'Taj Mahal 1989': Finding love the old school way

Mumbai, Feb 7 (IANS) The Neeraj Kabi and Geetanjali Kulkarni-starrer "Taj Mahal 1989" gives a sneak peek into stories about love, friendship and heartbreak before dating apps and social media.

Netflix on Friday released the trailer for its upcoming series "Taj Mahal 1989", which showcases an amalgamation of love stories through different ages as the emotion matures. Also starring Danish Hussain, Sheeba Chaddha, Anshul Chauhan, and Anud Singh Dhaka, the series will release on Netflix on February 14.

Neeraj, who essays the role of Akhtar Baig, feels the series is a "relatable series of love, power and relationships".

"The slow and uncomplicated lives of the characters, and the premise of the series takes you back in time to an era when love and its manifestations were seemingly simpler, but a deeper look reveals otherwise. It's the simple complexity of the narrative that drew me to this story and I am excited that Netflix is taking this small-town love story to a global audience, because no matter where you are from, you will relate to the pain of love and heartbreak," he added.

Set in Lucknow in 1980s, "Taj Mahal 1989" weaves a tale of intersecting love stories, all of which fall victim to issues like jealousy, monotony, politics, and power. The trailer teases the plot of the show, which traces the simple yet complex lives of a Lucknow University professor couple, their students, a long-lost friend, his lover, and a schoolgirl in love with an older boy.

Geetanjali Kulkarni plays the pivotal role of Sarita Baig in the series.

Talking about the show, she said: "I've been working in films and television for decades, and being able to now work on a Netflix series is an opportunity for me to further explore my craft as an artist. My character in the series is honest, layered and finding love from her husband after marriage. 'Taj Mahal 1989', is not an ordinary love story; it's a complex web of emotions, and yet there is a sense of simplicity and relatability which makes this series the perfect love story to watch on Valentine's Day."