The 21st century version is being shot in Jodhpur, around 300 kilometres from Agra where the real Taj Mahal stands. The venue of the shoot is Jodhpur's 15th century Mehrangarh Fort, home to Rajasthan's Rathore Rajput rulers of the Kingdom of Marwar. The celluloid version of the love story costing Rs 50 crore will be the most expensive film made in Bollywood. The Taj's original interiors with emerald and sapphire encrusted walls, and gold and silver doors, apart from the interiors of the Diwan-e-Khaas and the Agra Fort, have been recreated at Mehrangarh.

           For the past eight months, two art directors have been working round-the-clock in Jodhpur, erecting 10 massive sets for the shoot. Director Akbar Khan, younger brother of film-makers Feroze and Sanjay Khan, says the film is his magnum opus. Being shot in a start-to-finish six-month schedule, the Taj Mahal is designed for both the Indian and the international markets. "I would like to recreate the era of making historical films which bring back great ethos and culture and magnificent heroes of our country, back on the golden screen as it was done once upon a time," said Khan.

           "Everyone knows that there's a great love story behind the Taj Mahal but not everyone knows what that story is. So this is the most natural and beautiful film for India to make. Secondly, the scale on which this film is being made hopefully will make it one of the most important films next year," said Bedi. The film will be partly shot on foreign locales. The battle of Samugarh, where more than 2,000 soldiers fought 8 km east of Agra causing the civil war for the throne between Shah Jahan's sons Aurangzeb and heir apparent Dara Shikoh will be shot partly in Uzbekistan.

           The music is by Naushad and the lyrics by Naqsh Layallpuri. Internationally renowned Greek composer Yanni is being roped in to provide the background score. An American technical crew will help with the special effects in the battle scenes and in the building of the monument. Taj Mahal, scheduled for an early release, will be the first Bollywood flick to be simultaneously released in Hollywood after being dubbed in English.