commendable is how debutant Shubham Kumar’s vulnerability blends into the role he plays here. He’s fragile and frightened, and has his own sexual preferences. But these pieces of impressive performances and scenes don’t come together to make one coherent show. Let’s just say if Padmaavat and Samrat Prithviraj had a baby, it would be Taj. It aims for sweep and swagger, but is seldom marred by its shortcomings. Rating: 2.5 (out of 5 stars)

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