(Clockwise from top) Omar Sharif, Peter O?Toole at a social do, and Luke Goss

Omar Sharif and Peter O?Toole, Lord of the Rings actors John Noble and Jonathan Rhys Davies, in an epic, multi-million-dollar film of Biblical proportions, with big battle and throne room scenes shot in the palaces and deserts of? Rajasthan!

Reminiscent of Lawrence of Arabia, the O?Toole-Sharif-starring desert classic, One Night With The King is set in the Iran-Iraq area in 400-322 BC, but is being filmed in Jodhpur.

Based on the book Hadassah: One Night With The King by Tommy Tenney, it revolves around the story of the Jewish girl Hadassah, who becomes the Biblical Persian queen Esther. Hadassah is chosen as a wife by King Xerxes and with her beauty and intellect saves the Jewish nation and her people.

The team arrived in India in September, but one of the trucks had an accident, damaging the equipment. The schedule was delayed as replacements were brought in from the US. Then, on November 1, Sharif allegedly got into a brawl with Australian actor Noble at the dinner table in Umaid Bhavan Palace Hotel, which is where they are staying and filming. The next day, everyone except Noble turned up on the sets.

The schedule is now back on track, Paul Anderson of 8X Entertainment, producers of One Night with the King and previously The Omega Code, told Metro. The main character of Hadassah is being played by Hollywood newcomer Tiffany Dupont, while donning the robes for the lead role of King Xerxes is British actor Luke Goss.

Taking time out from his filming schedule, the singer-turned-actor chatted about the experience of working with legends.

Goss has acted with Donald Sutherland (?old-school and very well-prepared?) and Samuel L. Jackson (?has a great sense of humour but is very disciplined?), opposite Michelle Yeoh (?she?s a very lovely lady?) and Wesley Snipes (?great actor and great fun?), from London to Shanghai (for the recently-released Silver Hawk with Yeoh), LA and now India.

Goss gave up fame as a pop idol when he left the band Bros, but he hasn?t regretted a day since. And now, he?s sharing screen space with Omar Sharif. As the 36-year-old says: ?It?s absolutely wonderful.?

Riding a white stallion on sand dunes, fencing with Sharif and sitting on a throne with a 40-ft golden lion behind it is not something he?s used to. ?It?s just amazing,? laughs the co-star of Wesley Snipes in Blade II. ?It?s so larger than life that it never really feels like a film set. Everything?s so real. And big. The production design (by Aradhana Seth), is brilliant.?

The best part is the on and off-screen friendship with the Egyptian-born Sharif (?my mum had a crush on him?). ?It?s quite an experience. I work with him very closely through the film since his character, Prince Memucan, is the best friend of King Xerxes? father and the king?s mentor. In fact, he has the most number of scenes with me, so we have become good friends, which is great, because the chemistry shows on screen. He?s such a larger than life person. He loves wining and dining and good conversation. A great host.?

Peter O?Toole hasn?t arrived in Jodhpur yet, since his scenes, in the desert, are due to be filmed later this month. Goss regrets not being able to act with the star of Lawrence of Arabia.

The costumes ? designed by Nita Lulla ? is another thing he is fascinated by. ?Nita is fantastic. We spend hours discussing what each outfit should be like and she takes a lot of pains with each,? adds Goss. Next, after a Christmas holiday, Goss is back in LA for something ?really big?.

Adapted for film by screenwriter Stephan Blinn and directed by Michael Sajbel, One Night With The King is scheduled for theatrical release on March 25, 2005, to coincide with Good Friday and Esther?s Jewish Feast of Purim.