Film director Subhash Ghai, marking the 27th anniversary of his film 'Taal', shared information about the difficulties encountered while selecting actors for the movie. He informed actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan that in order to properly embody her role, he would have to completely transform her usual image.
Aishwarya approached the project with an image deeply rooted in the world of glamour. However, the director was looking not for a beauty, but for Mansi—a young resident of a small town whose life was meant to change thanks to talent, vulnerability, and her own journey.
Ghai said: 'I told her I needed to destroy your image. But for the first hour, you won't wear makeup. She agreed, saying: 'I will do whatever you say.' As a director, you must think about your character.'
In searching for an actress capable of convincingly portraying Mansi's dance skills, Subhash Ghai consulted the legendary choreographer Saroj Khan. He asked her who, besides Madhuri Dixit, could take on this role. Aishwarya was named in response.
This was a risky decision, especially considering the ambition of 'Taal' itself. The director aimed to create a grand romantic musical without relying on already famous stars, opting instead for relatively young actors—Aishwarya Rai and Akshaye Khanna—for the central love story. Nevertheless, Subhash Ghai was convinced that their relative freshness was exactly what the story required.
The decision to choose Akshaye was based on a personal recommendation: actor Vinod Khanna brought his son to Subhash Ghai and suggested him for this role. Subhash Ghai recently revealed that the script for 'Taal 2' is almost ready, and he firmly adheres to the principle that 'Taal' cannot be built around stars. He distributed roles based on the actors as they were, and then created characters that allowed them to develop into something more.
