‘The Taj Story’ fuels Hindu nationalist bid to rewrite India’s history
A new Bollywood release revives a debunked temple myth, sparking fresh concerns over historical distortion and cultural erasure
By Ahmad Ashiq
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A Bollywood courtroom drama has reignited a long-running cultural and political battle in India by resurfacing the false claim that the Taj Mahal was once a Hindu temple.
The Taj Story, directed by Tushar Amrish Goel and starring Paresh Rawal, was released nationwide on October 31, 2025, and continues to run in select theaters.
Since its debut, the film has stirred controversy for presenting a sensationalized narrative that historians say is not supported by evidence.
The film and its claims
The film dramatizes a legal petition by a tour guide who claims the Taj Mahal is actually a Shiva temple called “Tejo Mahalaya.”
Rawal plays the protagonist who demands a “DNA test” of the monument, an idea scholars call scientifically absurd and politically loaded.
The film’s posters, depicting a Shiva idol rising through the Taj Mahal’s dome, and its charged promotional material have polarized audiences. Supporters hail it as “bold truth-telling.”
Experts call it “political propaganda disguised as cinema.”
Although the filmmakers insist the movie “does not touch upon any religion” and is merely a “historical debate,” the themes it raises have fueled broader ideological battles over India’s past.
Even before its release, The Taj Story drew petitions demanding a ban, accusations of promoting unverified theories, and an unusually long review by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
Despite the uproar, the CBFC cleared the film after seeking specific explanations for its historical claims.
Box office performance
Since premiering on October 31, the movie has maintained a modest presence at the box office.
As of November 11, it has earned approximately $1.97 million net in India, with projections suggesting it may cross $2.05 million by November 13.
Produced on a budget of $720,000–$845,000, the film has turned technically profitable but remains classified as a commercial flop due to weak opening collections, sharp mid-week declines, and dependence on weekend turnout.
There is currently no confirmed date for an OTT release, though industry observers expect it to eventually stream on Zee5 after its theatrical run.
No OTT platform has announced acquisition yet, though analysts expect a streaming deal after theatrical revenues plateau.
The myth: origins and debunking
The claim that the Taj Mahal was once a Shiva temple was introduced in 1965 by P. N. Oak, a self-styled “revisionist historian.”
His theory has been debunked repeatedly by academics, archaeologists, and India’s own Archaeological Survey.
“No credible historical source, Persian, Sanskrit, Mughal, or British, mentions a temple called ‘Tejo Mahalaya’ at the site,” said historian Ankita Das in New Delhi.
She added, “Reviving this claim is not about history. It is about manufacturing a narrative of Hindu victimhood and Muslim wrongdoing.”
The Taj Mahal’s origins are among the best-documented in South Asian history. Shah Jahan commissioned the mausoleum in 1631 after the death of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
Construction lasted over twenty years and involved an estimated 20,000 artisans and laborers.
Architectural inscriptions identify Ustad Ahmad Lahori as chief architect, while calligraphic signatures point to Amanat Khan Shirazi.
Land records confirm the plot was purchased from Raja Jai Singh of Amber.
“These documents are irrefutable,” said historian Irfan Nooruddin.
“The Mughal record-keeping tradition was meticulous. There’s no room for the kind of fiction we see in this film.”
The Archaeological Survey of India has repeatedly affirmed in court that the Taj Mahal is a Mughal-era mausoleum.
Why the myth persists
Despite being academically discredited, the myth persists because it aligns with the ideological goals of Hindu nationalist groups that seek to portray India’s 800 years of Indo-Islamic rule as an era of foreign occupation.
“The misrepresentation of the Mughals serves a political purpose in today’s India,” Das said. “These narratives help recast Muslims as outsiders in their own homeland.”
What makes The Taj Story significant, scholars say, is not the myth itself but the scale of its platform.
“Misinformation packaged as cinema is far more dangerous than fringe literature,” said Mumbai-based filmmaker Adil Muneer. “Movies shape public memory faster than textbooks.”
Rajesh Gupta, a student of mass communication in New Delhi, said, “Disclaimers don’t matter when the visuals themselves carry ideological weight. The film may claim neutrality, but its symbolism is unmistakably political.”
Political context and broader trends
Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014, India has seen a wider push to reinterpret the nation’s past through the lens of Hindu majoritarianism.
Textbooks have removed chapters on the Mughals. Cities with Muslim names such as Allahabad, Faizabad, and Aurangzeb Road have been renamed. Government officials regularly question Muslim contributions to Indian culture.
“Monuments are being rebranded as symbols of Hindu humiliation,” said political scholar Suveed Ahmad. “The message is clear: erase the Muslim chapter or recast it as foreign.”
Over the past decade, Indian cinema has seen a rise in revisionist historical dramas, many echoing the talking points of Hindu nationalist discourse. Supporters of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have amplified the film on social media, celebrating it as “the real history of India.”
Opponents say such narratives deepen polarization at a time when communal tensions are already high.
Petitions attempting to “reclaim” monuments like the Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar, and the Gyanvapi Mosque have repeatedly reached Indian courts.
Judges have dismissed these petitions for lack of evidence, but the publicity fuels the narrative nonetheless.
“What matters is the repetition,” Ahmad said. “Every time the claim resurfaces, it gains legitimacy among those who want to believe it.”
Impact on tourism and international perception
The Taj Mahal attracts millions each year and is one of the world’s most recognizable symbols of love, art, and cultural fusion. In 2024, it generated ₹985 million (USD 11.8 million) in ticket revenue alone.
Local guides say the film has already led to confusion among tourists. “People ask whether it was a temple,” said Rashid Khan, a guide in Agra for 20 years.
“It’s embarrassing to explain that a movie is distorting history.”
One European diplomat told MNTV, “India’s soft power has always been tied to its pluralism. When a nation questions its own cultural icons, it sends mixed signals to the world.”
Tourism experts warn that controversies around iconic monuments damage India’s cosmopolitan image.
“When you politicize symbols of world heritage, global perception shifts,” said media scholar Dr. Rasheed Ali.
“It suggests a country uncertain about its own past.”
The human cost: Muslim identity under siege
While framed as a historical debate, the film’s core premise reinforces a narrative that paints Muslims as usurpers of Hindu heritage.
For many Indian Muslims, this deepens the sense of cultural erasure they already feel.
“Our history textbooks are shrinking. Our architecture is questioned. Even our food is politicized,” said Farzana Malik, a schoolteacher in Haryana. “Now even the Taj Mahal is being turned into a tool to delegitimize our place in this country.”
She added, “This isn’t about the monument. It’s about our identity.”
The portrayal of Muslims as destroyers of Hindu culture has been weaponized before, most notably in campaigns that preceded the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 and the rise of temple-movement politics.
“Films like The Taj Storyrevive those old wounds,” Malik said.
The film’s cultural impact beyond box office
Despite being labeled a commercial flop, The Taj Story has a political and cultural impact that far outweighs its box-office numbers.
“It doesn’t need to be a blockbuster,” said Muneer. “Its value lies in spreading a narrative that aligns with majoritarian politics.”
The film’s low budget, modest earnings, and extended presence in select theaters indicate a niche audience, but also suggest an ecosystem eager to keep the controversy alive.
As The Taj Story continues its theatrical run, reactions remain sharply divided. In some cities, activists have protested outside cinemas. In others, screenings have drawn enthusiastic crowds.
Historians worry that the debate signals a shift from evidence-based history to belief-driven narratives.
“When myths and politics combine, truth becomes optional,” said historian Irfan Habib. “Once belief replaces fact, discrimination becomes easier to justify.”
He warned that the Taj Mahal controversy may seem symbolic but represents a profound shift in how India constructs national identity. “History is not a battleground for settling modern political scores,” Habib said. “But that is exactly what is happening.”
For many scholars, the controversy is not about artistic freedom but about the intentional distortion of historical consensus.
“The Taj Mahal is a symbol of India’s cultural synthesis,” Das said.
“To turn it into a symbol of domination is a tragic misuse of art.” She added, “Protecting the truth about the Taj Mahal is not just about defending a monument. It’s about defending India’s plural identity.”
For now, the Taj Mahal still stands as a testament to a rich, layered past.
But the storm around the film shows how easily cultural memory can be reshaped, and how fiercely some are fighting to rewrite it.
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