Paresh shines in flat legal drama

Propaganda films have had an uneven run in Indian theatres. The Taj Story, starring Paresh Rawal as tour guide Vishnu Das, is another legal drama-meets-propaganda film that raises interesting questions but falls short of providing gripping answers. As far as storytelling goes, this one isn't told well.

- Archita Kashyap

Vishnu Das (Paresh Rawal) is a tour guide who makes a living narrating popular stories of the Taj Mahal - Mughal emperor Shah Jahan's monument to love and one of the seven wonders of the world. When he decides to contest the election for president of the Guides Association, he struggles to answer a journalist's probing questions about the monument's history. Over drinks with friends, he confesses that most of the tales he tells tourists are not true. His confession is filmed, goes viral, and destroys his reputation, leading to suspension from duty and social ostracism.