Taj director Vibhu Puri believes Mughals were ‘not invaders’ who came to plunder India: ‘They were as Hindustani as other emperors’

Excerpts from the conversation:

Did you expect such a reception for Taj?

Frankly speaking no. We always knew it was something special but it’s overwhelming to read the sweet messages of friends and even utter strangers. The show was also trending on Twitter and the memes, it’s just amazing. If someone has watched the second season, they must have watched the first too. That means, in their busy lives, they took out time for us, and that’s incredible. It’s also unheard of in today’s time as people have no loyalty towards content. It’s really humbling, as I hadn’t expected this.

The story of Akbar and his sons has been told several times. Some even in big-budgeted films and shows. What were your initial apprehensions when you took charge?

When I read the 400-page script, I was worried (laughs). A show on the Mughal empire, on Akbar, I knew it would be massive. It was more than 50 years of story and there is so much to be shown. I didn’t know how we would encapsulate so much into 15-20 episodes. However, the writers and creators very smartly decided to focus on the succession of who is going to be the next Badshah. The one-line plot was so endearing, yet so dramatic. It’s such an interesting tale and so much happened in these courts and palaces. We also wanted the show to be more interpersonal. For the first time, Akbar was real, he would be upset, in pain or apologise to his queen and hold his children and grandkids close. We have never seen such a statesman, and he is an emperor. We have never seen his human side. And that really intrigued me the most. It was a joy to film this and we really had a great time. I think anyone watching the show would relate it with his grandparents or even themselves in the future. This is also a very contemporary thought where families are breaking and one wants to hold them close. I think subconsciously that actually resonated with the audience. They were like ‘Yeh Akbar mera hai (this is my Akbar)’.

However, the sexual content in the show did raise a lot of eyebrows. What was the thought behind that?

See, we didn’t want to glorify or tarnish anyone. It was like walking on the edge of the sword but we wanted them to be treated as characters. We wanted them to come across as real and not just kings. We did not do anything for eyeballs. We wanted to show their romance and moments of lovemaking. We also assured it’s done in a poetic way and not high on titillation, like what one sees on shows today. But yes, we did not shy away from that.

It was a surprise to see legends like Naseeruddin Shah and Dharmendra on the show. How did that happen, and tell us more about their working style?

Naseer sir was actually excited when he read the script but he wasn’t sure. He said he has already played Mirza Ghalib, and then there would be direct comparisons with Mughal-E-Azam. He had his doubts but it read so real, and was such a human document that he said yes. It was a story about a man, who happens to be a ruler. That struck a chord, and he was on board. He did put a condition that he would want to re-interpret the character in his own way and not do it like Prithviraj Kapoor or Hrithik Roshan has already done. We were already clear that we wanted this to be different.

As an actor, he is phenomenal and on a different level. The looks he gives to the camera, the pauses, walks… he just gets into the skin of the character. He hasn’t told me but I really have a feeling that he drew a lot of inspiration from his own father. In fact, Naseer bhai has two other brothers, and he is the youngest, making him the most notorious. He did equate himself to Salim. He also had an unrequited relationship with his father. They were not close but had a lot of love and respect for each other. I really feel he drew references from that, and it just makes it more endearing.

On the other hand, Dharam ji is called a legend for a reason. He is 86-87 years old and there is no reason for him to be out of his house, working. But it’s so difficult for him to be away from the screen. Even at this age, he would sit with me on the day of the shoot, discuss his lines and then write it in Urdu. He was so dedicated and would give suggestions, not just for his character but also others. While there was no competition, he had a childlike quality to do more. I remember when he saw the episode, he was like Naseer’s voice has a base, I want to now dub my lines again. It proves that this is not a profession for him but a passion. It’s just incredible.

Given the success of the two seasons, are you planning to take the story ahead? Is season 3 in the pipeline?

Honestly, we hadn’t thought about it. But since the conversation has started and the love we have received, we are surely thinking of the next season. I have been amazed at the debates and discussions that people are having on social media. We also have a lot to talk about as Khurram and Noor Jahan have also been introduced. We have hinted at the Britishers coming back. So there is a lot of drama ahead. See, it’s easy to get love but difficult to maintain that. We need to be sure of what we are making. We will write and rewrite until we have something crisp and entertaining which will capture the audience. That’s the agenda. Let’s see when and what happens from here.

Lastly, tell us what is about the Mughals that fascinate the population as a whole? Be it hatred on social media and being called ‘invaders’ to a show like Taj getting so much love. They always evoke strong emotions.

Firstly, I sincerely believe they were not invaders. They never came with the idea of plundering the country, and then going back and establishing themselves somewhere else. They came in, fell in love with India and ruled the country. They are as Hindustani as any other emperors in our history. And like with every empire, they brought their own cultural values, music, art and religion. I don’t personally think they were invaders. Some of them may have been barbaric, some were not. There were family feuds for sure but kahan nahi hote hai? I think any empire, any throne is written in blood. There has never been a peaceful treaty or succession, and it doesn’t even happen in contemporary times. We have never been a peaceful race. As for fascination towards the Mughals, it has been part of our growing up. Taj Mahal humara hai, Mughal garden humara hai, even Lal Qila (Red Fort), we still hoist the national flag there. If they were plunderers, we wouldn’t have celebrated that. These are part of our ethos and they cannot take that away from us.